How To Ship A Bus – Your Step-By-Step Guide

How To Ship A Bus – Your Step-By-Step Guide

Government agencies, schools, and even private individuals occasionally need to ship buses. Whether you’ve bought a bus that’s located across the country and need to ship it to your current location, need to send an old bus to a junkyard, or must transport a bus for any other purpose, you may be wondering what to expect from the process. In this guide from Shipvehicle.com, we’ll take you through the process step-by-step.

  1. Contact A Vehicle Shipping Company For A Quote

To begin the process, you’ll need to reach out to a vehicle shipping company that can handle transporting a bus. Buses are very large and bulky, and require special equipment like lowboy flatbeds, powerful semi-tractors, and experienced drivers to ensure they are transported safely.

In addition, be prepared to pay a pretty penny for shipping a bus. Costs usually start at a minimum of $2.50 per mile, and can be even higher than this. Prices vary considerably based on your situation, so this is just a “rule of thumb.” If your bus must be transported as an “oversize load” due to height, width, length, and weight restrictions, this cost will be even higher.

  1. Sign Your Contract & Schedule Pickup

Once you’ve contacted a shipping company and have received a quote, you’ll sign a contract to confirm that you’re hiring them to ship your bus, and you’ll need to schedule a pickup date and location. You may also want to purchase additional insurance if your bus is very valuable, as this will help protect it during shipping.

  1. Your Bus Is Loaded Onto A Flatbed Trailer

Depending on the logistics of your job, the bus may be picked up at a specified location, or you may need to deliver it to a specified transportation terminal. Here, it will be driven or loaded onto a specialized “lowboy” trailer. These trailers are very low to the ground, and ensure that the height of your bus won’t exceed oversize load limit regulations.

Note that if your bus is not operational, there may be additional costs associated with loading it onto the trailer, since specialized equipment will be needed to haul it into place.

  1. Your Bus Is Driven To Its Destination

Once the bus has been picked up, your vehicle shipping company will transport it to its destination. Depending on the size and width of your bus, special routes may need to be planned to avoid things like bridges and underpasses, narrow roads, stoplights, and other such obstacles.

  1. Unload The Bus At Your Destination

Once the driver reaches your designated destination, the bus will be unloaded, and it will await pickup. You usually must pay additional fees if you plan to keep the bus at a shipping terminal for more than a day or two, so plan to pick it up as soon as you can.

Need Help With Bus Shipping? Contact Us Right Away!

Shipping a bus can be complicated and expensive, but if you need to ship a bus from one point to another safely and securely, Shipvehicles.com is here to help. Our shipping and transportation experts can ship any load, including heavy haul loads like buses. To learn more and get started, just contact us online or call at 888-231-0113. Our team can give you a quote, discuss the process in more detail, and answer any questions you may have about how to ship a bus.