When you purchase a new bus, it is expected to last around 12 years – so long as it is maintained properly. Then, these buses are “retired”. But what does retirement mean for buses and coaches? Sure, some of these buses have reached their breaking point and are put out to pasture (often literally), but the majority of used buses can serve as reliable transportation well past their official 12 year lifespan.
The truth is, the main reason buses are retired at 12 years is because transit agencies can receive government funding for replacing their buses at that point. However, as the saying goes, one man’s ‘trash’ is another man’s treasure.
For a second, let’s talk about the price of a new bus. A standard school bus can cost over $75,000 brand new, and that is without many of the new safety features and devices quickly becoming standard in the industry. For transit buses, that cost leaps to up to $600,000. That’s definitely not chump change.
As you might expect, used buses are much cheaper. The industry average is between $5,000 to $15,000 per bus, although it varies on a case by case basis. Some buses can be much cheaper, while some can exceed those prices – especially used coaches.
You might expect the low prices are due to the state of the vehicles, but most are actually in surprisingly good shape. The main reason many of these buses sell for such affordable prices is because they may not meet current government regulations and many are just purchased for parts.
To help even more with the costs, many agencies are offering grants and refunds for school districts who retrofit older buses with newer, more eco-friendly fuel systems.
Of course, as with buying any used vehicle, used buses should be thoroughly inspected before purchase. However, you will find many are in great shape and can serve as reliable transportation for years to come.
In fact, Christopher MacKechnie points out that many of the shuttles operated by the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles were previously operated by Metro, while a large part of the Goofy lot parking shuttle fleet at Disneyland were previously used for the Orange County Transportation Authority. Many schools have also started including used buses in their fleets as a way to keep costs down in light of shrinking transportation budgets.
The majority of school buses that are retired are put out of use simply because of regulations and grant money. Thankfully, this provides a great opportunity for transportation services looking to supplement their fleets with used buses. Just because a school bus has been retired doesn’t mean it can’t be a faithful part of your fleet for years to come.
Are you interested in a used school bus or coach for you or your fleet? Give us a call at 866-574-9970 and we can help you find the bus you need.
