What will happen?

[temccarthy1]

Need your advice! My boss's college graduate son and 3 buddies want to spend their first summer out of school to buy an old "short" school bus they think for about $5000, rip out the seats and install beds, paint it white and do a loop of the country for 4-6 weeks staying in private campgrounds, National and State Parks while seeing the sights in our country!
Then they plan to sell it at the end of their journey and think they can recoup most or all of their investment! Will they be allowed in to most parks with a ramshackle home made "camper" like this? I have had a 30 ft TT for 2 years and a Pop Up for 30 years prior and and have never seen a rig like this in any campground I have ever stayed in and I have been to probably 100 over all the years!
What will happen? Do you think they will be allowed in to most or all these campgrounds or will they be refused entry and have to bunk down at Walmarts? Will Walmart even allow them to stay overnight in a converted bus?
Appreciate your seasoned advice. If this is going to be a disaster, want to warn my Boss that these boys could be headed for a nightmare!
Thanks for your help!

[dodge_guy]

A better bet would be an older class C. this will be ready for the RV`ing side of it. This also depends on how maintained the truck part of it would be. I would skip the school bus and go this route.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

"What will happen?"

Some places will turn them down; some places will be fine with them staying at their place. Most don't/won't care. And who really cares? I did this when I was younger and I stayed in parks and on the side of the road or anywhere I could. I even broke down a few times. I didn't care; I was young and having fun!

They will have a great time and make many memories. They might break down 2 miles down the road; they might go the distance with no mechanical problems at all.

There is a big lesson in this small film clip.


"Oh what I would give to be young again and do something like this"; T&P. Get to livin or get to dying, your choice. 🙂

[Bird_Freak]

If my boss asked me what I thought my answer would be, Sounds like a great adventure for them. If you say Great idea then if something goes sour he may blame you! As far as a place to stay I don't think they will have many problems. All the folks with comments about class A's and air brake problems and will need tires first and that sort of thing are talking just to be heard in my opinion. They have no idea what the kids will be looking at to buy. Back in the 60's we bought a 56 school bus at county auction for $200 bucks. Never had mechanical problems and it had almost new tires. Lots of fun!!!!

[Community Alumni]

rexlion wrote:
The bus probably has air brakes, and they could be old and temperamental. If they go out, the bus ain't moving until fixed.

If it's a short bus like the OP described then it probably does not have air brakes. Short buses are normally built on 1-1.5 ton cutaway chassis or chassis cabs.

[Lwiddis]

"Jesus... Why can't anyone answer?"

I answered, Yillb. You just didn't like my answer.

[Community Alumni]

I don't think they would have problem with any public run campground. Private campgrounds sometimes have age and rig rules, but honestly you don't see it enforced often. When there's empty sites, those campgrounds get less picky about where the money is coming from. The only ones that are really strict are the expensive and glamorous campgrounds, but college kids traveling the country probably aren't looking to stay at these campgrounds anyway. I wouldn't imagine that they would have a problem with overnighting at a Walmart as long as they're overnighting. Walmart isn't particular about the type of vehicle. Half the time you see big rigs clogging up the parking lot.

[BB_TX]

DavidP wrote:
Their college grads, not kids. Regardless of circumstance it sounds memorable. Bud out!

My opinion also. That age they can do things us "more mature" people would never think about, and have fun doing in.

Only advice I would give would be to tell them that many private RV parks will likely not be welcoming. State, local, and COE parks and maybe lower end private parks would be more likely to. Beyond that, I would not add any advice.

[falconbrother]

Over the years I have seen pretty much everything in campgrounds. Still see it. I have never seen or stayed in a campground that has massive restrictions on year model of a RV. I have heard of them but, never seen one. I'd say let them go for it and have some fun with it. The building process it's self is fun.

[djsamuel]

I have seen converted busses used as camper several times, especially at Disney's Fort Wilderness. As long as it is not a real eyesore and they are polite and considerate, I don't think they'd have too many problems. There may be a few places that turn them away, but they should be able to replan and move on.

[DavidP]

Their college grads, not kids. Regardless of circumstance it sounds memorable. Bud out!

[westernrvparkow]

languiduck wrote:
All you people saying a private CG won't let a converted school bus...please show me any place that has a rule like this and prove it. This is a prime example of more false drivel that gets spread around.

OP, if your boss didn't ask for your opinion I'd refrain from offering it. The kids will have a great time and it's a great idea. A group of college kids building something with their hands and getting out to see the nation is not something that should be stifled.

We would turn them away, and I know of many other parks that would turn them away as well. Our other guests do not want to camp next to an old schoolie. They look like junk (because that is what they are) and the repercussions of a bad review from one of those neighboring guests would cost a park much more than they could ever earn from the few schoolies roaming the earth. There are other reasons and justifications, but that one reason is reason enough.

[rbpru]

There is a lot of merit to letting them discover things for themselves. I have only had one campground ask about the age of our TT.

I doubt that the group is going to seek the high dollar campgrounds.

[Jack_Diane_Free]

Personally I would stay out of it. Let them build their bus and go on their adventure. They will have a great time and it will be a great life experience. Will some things go wrong, absolutely. That is how one learns.

[darsben1]

languiduck wrote:
All you people saying a private CG won't let a converted school bus...please show me any place that has a rule like this and prove it. This is a prime example of more false drivel that gets spread around.

OP, if your boss didn't ask for your opinion I'd refrain from offering it. The kids will have a great time and it's a great idea. A group of college kids building something with their hands and getting out to see the nation is not something that should be stifled.

Lots of CG's have a ten year rule. Most state laws allow private business to turn away anyone they want except for protected reasons.

[boosTT]

I've seen a group camping in an old ambulance before. I don't think they will have any issues finding a place to camp. Private campgrounds don't seem to care what happens during weekdays...

Selling the converted bus may be difficult though.