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I've been living in a shuttle bus I converted for about 20 months. I built it to be like a high end RV, with everything you'd expect in an RV but with lithium b

I've been living in a shuttle bus I converted for about 20 months. I built it to be like a high end RV, with everything you'd expect in an RV but with lithium batteries and a solar array. I did it for two reasons, so I could own a home with minimal expenses and so I could take my home and dog when I travel. My cost of living is significantly lower than living in conventional housing. I estimate I've spent around $50k on it. I don't understand spending $100k on a tiny home trailer. You can buy a regular house for that much and the trailer will depreciate. I don't have plans on moving into something else in the near future. With all the money I'm saving I'm paying off debts and growing my savings. I wouldn't mind owning some land and building a workshop but it's hard to find land at a reasonable price in a place I'd like to live. I do this entirely by choice. I'm fortunate enough to have a well paying, remote job. I constantly see and think about people who are forced into being houseless. One project I'd like to do is a sub-$1000 trailer home anyone could build with basic tools and a few weekends. Design and build one then put full instructions with videos online for free. Unfortunately I don't have the time right now. Feel free to ask me anything.

BlameKaneda 8y ago
Hey! 1. Is it weird inviting guests over? What extra steps do you do to make them feel more comfortable, especially if they're not used to the limited space? 2. How do you store your food, specifically perishables? 3. About how much do you spend on gas per month? 4. Do you ever feel unsafe, such as when you park the bus in a public lot? Do you carry a baseball bat/etc onboard? 5. How do you wash your clothes? Do you take them to a laundromat or wash them yourself? Thanks!
- driverdan 8y ago
  > Is it weird inviting guests over? A few people are fine but more than that and it's crowded. I usually visit others or meet friends other places, like at a restaurant. Going to a park or campground and having a cookout works great. > How do you store your food, specifically perishables? I have a fridge. > About how much do you spend on gas per month? It varies. If I'm not traveling it's in the range of $150-275/m. If I travel it's 10mpg so roughly $0.28/mi. > Do you ever feel unsafe, such as when you park the bus in a public lot? Do you carry a baseball bat/etc onboard? No. I don't park places I'd feel unsafe. I typically park on the street. I avoid bad areas. I have pepper spray, a stun gun, knives, and blunt objects I could use for personal defense if necessary. > How do you wash your clothes? Do you take them to a laundromat or wash them yourself? Laundromat. I may add a washer / drier combo at some point. I'd have to give up a decent amount of space for it though.
yingw787 8y ago
1. Pictures? 2. Did you use any guides on how to build your shuttle bus? 3. What do you do about external services (e.g. showering/toiletries)? I've heard at campsites there's valves to drain sewage into underground septic tanks, but I don't know how common that is in suburban or urban areas. 4. What do you do about insurance (break-ins, fires, etc.)? 5. Do you use public parking and move around or do you buy a parking spot somewhere? 6. Do you remote work / freelance? I'd imagine holding an office job may be difficult given the above constraints.
- driverdan 8y ago
  > Pictures? https://www.instagram.com/driverdan/ https://www.instagram.com/driverdan/ > Did you use any guides on how to build your shuttle bus? Nothing specific but I did about six months of research before I started, reading blogs, forums, reddit, and watching videos. > What do you do about external services (e.g. showering/toiletries)? I have a shower and a toilet. I also go to the gym at least once a week. Most campgrounds have a waste dump station. I have 42 gal fresh and waste tanks. I haven't had trouble finding places to dump. > What do you do about insurance (break-ins, fires, etc.)? I have insurance. It'd be the same as any vehicle having a break-in or fire. > Do you use public parking and move around or do you buy a parking spot somewhere? Public parking. I almost always move daily so as to not be an annoyance. > Do you remote work / freelance? I have a full time remote job. One reason I wanted to build my own instead of buying an RV is for a desk. I built a standing desk workstation with a 34" ultrawide monitor.
  - justjash 8y ago
    Looked through your IG, very cool. Who/what are you using for internet access while on the road? I'm interested in trying to travel more when working remote but trying to make sure I end up with a decent connection each day seems like it could be challenging.
    - driverdan 8y ago
      I'm currently using AT&T Wireless Home Internet. It's about $120/m with 100GB of data. https://www.att.com/cellphones/att/att-wireless-internet.html https://www.att.com/cellphones/att/att-wireless-internet.htm... I previously used an unlimited Sprint hotspot. It had more data but had poor coverage in many areas.
meritt 8y ago
Unless it was for the sheer joy of doing the work yourself, is there any particular reason you didn't buy a gently used motorhome for $15-20k and upgrade as necessary (e.g. the solar array and lithium batteries)? You cite the $50k cost but that sounds excessive to me with considerably less work.
