The easiest way to get a bus past CDL requirements is to remove seats. Any vehicle that seat 15 (14 plus driver) requires a CDL. Pull enough seats so that you can only seat 14 (13 plus driver) or less and your covered there.
As for Motorhome, this varies by state but often the vehicle requires 2 out of 3 for Cook, Clean, Crap.
School bus's are under powered thus slow. Towing is out of the question.
Conversion bus's are much better.
I apologize for my tardiness. If you think you want one as a camper to do highway driving take a test drive on an interstate at speed, preferably with the Mrs. I've observed a few things driving the ones my dad's church had that i didn't care for but I may have been spoiled by city buses. With the short wheelbase and longish front overhang it seemed like it see-sawed quite a bit. As someone with a fairly heavy foot traveling on poor northeastern roads this got unsettling. I certainly wouldn't travel at the pace of say, a Greyhound coach. Some of the kids also complained of sea sickness in the front and very rear. Having leaf springs made the sensation worse if the bus was empty or close to it. Another thought is that a front engine bus should have the engine way out front, not right next to you drowning out you thoughts and warming your drinks. It seemed worse than a typical cabover since there were removable access panels letting in noise and doing there own rattling as well.
Most I've ben in are also geared very short so they are screaming at highway speeds adding to the din. One final thought, if you're going to be playing with trucks and buses it might be worth investing a day with a cheap school and getting a license. If you get stopped by a pain in the ass town cop it's often easier to have one to show rather than explain why you don't need one.
I’m never the voice of reason, really never, but with what you’ve mentioned here I would ditch the bus idea and just invest in a nice diesel dually and enclosed trailer. You can tow, camp, haul cargo, etc in an enclosed trailer outfitted correctly and the family will be much more comfy in a nice truck than an old bus. Plus isn’t it time for an upgraded ‘shop truck’ anyway?
nope, you're gonna have to do the 7.3 diesel short bus..
iceracer said:School bus's are under powered thus slow. Towing is out of the question.
Conversion bus's are much better.
When I started doing Chump/LeMons the guys I drove with had a small school bus they towed with. For at-track utility, it was awesome. Towing an e30 on an open trailer to/from the track, it was terrible....
irish44j said:nope, you're gonna have to do the 7.3 diesel short bus..
I would take that over the first one. I had a 7.3/5 speed in a rollback and while no fast by any measure it drove more comfortably.
I thought this was how you towed with a school bus?
RevRico said:
My friend thought about doing something like that with an old gmc motorhome and using a duramax to haul the late model.
RevRico said:
how you towed with a school bus?
I'm pretty sure the splitter isn't going to survive that... :)
In reply to Cotton :
It's not about being reasonable and comfortable, it's about stepping outside my front door with a cup of coffee and saying "berk yes" as I gaze upon my fleet of awesomeness. Practical trucks don't do that.
In reply to Waly :
Thanks for the input. A CDL is on my list of things to do in the next couple of years.
In reply to Everone Else :
Mrs. Deuce and I have something called a Bus List. This is the list of people we're totally cool with the other person calling up when the other one of us gets hit by a bus (and dies, we felt that was an important addition). I currently have Natalie Portman at the top of my list, she waffles between JJ Watt and Chris Hemsworth.
You might be asking yourself, "how does this relate to the purchase of an actual bus and should we warn Mrs. Deuce?" The answer is simple, an actual bus is on my Bus List of cars because that's about the only way Mrs. Deuce is likely to approve of me buying one in the near future. That doesn't keep me from looking at them on Craigslist and wanting to know more about them so I can make an informed bus purchase if Mrs. Deuce suddenly decided that I'm either smarter than I look, or does in fact get hit by an actual bus. You can never be too prepared.
In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :
Well, I have a fleet of awesomeness, from Ferrari to Firetruck and all kinds of stuff in between, but my practical truck sure is nice when I need it. I mean, you can have both practical and awesome mixed all in together....sometimes they even get along.
In reply to Cotton :
I currently own my truck and the Volt because I'm not allowed to be quite as idiotic as I'd like to be.
I still want a bus, I just want the right bus, and I'm wondering if this bus might be the right bus.
Here's my 1st old bus. Got it free due to age law here in Mass no buss over 10 years old. Body was free had to pull the motor and put in in another bus for the bus company. Inter-Smashable was 304 org but lost a main bearing then found a 392 in a pick up worked great.
Man, for the past 25 years I've wanted to buy a bus to make into an enclosed ramp truck like Rev posted.
I've spent untold hours looking at them on CL too.
Only recently have I realized my ambition far over reaches typical human life spans so it's back off my list. LOL.
I have towed with a short bus, a long bus and converted a bus to an enclosed car hauler. You need tto get a bus that is highway geared. Never had a problem towing a trailer with either the short or long bus. All mine were gas powered, diesel would be preferred.
It's not about being reasonable and comfortable, it's about stepping outside my front door with a cup of coffee and saying "berk yes" as I gaze upon my fleet of awesomeness.
Well put!!! It sure helps if you can bail yourself out as far as mechanical and logistical stuff, but as we should all already know (and you've proven anyway), knowing how to do anything is mostly about time and determination. Even if you dont have money, those are excellent things to be rich in.
I have towed with a short bus, a long bus and converted a bus to an enclosed car hauler. You need tto get a bus that is highway geared. Never had a problem towing a trailer with either the short or long bus.
Well would you look at that. The GRM well of oddball knowledge and experience ever runs deep. 
Don49 said:I have towed with a short bus, a long bus and converted a bus to an enclosed car hauler. You need tto get a bus that is highway geared. Never had a problem towing a trailer with either the short or long bus. All mine were gas powered, diesel would be preferred.
Thanks. So the takeaway is that it's bus dependent and if I find one that's geared properly the rest of the bus will probably work. That's what I needed to know. Now I want to go drive busses.
In reply to Vigo :
I KNEW you'd understand. 
Ferd check
Airsteam check
OLOA check?
Bus in my future .......do you sleep at all????
Smaller bus, but it’s 4x4 and has a wood stove!
Cotton said:Smaller bus, but it’s 4x4 and has a wood stove!
That thing reeks of awesome.
In reply to Cotton :
As cool as that looks in the initial view, I can't help but notice the wimpy light duty rear axle in the pictures. 
In reply to 759NRNG :
I'm not very good at sitting still.
In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :
That's a full floater. If it's a 14 bolt it's strong as hell. At least for normal vehicles.
If you really want a bus, my suggestion would be a short one. 16 passenger or less. More like a box truck. Gm based has a decent one, Ford based are ok too. Gor for the newest version you can afford, it will also have the most leg room. They will travel the highway as fast as you dare to go. Try to find one that is as clean as you can get. This means, at least, the driver cared enough about their ride as possible. Go with mechanical door, the electric versions are finicky. I never towed with one, but you see Rental trucks of the same size towing all the time, so I guess the liability factor plays in. Buy the best you can, and make your project dolling it up, and maintenance.
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