When I first started figuring out the whole full-time travel thing, I assumed I’d just use Google Maps and wing it. That lasted about three days before I realized there’s a whole ecosystem of apps and tools that people rely on to find camping, dodge low bridges, get wifi, and save money on diesel. So … Read more
Buying a used school bus is one of those things where excitement can completely override common sense. You find one that looks good in the photos, the price is right, and suddenly you’re ready to drive six hours to hand someone cash. But the bus doesn’t care about your enthusiasm — it’s either solid or … Read more
One of the first things people ask when they see a finished bus build is some version of “does all that stuff stay in place when you’re rumbling down the backroads?” You watch someone’s tour video and they’ve got plates on open shelves, a TV on the wall, a Berkey water filter just sitting on … Read more
When I first started researching bus conversions, I assumed “skoolie” meant school bus and that was pretty much the only option. Turns out there’s a whole world of buses out there that people are converting into homes, and each one comes with a totally different set of trade-offs. Some are cheap and easy to find. … Read more
Everybody’s got an opinion on bus life. The problem is most of those opinions come from people who’ve either never done it or who are trying to sell you something. So I figured I’d just lay it all out — the good stuff and the bad stuff, no filter, no spin. Living full-time in a … Read more
Every time someone posts a finished bus build online, the comments are predictable. “How much did this cost?” “This is fantastic design but how in the world did you afford it?” And my personal favorite, just the blunt version: “what price you need to be prepared to build one?” People see beautiful conversions and assume … Read more
Heating a bus is one of those decisions that touches everything else in your build — your fuel system, your electrical setup, your insulation, your budget, all of it. And there are way more options than most people realize when they’re first getting into this. After spending a ridiculous amount of time digging into heating … Read more
If you’ve spent any amount of time inside a school bus on a summer afternoon, you already know the problem. These things are giant metal greenhouses, and they will cook you if you don’t have a plan. I spent a lot of time researching what actually works for keeping a bus livable in serious heat, … Read more
This question comes up constantly in every skoolie group I’ve ever spent time in. Someone posts a gorgeous build and within five comments somebody’s asking “What state is this registered in? What is it registered as?” I went deep on this one because where you register your bus affects what you pay every single year, … Read more
You’re shopping for a bus and you keep seeing the same engine names pop up in every listing. Cummins this, DT466 that, something about a Cat 3126. But which one do you actually want under that hood, and which ones should you walk away from? (See our guide on Should You Buy a Gas or … Read more