How to choose a shuttle bus

Step 1 — Fix the passenger count and the licensing question

Everything follows from two numbers: the most people you need to move at once, and whether your drivers hold a CDL. Under Pennsylvania's rule, 15 total including the driver is the non-CDL ceiling (details and sources). Decide this first; it determines the chassis.

Step 2 — Wheelchair positions, and whether they flex

Most communities want one or two wheelchair positions but don't want to give up those seats on every trip. Flip-up seats over the wheelchair positions solve that. Decide how many positions, and whether the lift goes at the rear (cheaper, keeps the side entry door standard, but the passenger is loaded in traffic) or the curb side (loads at the curb, costs more, takes more body length). If the bus will carry the public or is funded with public money, spec the lift and securements to 49 CFR Part 38 (our guide).

Step 3 — Chassis

For 8–14 riders, a Ford Transit cutaway gives a lower step-in, better fuel economy and a car-like drive. For 14–25, the Ford E-350/E-450 cutaway is the industry standard and the easiest to service anywhere. Gas engines dominate the small-bus market because diesel's fuel savings rarely pay back at community-bus mileage and its emissions systems add maintenance. Ask us about duty cycle before assuming.

Step 4 — Body builder and floor plan

StarCraft, Glaval and other body builders each have a floor-plan library for each chassis. Look at aisle width (a walker or oxygen cart changes the answer), seat pitch, luggage/grocery space, the location of the lift door, and the overhead height. Get the drawing, tape it out on your parking lot, and walk it with the people who will drive and ride.

Step 5 — Options that matter more than they look

• Rear HVAC. A 25-foot body with only the cab air conditioning is miserable in August.
• Step lighting, grab rails, and a low first step for older riders — more accidents happen on the steps than on the lift.
• Securement system brand and spare parts — drivers lose straps.
• Backup camera and rear sensors. Cheap insurance for a long vehicle in a tight lot.
• Interior surfaces you can actually clean.

Step 6 — New or used?

New buses are built to order; lead time depends on chassis supply and builder backlog, so the budget-year deadline decides more often than the price does. Used buses from fleet turnovers can be excellent value; on any used bus, check the lift cycle count if the controller records it, look for corrosion at the body-to-chassis mounts and the lift door, verify the FMVSS 403/404 labels are present, and test-cycle the lift under load. We do all of this before we list a bus and will show you what we found.