How long is a 44 passenger bus?

In this blog post, we will answer the following question: How long is a 44 passenger bus? We will explain how to measure the length of a bus, discuss the average sizes of a bus and review the most popular 44 passenger bus in the US: The famous Blue Bird. 

How long is a 44 passenger bus?

A 44 passenger bus is 6.9 ft from one side of the shuttle to the other, 43 ft long and 9.1 ft high. The average city bus in the US is between 35 and 45 feet long, with a width between 8 to 9 feet. 

How does one measure the length of a bus?

Usually, the length of a bus should be mentioned in the vehicle’s logbook or by the dealer/seller in the ad. However, it can happen that some data such as the length, width and height on your school bus may be missing. What to do in this case?

A few rules of thumb could help you get an idea of your school bus’s length if the seller isn’t telling you exactly how long it is. The best way to measure the length of a bus is by looking at the windows: so for every window on the side of the bus, not including the driver’s window, you can add 28 inches – and that’s also taking into account the space between the windows. 

For as accurate measurements as possible, you must know what kind of bus it is in terms of engine placement:  is it a hooded dog nose or a flat nose school bus? 

• If it’s a dog nose like a regular truck, you’re gonna add 10 feet to whatever measurement you got from looking at the windows. 
• If it’s a flat nose then you’ll add about 6 feet to the initial measurement.

Next, there are other things to consider. One of those things – probably the most major thing is the handicap door. In this case, we recommend measuring from the very back of our last regular window to the very back of the bus. So essentially measuring the entire handicap area (which is around 6 feet to add on the length of most buses). 

Of course, this method is not perfect and the first issue you may be facing is that not all of the windows are the same size. The first window and the last window of a bus are fairly long while the other windows are different sizes. Also, the emergency exit windows are different sizes as well.

Still,  if you follow the above rules, you can kind of get an idea of where you’re at and how long your school bus is!

How much does the longest bus measure?

The longest bus in America is the coach bus. It is 42 to 45 feet long and can carry between 25,000 and 35,000 lbs, or up to 97 passengers!

Regarding bus dimensions, we can classify them into three categories:

1. Mini-buses
2. Midsize buses
3. Full-size buses

Please see the table below for more information on the actual dimensions of a school bus. 

Bus type	Length	Width	Height
Mini Buses	20 to 25 feet long	93 inches	9.1 ft t0 10.3 ft
Midsize Buses	25-42 feet long	93-96 inches	9.9-10.4 ft
Full-size Buses	42 to 45 feet long	93-96 inches	9.9-10.4 ft

What license do I need to drive a 44 passenger bus?

To drive a school bus you will need to have held a valid Class 5 driver’s license for at least 2 years, have a good driving record, adequate health and pass a theoretical exam and 2 practical exams.

When maneuvering a 44 passenger bus, especially the first few times, to get help from someone who travels with you, it is the best way to learn to familiarize yourself with the dimensions of the school bus.

When parking, before starting the maneuver, think about how you will get out of that parking lot, in fact, it can often be easy to park but then difficult to get out.

But first, check if you can park the 44 passenger bus, it seems obvious as the bus is in effect like a car, but there are often ordinances created to not allow RVs to park. Then check if the parking payment is the same for cars and RVs. Sometimes it can happen that campers pay more or that they do not pay for the parking as they have dedicated parking spaces.

Finally, it is not said that parking is allowed for the whole day, there are RV parks with a ban on parking at certain times, especially to prevent overnight camping. When parking, if camping is prohibited but parking is permitted, windows, portholes, external awning and ladders must remain closed. Furthermore, you cannot even turn on the heating or hot water, to avoid the presence of drains. As you will not be able to use wedges or stabilizers.

The most popular 44 passenger bus in America: the Blue Bird

Different American bus manufacturing companies, such as Wayne Works, pioneered the development of school transport vehicles at the beginning of the 20th century. However, among all of them, the Blue Bird Body Company stands out, which will go down in history as the company that created the most iconic model in this field.

The history of Blue Bird (BB) begins when Albert Luce built Blue Bird # 1 in 1927, one of the first school buses to use steel in its construction. Thus, a new paradigm was established in the school transportation industry.

Some years later, in 1935, the first plant dedicated entirely to the development of school buses of Blue Bird Body Company was put into operation in the North American state of Georgia.

Blue Bird became an international manufacturer of school buses with the start-up of Blue Bird Canada in 1958. Seven years later, the company opened a plant in Guatemala, which it operated until 1982.

Blue Bird Corporation (BB) grew to five factories in which it developed models for urban, suburban, school, commercial and recreational vehicle use.

Currently, of the five BB plants located in the United States, only the one in Forth Valley, Georgia, remains in operation. In October 2009, BB formed a joint venture with Canadian school bus manufacturer Girardin Minibus under the name Micro Bird, Inc.

Engine: The Cummins B5.9 is a mid-duty, six-cylinder, 5.9-litre, direct-injection, turbocharged, intercooler engine rated at 175 braking horsepower at 2,500 rpm.

Fuel system: A Bosch P7100 pump supplies a pressure injector for the fuel system. Fuel is drawn in through a Holset turbocharger.

The valve train: The overhead valve train consists of 12 valves, two per cylinder actuated by a solid lifter camshaft. The cylinder firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4.

Capacity / Weight: The Cummins B5.9 weighs approximately 975 pounds. oiled and fed; 905 lbs., Dry. Its oil capacity is 11 quarts.

The yellow color: The use of the color yellow for school buses in the USA was decided later. It was at a conference organized in 1939 at the Teachers College of Columbia University. There, vehicle manufacturers, representatives of paint companies and transport officials met to set standards in the manufacture of models for school transport.

It was considered that the yellow color was more easily visible at times of the day with lower luminosity, such as sunrise or sunset, and that its use had an impact on improving road safety.

Later, the US Government developed new safety standards for these models that homogenized, among other issues, the height of the vehicles or seats, the thickness of the sheet metal or the resistance to impacts.

FAQ on How long is a 44 passenger bus?

What size of Skoolie to choose?

Far from being limited to the length of the Skoolie, the dimensions of a converted school bus influence the interior layout and the way you travel. While comfort and handling are often opposed, some models offer good compromises. Take stock of the characteristics of the different templates before buying your vehicle!

How is a bus measured?

The weight of passenger trucks and buses is measured by a measuring instrument known as a scale. In many places, it is used to control the weight of vehicles such as passenger trucks and buses in order to ensure safety on the journey.

​​What is the longest school bus?

The longest school bus is the coach bus. It is 42 to 45 feet long and can carry between 25,000 and 35,000 lbs, or up to 97 passengers!

What school bus has the most headroom?

The school bus with the most headroom currently on the market is made by GreenPower Motor Co. and offers 78 inches of interior space. The school bus with the least headroom is only 66 inches tall.

Other FAQs about Skoolie that you may be interested in.

How much does it cost to live in a Skoolie?

Who makes the best school bus?

What is the best school bus to convert to RV?

References

• Bus Lengths and Seat Numbers – School Bus Conversion Resources
• How Long is a School Bus? (Conversion FAQs) – Trail and Summit
• Choosing a School Bus Size for Your Conversion | Skoolie Square …