Shuttle buses
Cutaway shuttle buses for senior living, NEMT, churches, schools, hotels and municipalities — with or without wheelchair lifts, in non-CDL and CDL configurations.
How a shuttle bus is specified
A shuttle bus is really four decisions stacked on top of each other. Getting them in the right order saves money.
Chassis
The chassis determines weight capacity, wheelbase, engine and — critically — service network. Ford E-350 and E-450 cutaways are the industry default because any Ford commercial dealer can service them; the Ford Transit cutaway offers a lower floor and better fuel economy in smaller configurations. We quote what fits your passenger count and duty cycle rather than defaulting to the largest.
Body builder and floor plan
Body manufacturers such as StarCraft and Glaval build the passenger compartment on the chassis. The floor plan — how many seats, where the aisle runs, where the lift door sits, whether seats flip up for wheelchair positions — is the part you actually live with. We work from the builder's floor-plan library and can send you drawings of the exact layout before ordering.
Wheelchair lift and securements
If the bus will carry wheelchair users, the lift must comply with FMVSS 403 and its installation with FMVSS 404. If the bus is used in public transportation or by an entity covered by the ADA's transportation regulations, the vehicle must additionally meet 49 CFR Part 38 — which specifies a lift design load of at least 600 pounds, a platform at least 30 by 48 inches in clear area, and securement requirements. Details and citations are in our ADA guide.
Passenger count and licensing
Pennsylvania requires a CDL for vehicles designed to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver. That is why so many shuttles are built at 14 or 15 total: it lets a community or church use volunteer or non-CDL staff drivers. If you have CDL drivers, a 20- to 25-passenger bus costs only modestly more per seat. Our CDL guide walks through the rule with sources.
Warranty on new buses
Every new StarCraft shuttle bus we sell includes 7-year / 70,000-mile coverage on both the body and the Ford or Chevrolet chassis at no additional charge, with warranty work performed locally — the bus never has to go back to the factory. See the component-by-component warranty summary.
Where our buses come from
We source new buses through a national wholesale bus supplier with access to the major body builders, and pre-owned buses from fleet turnovers, lease returns and trade-ins. Every pre-owned bus is inspected before we list it, and we'll tell you what we found — including the things we'd fix before delivery and the things we'd leave to you.
Common questions
What is a cutaway shuttle bus?
A cutaway bus starts as a van chassis with a factory cab — most often a Ford E-350/E-450 or Ford Transit — behind which a body manufacturer such as StarCraft or Glaval builds the passenger compartment. It's the standard small commercial bus in the United States and the platform for nearly every shuttle we sell.
Do I need a CDL to drive a shuttle bus?
In Pennsylvania, a CDL is required for a vehicle designed to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver, or with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 lb or more. Many shuttle buses are deliberately configured at 14 or 15 total passengers to stay under that threshold. See our CDL guide for details and sources.
Can a shuttle bus have a wheelchair lift?
Yes. Most body builders offer a rear or side platform lift with flip-up seats, so the same bus carries, for example, 14 ambulatory passengers with no wheelchairs or 10 ambulatory plus 2 wheelchair positions.
What warranty comes with a new shuttle bus?
New StarCraft buses include 7-year/70,000-mile coverage on the body and the Ford or Chevrolet cutaway chassis at no additional charge, with warranty work done locally. See our shuttle bus warranty page for the component breakdown.
Do you sell used shuttle buses?
Yes, both. New buses are quoted to your floor plan from the body builder; pre-owned buses come from fleet turnovers, lease returns and trade-ins.
Have a passenger count and a budget year? That's enough to start.
We'll come back with two or three floor plans and real delivery dates.
Request a quote Call (717) 932-6060