- driverdan 8y ago
  You cannot buy a good 25' motorhome for $15-20k. You might be able to find a 20+ year old one with an under powered gas engine. In that case everything will be outdated and need upgrading. Most RVs are made out of low grade materials like particleboard and MDF. I used neither. They are not made to be lived in and fall apart quickly. None of them have a work area either. You end up using a laptop on the dinette or turn it into a desk and lose an eating area. I built a dedicated standing desk with a large monitor.
  - black6 8y ago
    I’d like to add that passenger buses are rollover-rated, as well. The “residential” area of a typical RV is balsa wood and paper* and a lot less safe. * I kid, but they’re not much stronger than that.
- rootusrootus 8y ago
  Nearly all RVs are built for intermittent (recreational!) use and specifically not designed for full-time living. Of course some people do it anyway, and they fall apart quickly.
breakingcustom 8y ago
That's a noble idea, but you must be joking thinking you are going to be able to build a sub $1000 trailer home with basic tools. The steel for the trailer alone will cost $1k on top of $200 for a decent welder. Factor in lumber, nails, windows, roofing, waterproofing, etc. What total square footage are you aiming for?
- driverdan 8y ago
  I've already done the rough math. It'd use a Northern Tool 5x8 trailer that costs $550 or less on sale. The $1000 price point is for a basic box to sleep in and store possessions. There would be additional plans for larger builds and more amenities for people with a larger budget. No welding necessary, only basic wood construction.
  - bluGill 8y ago
    That northern tools trailer is rated for 1000lbs - you won't be able to have 2 humans inside without breaking something.
    - driverdan 8y ago
      It's rated for 1715lbs: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612541_200612541 https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612541_20...
      - bluGill 8y ago
        I stand corrected. There are many different trailer models (over the years), with slightly different specs... The point that they are too light duty for this use I think still stands.
    - rthomas6 8y ago
      Excuse me if this is a stupid question, but why is 1000 lbs not enough? I weigh 150 lbs. My wife weighs about 130. What in the world is going to weigh 700 more pounds?
ddeokbokki 8y ago
This is a dream of mine - you must hear that often, but what did you wish you knew before building your superior place of living? Anything you'd do differently or not do at all?
- driverdan 8y ago
  I wish I had planned everything better. Other than a loose floor plan and some components I knew I'd have (eg lithium batteries) I didn't plan much. It slowed the build and resulted in some areas that are suboptimal. The main thing I'd change is using spray insulation instead of polyiso. Spray insulation would have taken a day, polyiso took me a month to cut out all the pieces and glue them up.
michaelt 8y ago
What happened to the tools and workshop you needed to convert the bus?
- driverdan 8y ago
  I did it all at ATX Hackerspace, a makerspace with most of the tools I used. The only tools I bought myself were a good drill / driver set, a jigsaw, and some smaller specialty tools. I carry all of my tools on the bus.
ddoran 8y ago
What do you use to heat/cool the bus? What range have you covered since you started living in it? Do you stay within a given city, State, or beyond? Thanks
- driverdan 8y ago
  I have an Espar diesel forced air heater and a Coleman RV rooftop AC. I can run the AC off my alternator when driving, off shore power, or a generator. I've put over 20k miles on it. My home area is Austin, TX but I've traveled to the northeast a few times and to New Mexico. I'll be heading west again soon.
Vinnl 8y ago
Can you get letters delivered? What address does the government think you live at? (If that's required for them to know where you're from.)
- driverdan 8y ago
  I've been using the same UPS Store box for my mail since 2011 so moving from a house to my bus didn't change how I deal with it.
atxsmallhouse 8y ago
I'm also in the Austin area and I'm very curious about this. I understand your initial investment on your "RV" is $50k but what is an estimate of your monthly spend on spots for water/power/etc+? And then what % of the time are you boondocking? +And whatever else would make it equivalent to an apartment/house. Do you have to hold any special insurance or have any other special recurring expenses?
- chrisco255 8y ago
  I live in Austin area and I've been researching some spots in this area. Most of the campsites that are reasonable commute to downtown can run $600-$800 a month for a large pad to park in and typically you'll pay electric on top of this, but I believe in most cases water/sewage is included. In other cities, it can be much cheaper.
- driverdan 8y ago
  I park on the street. I go to a campground for a night every 3-4 weeks (McKinney Falls when I'm in Austin) to refill my water and dump my waste tank. In the summer I run a generator for AC when necessary which is expensive. It uses $10-12/day in gas when run 24/7. A better choice is to drive where it's not as hot which I wasn't able to do last summer. No special insurance. If you want to grab a coffee or beer let me know. My email is in my profile.

