A used shuttle bus is a big purchase, and the problems that cost the most are the ones you can’t see in photos. This is the checklist Manny uses on every bus before we buy it, written so you can use it on any bus, from any seller.

1. Decide What You Need First

  • Passengers and wheelchairs: count your largest regular trip, not your average one. On most wheelchair buses the seats fold up to make room, so a 16/6 bus carries up to 16 passengers or up to 6 wheelchairs, not both at once.
  • Who will drive: under federal rules a bus designed for 16 or more people, including the driver, needs a CDL with a passenger endorsement. Many states add their own lines. Check yours in our State Buyer’s Guide.
  • Where it will park: check height and length against your garage, carport or lot. Our Shuttle Bus Specs & Dimensions tool lists sizes by model.
  • Budget beyond the price: plan for insurance, registration, sales tax, delivery and first-year maintenance. See Bus Insurance.

2. Check the Paperwork

  • Ask for a copy of the title, front and back, before you pay anything. It should be clear, with no liens, in the seller’s name.
  • Match the VIN on the title to the VIN on the bus.
  • Ask for service records, especially transmission, brake and lift service.
  • Ask where the bus spent its life. A bus from a heavy road-salt state can look clean on top and be rotted underneath.

3. Look Underneath

  • Frame: surface rust is normal. Scaling, flaking or holes are not.
  • Brake and fuel lines: these rust through first on salt-belt buses and are expensive to replace.
  • Floor: press on the floor near the doors and the lift. Soft spots mean water damage.
  • Leaks: look for fresh oil, coolant or transmission fluid under the engine and transmission.

4. Check the Body and Roof

  • Look for cracks and patched seams on fiberglass bodies, and check the roof for leaks, especially around hatches and A/C units.
  • Look for water stains on the ceiling and walls inside.
  • Check that every window, door and emergency exit opens, closes and seals.

5. Test the Wheelchair Lift

  • Run the lift through several full cycles, up and down, loaded if you can.
  • Test the manual backup and the door interlock.
  • Check the lift’s rated capacity. ADA lifts must be designed for at least 600 lb.
  • Check that each wheelchair position has its floor tracks or anchors and complete securement belts.

6. Check the Mechanicals

  • Cold start: start it cold and listen for knocks, ticks and exhaust leaks.
  • Transmission: shifts should be smooth on the road, with no slipping or flare between gears.
  • Brakes and steering: straight stops, no pulling, no grinding.
  • Tires: check tread and the date code. Old tires can look fine and still be unsafe.
  • A/C and heat: run front and rear on full. Rear A/C is costly to fix.
  • Electrical: test every light, the lift power, the door and the batteries under load.

7. Drive It

Drive it at highway speed, over bumps and in stop-and-go traffic. Every bus we sell, Manny drives first and fixes what he doesn’t like before it is listed.

8. Get an Inspection

If you can’t see the bus in person, get a pre-purchase inspection or ask for a live video walkaround that shows the underside, the lift working and a cold start.

9. Plan Delivery

Ask how the bus will get to you. A bus driven to you picks up highway miles and wear on the way. We deliver on our own flatbed trailers, so the bus arrives with the miles it had when you bought it.

Buyer FAQ

What Should I Look for First on a Used Shuttle Bus?

Start underneath: frame, brake lines and floor. Rust and water damage are the most expensive problems to fix and the easiest to hide in photos.

How Many Miles Is Too Many for a Used Shuttle Bus?

Condition and maintenance matter more than the number. A well-serviced bus with higher miles can be a better buy than a low-mile bus that sat in salt or skipped service.

Should I Buy a Bus From a Salt-Belt State?

Be careful. Road salt attacks frames, brake lines and floors. We buy our buses from outside the Salt Belt for that reason.

Do I Need a CDL to Drive a Shuttle Bus?

Under federal rules, not if the bus is designed for 15 or fewer people, including the driver, and is under 26,001 lb. Some states and paid services set lower limits, so check the State Buyer’s Guide.

Talk to Manny

Call or text (516) 852-2748 for a FaceTime walkaround of any bus we sell. See every bus for sale »