What school bus has the most headroom?
By
Elaine Knight
In this blog post, we will answer the following question: What school bus has the most headroom? We will explain how to measure the interior and exterior height, width and length of your Skoolie. We will also help you decide what size Skoolie is best for you.
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. Please see the table below for more examples.
| Headroom | Bus models |
| 78 inches (6.5 feet) | GreenPower Motor Co. BEAST IC Bus CE Series IC Bus RE Series The Lion Electric Co.: LionC 78 inchesThe Lion Electric Co.: LionD 78 inchesThomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 Thomas Built Buses- Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner EFX Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX |
| 77 inches (6.41 feet) | Blue Bird Corp. Blue Bird Vision Blue Bird Corp. All American FE Blue Bird Corp. All American RE Collins Bus Magellan Collins Low-Floor |
| 76.5 inches (6.37 feet) | Collins Bus Magellan Collins MFSAB and Magellan MFSAB (DRW’s) Collins Bus Magellan Collins School and Magellan School (SRW’s)Collins Bus Magellan Collins School and Magellan School (DRW’s) |
| 76 inches (6.33 feet) | Micro Bird Inc. Micro Bird G5 DRW Titan Bus DW2 Titan Bus DRW A |
| 75.8 inches (6.31 feet) | Collins Bus Magellan Collins MFSAB and Magellan MFSAB (SRW’s) Collins Bus Magellan Collins School and Magellan School (SRW’s) |
| 75 inches (6.25 feet) | The Lion Electric Co. LionA Trans Tech SST Trans Tech CST Trans Tech eSeries |
| 74 inches (6.16 feet) | Thomas Built Buses Minotrek SRW: 74 inchesThomas Built Buses Minotour DRW: 74 inchesTrans Tech Trans Star: 74 inchesTrans Tech ST Aero: 74 inchesMicro Bird Inc. Micro Bird T-Series Micro Bird Inc. Micro Bird MB-II SRW |
| 73 inches (6.08 feet) | Thomas Built Buses Minotour SRW Thomas Built Buses Minotour DRW Titan Bus SW Titan Bus SRW A |
| 67.8 inches (5.65 feet) | Collins Bus Magellan Collins MFSAB and Magellan MFSAB (SRW’s) Collins Bus Magellan Collins School and Magellan School (SRW’s) |
| 66 inches (5.5 feet) | Micro Bird Inc. Micro Bird T-Series Micro Bird Inc. Micro Bird MB-II SRW |
How wide is the inside of a Skoolie?
Generally, the interior of a Skoolie is 7.5 feet wide. In the United States and Canada, bus bodies are restricted to a maximum width of 102 inches (2.59 m) and a maximum length of 45 feet (13.7 m).
Still, because there are several types of school buses, it is best to always use a simple equation to find how wide your Skoolie is:
[number of windows] x 2.5 x 7.5 = X sq ft
For example, if a bus has 7 windows: 7 x 2.2 x 7.5 = 115.5 sq ft.
How do you measure the height of your Skoolie?
There are two and sometimes three Skoolie heights that you will need to be concerned about.
- The first height to be taken into account is the interior height of the Skoolie. Find this height by measuring the inside of the Skoolie from floor to ceiling.
- You will also need to take some outside measurements. The main exterior measurement to consider is the height of the Skoolie, including the ceiling, mounted air conditioning units.
- The next exterior measurement you can take is the exterior height without the roof-mounted air conditioning units.
How to measure the interior length and width of a Skoolie?
The interior length corresponds to the living space you will have inside your Skoolie. Measuring length is simple: just measure the front wall and rear wall of the Skoolie inside it.
Measuring the interior width of a Skoolie can be a bit trickier. You will need to take measurements with the slides in place and with the slides removed.
How to measure the exterior length and width of a Skoolie?
The length and width of the Skoolie are estimated by measuring the exterior of the Skoolie without adding extra length extras. For example, you will not include the measurement of the Skoolie tongue.
Again, you can have two different width measurements. The first measurement will be the width of the trailer with the slides in place and the second will be the width with the slides removed.
Both of these measurements are important because the closed width will tell you how wide the vehicle is when driving and the second will tell you how much space you need to choose a campsite.
The total length is the length of the entire motorhome. This length is always greater than the length of the Skoolie. Sometimes the variation in length can be significant, while other times it will be almost the same.
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!
Mini Skoolies: compact and manoeuvrable
The more compact the dimensions of the Skoolie the easier it is to manoeuvre, which is a big argument for drivers. The smallest school buses on the market are the Mini Skoolies.
They have a certain advantage for driving and parking, especially in built-up areas, where parking spaces are generally scarce. Very compact vehicles are mainly used by couples, looking for maximum flexibility in the journey.
Is a Midsize Skoolie the best choice?
Roominess and comfort are reduced as much as the vehicle is short and/or narrow. The dimensions of the Skoolie, therefore, affect the living spaces onboard the motorhome cell. In a compact vehicle, you will not necessarily have a separate shower and toilet.
The choice of bed will often be reduced to the transverse bed, except in a coach built vehicle. Concessions will also need to be made to the kitchen space.
The solution? Opt for Midsized Skoolies. The handling remains quite acceptable on a bus of this size. You then gain space, storage volume with the possibility of having a central bed, the best choice for many motorhome drivers! The downside may be the space occupied by the bedroom. However, you can opt for a layout with the French bed or a non-permanent bed, such as a drop-down bed so as not to encroach on the living space.
Full-sized Skoolies for maximum space
Families or retirees who travel a large part of the year in a motorhome and in all seasons generally need more space, a permanent bed, practical and voluminous storage.
Note that on roads and motorways, a Skoolie can be driven easily regardless of its size with a B license. However, manoeuvring and parking require more skill in the city.
Indeed, large dimensions on a motorhome are felt when approaching a tight bend, a small roundabout, manoeuvres in reverse with an often greater overhang. Note that by the way, it is not so much the dimensions that make the price of the Skoolie as the equipment on board.
The height of Skoolies, a dimension to take into account
The dimensions of the Skoolie also involve the height of the vehicle, affecting also the amount of headroom – an element to take into account for adults, but also while on the road. Think of bridges, tunnel entrances and tolls!
The bottom line
When choosing a bus to convert it to a Skoolie, you must consider how many people are going to live in it, what amenities you want to add (kitchen, bathroom, beds, etc), but also you must consider how wide the bus is. A bigger bus is not always the best choice, as it can be more expensive and very hard to find a spot to park it.
Please let us know if you have any questions or comments on the content.
FAQ on What school bus has the most headroom?
How wide is the inside of a Skoolie?
Generally, the interior of a Skoolie is 7.5 feet wide. In the United States and Canada, bus bodies are restricted to a maximum width of 102 inches (2.59 m) and a maximum length of 45 feet (13.7 m).
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!
How much does a Skoolie roof raise cost?
A Skoolie roof raise can cost you $10,000 if done by a professional. Considering that the supplies alone can cost you around $1000, we decided to show you an example of a less pricey roof raise project
How much does it cost to get a Skoolie painted?
Getting a school bus painted can cost anywhere from $1000 to $3000, depending on the type of paint you choose, the size of the bus, and whether you hire a professional or do it yourself.
Other FAQs about Skoolie that you may be interested in.
How much horsepower do busses have?
What does a 72 passenger school bus weigh?
Is living in a Skoolie worth it?
References
- Bus with best interior Headroom – School Bus Conversion Resources
- School Bus Interior Height – What You Need To Know – Trail and …
- Interior height? – School Bus Conversion Resources – Skoolie.net