BlameKaneda 8y ago

Hey! 1. Is it weird inviting guests over? What extra steps do you do to make them feel more comfortable, especially if they're not used to the limited space? 2. How do you store your food, specifically perishables? 3. About how much do you spend on gas per month? 4. Do you ever feel unsafe, such as when you park the bus in a public lot? Do you carry a baseball bat/etc onboard? 5. How do you wash your clothes? Do you take them to a laundromat or wash them yourself? Thanks!

driverdan 8y ago
> Is it weird inviting guests over? A few people are fine but more than that and it's crowded. I usually visit others or meet friends other places, like at a restaurant. Going to a park or campground and having a cookout works great. > How do you store your food, specifically perishables? I have a fridge. > About how much do you spend on gas per month? It varies. If I'm not traveling it's in the range of $150-275/m. If I travel it's 10mpg so roughly $0.28/mi. > Do you ever feel unsafe, such as when you park the bus in a public lot? Do you carry a baseball bat/etc onboard? No. I don't park places I'd feel unsafe. I typically park on the street. I avoid bad areas. I have pepper spray, a stun gun, knives, and blunt objects I could use for personal defense if necessary. > How do you wash your clothes? Do you take them to a laundromat or wash them yourself? Laundromat. I may add a washer / drier combo at some point. I'd have to give up a decent amount of space for it though.

yingw787 8y ago

1. Pictures? 2. Did you use any guides on how to build your shuttle bus? 3. What do you do about external services (e.g. showering/toiletries)? I've heard at campsites there's valves to drain sewage into underground septic tanks, but I don't know how common that is in suburban or urban areas. 4. What do you do about insurance (break-ins, fires, etc.)? 5. Do you use public parking and move around or do you buy a parking spot somewhere? 6. Do you remote work / freelance? I'd imagine holding an office job may be difficult given the above constraints.

driverdan 8y ago
> Pictures? https://www.instagram.com/driverdan/ https://www.instagram.com/driverdan/ > Did you use any guides on how to build your shuttle bus? Nothing specific but I did about six months of research before I started, reading blogs, forums, reddit, and watching videos. > What do you do about external services (e.g. showering/toiletries)? I have a shower and a toilet. I also go to the gym at least once a week. Most campgrounds have a waste dump station. I have 42 gal fresh and waste tanks. I haven't had trouble finding places to dump. > What do you do about insurance (break-ins, fires, etc.)? I have insurance. It'd be the same as any vehicle having a break-in or fire. > Do you use public parking and move around or do you buy a parking spot somewhere? Public parking. I almost always move daily so as to not be an annoyance. > Do you remote work / freelance? I have a full time remote job. One reason I wanted to build my own instead of buying an RV is for a desk. I built a standing desk workstation with a 34" ultrawide monitor.
- justjash 8y ago
  Looked through your IG, very cool. Who/what are you using for internet access while on the road? I'm interested in trying to travel more when working remote but trying to make sure I end up with a decent connection each day seems like it could be challenging.
  - driverdan 8y ago
    I'm currently using AT&T Wireless Home Internet. It's about $120/m with 100GB of data. https://www.att.com/cellphones/att/att-wireless-internet.html https://www.att.com/cellphones/att/att-wireless-internet.htm... I previously used an unlimited Sprint hotspot. It had more data but had poor coverage in many areas.

meritt 8y ago

Unless it was for the sheer joy of doing the work yourself, is there any particular reason you didn't buy a gently used motorhome for $15-20k and upgrade as necessary (e.g. the solar array and lithium batteries)? You cite the $50k cost but that sounds excessive to me with considerably less work.

