Shuttle buses for schools, universities & camps
The first question is not how many seats — it is whether students will ride. That decides the vehicle class, and the rules are stricter than most buyers expect.
If pupils ride, the vehicle class is decided for you
Under the federal Safety Act, a dealer who sells or leases a new vehicle that does not meet the federal school-bus safety standards, knowing it is likely to be used significantly to carry students to or from school or school-related events, faces civil penalties — which is why we will not sell a new 15-passenger van or ordinary shuttle bus for pupil transportation, and neither should anyone else. The compliant answer for 15 or fewer riders is a multi-function school activity bus (MFSAB): a school bus built to the school-bus safety standards except the flashing lights and stop arm, for activities, field trips and athletics. NHTSA's definition excludes home-to-school and bus-stop routes; those need a conventional school bus. An MFSAB at 15 total passengers does not require a CDL. Larger student loads need a Type A or larger school bus with CDL drivers. Pennsylvania adds its own school-vehicle and driver rules; our CDL guide covers the licensing side and cites the sources, and NHTSA's school-bus FAQ (linked below) is the primary source for the federal rule.
If the riders are adults, it's a shuttle
College campus loops, athletics, staff and parking shuttles, faculty and visitor transport, and camp staff vehicles are shuttle-bus purchases: a 14-passenger non-CDL cutaway ($110,000–$145,000 new as of September 2026), a 20–30 passenger mid-size bus ($135,000–$205,000), or a 31–45 passenger bus with luggage and restroom options ($190,000–$270,000) for athletics and long trips. A lift-equipped unit meets your accessibility obligations for riders who use chairs; here is when 49 CFR Part 38 applies.
Timing to the fiscal year
Most institutions buy against a July 1 fiscal year and want the vehicle before fall term. In-stock units ship once the order is signed and paid, with the date stated on the quote; a bus built to your floor plan takes about 60 days from order. Tell us the deadline and the approval path (business office, board, purchasing cooperative) and we'll build the quote and the delivery date around it.
Paperwork
Public schools, charter schools, state universities and nonprofit private schools and colleges claim the Pennsylvania sales-tax exemption on the vehicle title application with their exemption number; we prepare it. Our quotes are formatted for purchasing offices, with the warranty summary and floor plan attached, and we complete vendor registration and certificate-of-insurance requests without fuss.
Graphics and identity
Team colors, crest and name on the side are an inexpensive option that recruits on every trip. We quote it with the bus.
Common questions
Can we buy a 15-passenger van for the team?
Not new, if students will ride in it — a dealer may not knowingly sell a new vehicle for significant student transportation unless it meets the federal school-bus standards. The MFSAB is the compliant 15-passenger option for activities and athletics, at about $120,000–$125,000 new. If only adult staff ride, a shuttle bus or van is fine.
Do our drivers need a CDL?
Not for a vehicle designed for 15 or fewer passengers including the driver and under 26,001 lb GVWR. Pennsylvania's school-vehicle driver rules add requirements when pupils are transported; check them with your district or PennDOT.
Can you sell through a purchasing cooperative?
Ask us. Cooperative and state contracts are held by specific vendors; if your policy requires one we hold, we'll tell you plainly whether we can, and if not, who can.
Do you deliver before the school year?
Usually, if a build-to-order bus is ordered by spring or an in-stock unit early in the summer. We put the date in writing on the quote, so you know before you sign.
Get a written quote in one business day Configurations & prices
Tell us who rides — students or adults — and when the year starts.
We'll quote the compliant vehicle, delivered, with the paperwork your business office needs, within one business day.
Request a quote Call (717) 932-6060