Shuttle bus or box truck?

[Tkdplayer]

Hi I'm trying to decide between a box truck or shuttle bus.   The shuttle bus has a fiberglass body so maybe thats lighter.

Does the fiberglass body regulate heat better too?  

Are box trucks a wooden box or are they wood framed with thin metal walls?

What are the pros and cons of each and what would you choose?

How much is it for registration and insurance costs should I just buy an class c rv?

 

[LoupGarou]

Go with whatever you can source insurance on.

 

[John61CT]

Odd, when tge goal is being mobile you can choose whatever state make things like that easier

 

[wmyers4u]

Most shuttles don't have a front passenger seat.

Some boxes are metal, most are wood encapsulated in resins.

Some boxes have translucent tops, which deteriorate.

Fiberglass deteriorates

I have a cutaway van with a 12' aluminium box and 6' headroom. Just starting my build. I like the headroom and square walls for a simple build due to few custom angles.

 

[Kenwrite]

Depends. Do you even wanna HOPE for acceptance in RV parks?
Are you trying to be stealthy in towns/cities?
Will you be boondocking on rough bouncy roads where you need a sturdy vehicle?
You'll never have the windows and airiness of a bus in a box truck.
etc.

 

[John61CT]

Do you even wanna HOPE for acceptance in RV parks?

between the two which do you think has that advantage?

> Will you be boondocking on rough bouncy roads where you need a sturdy vehicle?

And also for this, are you assuming the box truck is more robust?

 

[Tkdplayer]

I plan to be in the city but not especially too worried about stealth. I heard fiberglass lasts the longest and is cooler.

I dont really plan on being in an rv park, seems like a ripoff last time I checked prices.

 

[stinko]

They're pretty similar at the end of the day. Especially if you're not worried about stealth. I have a shuttle bus. I like that the cab doesn't feel separated from the rest of the living space. I like the windows, but busses have too many windows. Box trucks don't have enough. I like the bus steps but I hate the door on shuttle buses. Some box trucks have a door in the side that seems pretty good. Also the floor of a box truck is really high so getting in and out can be tough. Both have decent off road clearance. Also, I found out the hard way that shuttle buses are notoriously leaky. Mine ended up requiring a full floor and ceiling rebuild due to water damage as well as extensive roof patching.

 

[Jim_Rockford]

you can find box trucks that have the lower floors, alot of older u hauls , they are pretty low and some lighter duty gm box trucks are lower. i hear alot of complaints of leaks from skoolies and transit buses I hear to stay away from starcrap busses, lotta bad thing out there about them.

 

[stinko]

I agree about the shuttle bus leakiness, but personally I would NEVER buy a UHaul truck. Which sucks because I love the Toyota box trucks and they were almost all used by UHaul.

To me anything that was a rental vehicle is a no-go. Those vehicles get used hard exclusively by people who could care less about taking care of them or how long they will last.

 

[John61CT]

But if you get one low-enough mileage. . .

 

[Babz]

I am looking into the Ford Transit cutaway, some have translucent tops.  Wondering if I can cover some of the panels to stop the heat.  Anyone have experience with this?

 

[DannyB1954]

Depending on the State that you reside, it can be all but impossible to title and insure a commercial vehicle as an RV.
Insurance companies go by the VIN number. Take that and call around different insurance companies. See what they say.

 

[John61CT]

Nice thing about van dwelling, you can choose your domicile state to suit your needs.

Would be unfortunate to have to get the rig hauled there on a trailer though.

Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance

 

[Treeview]

Box truck all the way!

I have a Grumman-Olson box on a '97 e350 chassis. No leaks

Square. Flat walls and uniform ribs. Sheet insulation is easy to fit

Ceiling is flat with an arch of about 2" side to side

Opaque fiberglass. No leaks. I always have a 2x4 sheet of plywood tonstand on if I'm on the roof

I've stopped people who are driving former rental box trucks to
Ask about the condition of the vehicle when they bought. All have been happy with the condition and the cost. Uhaul will start with a high price. Low ball them and go up slowly

Windows can be added where you want them instead of blocking out shuttle windows. Shuttle buses see harder use than most box trucks. Idling and stop n go driving. I've talked with shuttle drivers about durability. It seems they need more maintenance than rentals

 

[ISAWHIM]

Shuttles have a greater structure that is difficult to manipulate... You essentially get what you have, and can only add to it. Due to the fact that they are designed to carry "passengers". (DOT safety, which also shows when you have to register it.) They are heavy, hard to insulate and best when parked.

Box-trucks types are all over the place... Metal, wood, plastic, fiberglass, cloth... It depends. Most are just fiberglass and metal construction. You will find modification to them to be easy and more like modifying a house and less like modifying a "boat". (As a shuttle-bus is compared to modification, due to all the odd internal curves and irregular surfaces.)

There is another advantage to box-trucks, as they can be "stealth", and that matters. (Stealth in a shuttle-bus is a little difficult and almost fruitless.) Stealth, where it matters most, is in registration and living. You CAN register it as a converted RV, or just as a box-truck, legally. (They do not count permanence of contents within the "cargo vehicle", but they WILL in a shuttle-bus, or it won't matter in a shuttle-bus.)

The two major things to think about is what comfort will you want more? Living comfort or driving comfort. The shuttle-bus will potentially have more driving comfort, but it comes at a high repair cost and limited availability for repairs. The box-truck will be more potentially "living comfortable", if insulated correctly compared to a shuttle-bus. It will also be easier to find people to repair it, and parts to repair it.

Depending on the box-truck, you can get more internal room too. Though most are a little taller than some like. Some are as high, inside, as a shuttle-bus. (Shuttle-buses are not typically tall inside. Most are just adequate for standing, of an average sized person, which limits any potential insulation you may need.)

NOTE: You can make a box-truck a better ride... It is not bad, when it is full of stuff, unless it is overloaded or under-loaded. There are also "comfort ride" box-trucks, which already have similar setups to shuttle-buses.

 

[Pleasant Travels]

I plan on going the box truck route myself. Stealth is the primary reaaon, but secondarily, insulative potential is runner up. No shuttle bus will be able to be as well insulated without blocking out the windows. And if no windows, why settle for a bus?