driverdan 8y ago
You cannot buy a good 25' motorhome for $15-20k. You might be able to find a 20+ year old one with an under powered gas engine. In that case everything will be outdated and need upgrading. Most RVs are made out of low grade materials like particleboard and MDF. I used neither. They are not made to be lived in and fall apart quickly. None of them have a work area either. You end up using a laptop on the dinette or turn it into a desk and lose an eating area. I built a dedicated standing desk with a large monitor.
- black6 8y ago
  I’d like to add that passenger buses are rollover-rated, as well. The “residential” area of a typical RV is balsa wood and paper* and a lot less safe. * I kid, but they’re not much stronger than that.
rootusrootus 8y ago
Nearly all RVs are built for intermittent (recreational!) use and specifically not designed for full-time living. Of course some people do it anyway, and they fall apart quickly.

breakingcustom 8y ago

That's a noble idea, but you must be joking thinking you are going to be able to build a sub $1000 trailer home with basic tools. The steel for the trailer alone will cost $1k on top of $200 for a decent welder. Factor in lumber, nails, windows, roofing, waterproofing, etc. What total square footage are you aiming for?

driverdan 8y ago
I've already done the rough math. It'd use a Northern Tool 5x8 trailer that costs $550 or less on sale. The $1000 price point is for a basic box to sleep in and store possessions. There would be additional plans for larger builds and more amenities for people with a larger budget. No welding necessary, only basic wood construction.
- bluGill 8y ago
  That northern tools trailer is rated for 1000lbs - you won't be able to have 2 humans inside without breaking something.
  - driverdan 8y ago
    It's rated for 1715lbs: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612541_200612541 https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612541_20...
    - bluGill 8y ago
      I stand corrected. There are many different trailer models (over the years), with slightly different specs... The point that they are too light duty for this use I think still stands.
  - rthomas6 8y ago
    Excuse me if this is a stupid question, but why is 1000 lbs not enough? I weigh 150 lbs. My wife weighs about 130. What in the world is going to weigh 700 more pounds?

ddeokbokki 8y ago

This is a dream of mine - you must hear that often, but what did you wish you knew before building your superior place of living? Anything you'd do differently or not do at all?

driverdan 8y ago
I wish I had planned everything better. Other than a loose floor plan and some components I knew I'd have (eg lithium batteries) I didn't plan much. It slowed the build and resulted in some areas that are suboptimal. The main thing I'd change is using spray insulation instead of polyiso. Spray insulation would have taken a day, polyiso took me a month to cut out all the pieces and glue them up.

michaelt 8y ago

What happened to the tools and workshop you needed to convert the bus?

driverdan 8y ago
I did it all at ATX Hackerspace, a makerspace with most of the tools I used. The only tools I bought myself were a good drill / driver set, a jigsaw, and some smaller specialty tools. I carry all of my tools on the bus.

ddoran 8y ago

What do you use to heat/cool the bus? What range have you covered since you started living in it? Do you stay within a given city, State, or beyond? Thanks

driverdan 8y ago
I have an Espar diesel forced air heater and a Coleman RV rooftop AC. I can run the AC off my alternator when driving, off shore power, or a generator. I've put over 20k miles on it. My home area is Austin, TX but I've traveled to the northeast a few times and to New Mexico. I'll be heading west again soon.

Vinnl 8y ago

Can you get letters delivered? What address does the government think you live at? (If that's required for them to know where you're from.)

driverdan 8y ago
I've been using the same UPS Store box for my mail since 2011 so moving from a house to my bus didn't change how I deal with it.

atxsmallhouse 8y ago

I'm also in the Austin area and I'm very curious about this. I understand your initial investment on your "RV" is $50k but what is an estimate of your monthly spend on spots for water/power/etc+? And then what % of the time are you boondocking? +And whatever else would make it equivalent to an apartment/house. Do you have to hold any special insurance or have any other special recurring expenses?

chrisco255 8y ago
I live in Austin area and I've been researching some spots in this area. Most of the campsites that are reasonable commute to downtown can run $600-$800 a month for a large pad to park in and typically you'll pay electric on top of this, but I believe in most cases water/sewage is included. In other cities, it can be much cheaper.
driverdan 8y ago
I park on the street. I go to a campground for a night every 3-4 weeks (McKinney Falls when I'm in Austin) to refill my water and dump my waste tank. In the summer I run a generator for AC when necessary which is expensive. It uses $10-12/day in gas when run 24/7. A better choice is to drive where it's not as hot which I wasn't able to do last summer. No special insurance. If you want to grab a coffee or beer let me know. My email is in my profile.