Bdub753 wrote:
Proxim what gear ratio would you recommend? Also if I do find a shuttle bus with a high GCWR how or who would you recommend to redo the interior? I would love to keep the total cost around $50,000.
For what you want to tow, in E-series the chassis needs to be E-450 with the V-10, which will have 4.56 gearing. The E-350 DRW comes with 4.10 gearing, whether V-10 or V-8, and this reduces what it can tow.
Transit bus builds will already have the seating. What they might not have, for U.S. builds, is the safety equipment needed to tie down child safety seats.
It is hard to find the small transit bus on E-450 with V-10, as the 12-14 passenger capacity can be carried by E-350 or G-3500, and the original buyers have no requirement to tow, so they don't pay for the heavier chassis.
Corporate shuttle buses are more often built on the heavier van chassis, to carry the weight of more luxurious seats and high capacity air conditioning. Buses for this market will usually have seating with lap belts, though I've been in a few that also have shoulder harnesses.
$50,000 cap definitely puts you in the van-based category (rather than class 5 - class 6 chassis), or else used. It is not hard to find used small transit buses, small school/activity buses under that price, but they will be usually well used. Luxury bus builds are going to be a lot more expensive, even the small ones.
