What is a “Skoolie”
Skoolies are tiny homes built using retired school buses or sometimes even charter buses. They have become the new tiny home trend in recent years and for good reason! They also push instead of pull you down the road, allowing for a much smoother ride. However, it’s not all great when it comes to skoolies.. The repair costs on bus engines can be drastically different than for a traditional vehicle. Also, finding a mechanic to work on them can prove very frustrating. Especially, if you’re broken down in the middle of nowhere in a School Bus or Charter Bus.
Why Live in a Skoolie?
When choosing a home for the nomadic lifestyle there are generally the four big choices (with some variables, of course). There’s the RV, the Van, the Tiny Home and the Skoolie, each choice has its benefits and it’s draw backs.
Skoolies have many intriguing features that will over come some of the drawbacks for many people. First off, they are usually (but not always) diesel engines. Diesel engines can handle a lot more than gas powered engines. There’s a reason big rig trucks are all diesel. Not only are they powerful but they last a lot longer too. It’s not unusual to have a diesel engine last over 1 million miles. However, diesel vehicles have a higher cost when repairing or upgrading the vehicle. So, unless you definitely have a good engine behind your bus it could be costly.
They are very unique and just plain cool. Skoolies seem to be on an upward trend in past few years and maybe for good reason! Sometimes people associate living in a van or RV to be, well, a little too redneck. But for some reason, living in a school bus just seems more civilized. Giving you more of an opportunity of people being interested in what you do on the road, versus being a “stain” on their community. This is why I chose a Skoolie over an RV for full time living.
They are a lot more customizable versus buying an RV or tiny home with a floor plan and everything built already. Which is good if you want to completely build something that is your own. But some people want at least some of a jump start. Or simply just don’t trust themselves (or loved ones) with power tools and rather buy something built already.
