Buying a Bus!

NeptunesMoon

Hi,
Does anyone have any idea how one would go about driving a bus? I was thinking of buying a Double Decker bus, like the ones Dublin Bus use for jobs like transporting people to and from festivals or other events. I have a full clean Irish driving licence for a car only at present.

How would I go about getting a license for a bus and where would I find a bus?

Cheers!

Riamfada

Have been trying to work that out for years myself. The Price of the bus , the power of the engine. Insurance ect came to so much. Would love to know how to do it myself.

John R

To get a bus licence (Class D):
1. A full car (class licence is needed.
2. apply, take and pass class D theory test (same procedure as for car)
3. get provisional application forms and medical form.
4. go to a doctor and pass medical test.
5. apply for provisional.
6. book lessons with driving school (there are a handful across the country that do bus lessons)
7. book practical test in nearest applicable test centre (not all do bus tests) The waiting time is very short, 2-4 weeks
8. Pass test (very important)

The main cost is for the lessons and hire of bus for test, lessons are around €150 for two hours. Around €2000 would be a good estimate if you take it up reasonably quickly.

To buy a bus: If you intend to profit from it as a sort of nixer-type thing then it is probably a very bad idea, the overheads of buying/maintaining/licencing/insuring a bus for occasional commercial use are far too high. For personal use/as a hobby then it is going to be an expensive hobby but if you are committed to it it can be done.

Unless you are very rich the only sort of bus you could even think about buying is one that is near the end of it's commercial life. So 20 years old at least and as with any machine that age the usual concerns about condition, parts, refurbishment, maintenance, etc would need to be looked at.

One can be bought quite cheaply but keeping a full size bus/coach or double-decker on the road is very expensive, specialist equipment and mechanical expertise/working knowledge is needed. Also a secure place to keep it is needed as a bus stored in the open is a vandal-magnet.

There are several websites that sell buses, many Irish coach hire companies sell their old stock themselves but few if any have double-deckers.

http://www.ensignbus.co.uk/ are probably the largest bus sellers in the UK, all of Dublin Bus' old double deckers are sold to them for onward sales.

There are usually a few buses up for auction on ebay as well, there is a section for buses but the vast majority are van-based minibuses, http://motors.listings.ebay.co.uk/Commercial-Vehicles_Minibuses-Buses-Coaches_W0QQfclZ3QQfromZR11QQsacatZ108850QQsocmdZListingItemList

If all that hasn't put you off, for all the details on owning and running one the best advice would be to contact people who have bought and run one privately. The best people to talk to would be the vintage/preservation bus owners as they would be able to give a good idea of exactly what sort of time and money would be needed.

This website is run by a few bus owners and it also gives details of a bus rally this Sunday in Dublin where many busses and owners will be present.