Q: What kind of used bus do I need?
A: Its a vague question yes, but its something our customers ask us all the time. In short, theres no quick answer. The used bus you need depends on a variety of factors. How many passengers do you predict/expect to move daily? Do you need wheel chair access? How far will your typical journey be, 50 miles, daily, weekly, more? Normally bus customers fall into 4 categories:

• Commercial Buses (shuttle buses for churches, hotels, small business)
• School Buses (for school districts, daycares, boys and girls clubs)
• Transit Buses (for public transport, local city & state districts, etc)
• Tour Coaches (tour operators, limo companies, luxury buses)

Q: What bus types of buses does BusWest Pre-owned offer?
A: BusWest Pre-owned sells buses that can be used for just about any purpose... however the most common bus types we deliver are, hotel shuttles, church transportation, transit buses, para-transit and dial-a-ride vehicles, mini-buses,minivans, corporate shuttles, parking shuttles, contractor buses, pupil transportation, school buses, activity buses, tour buses and motor coaches, shuttle buses, transit buses, church buses, wheelchair buses, mini buses, wheelchair vans, limo buses, luxury buses, alternative fuel buses, CNG buses, propane buses and more.


Q: Where can I go to shop for used buses?
A: Thats an easy answer... come to one of our two primary used bus dealerships:

• BusWest Pre-Owned @ 13750 Valley Boulevard, Fontana CA 92335
  Call (888) 287-9077
• BusWest Carson @ 21107 S. Chico Street, Carson CA 90745
  Call (800) 458-9199

Q: Do I need a special license to drive a bus?
A:Yes. If you wish to drive any vehicle with more than 10 passengers, including driver (in the State of California, other states may vary)... you require more than just a Class C license. (However, 10 and under you can drive a passenger van with a Class C California Drivers license).

Q: How do I buy a bus?
A: Just about everyone has bought a car at some point in their lives, and so most people think buying a bus is similar. From some smaller bus dealerships, that may be true, but not when you decide to buy from BusWest Pre-Owned. Our sales team are not set to compete with one another which normally leads to poor customer service, instead, we have trained all our sales force to work together to help you the customer find your ideal bus. At BusWest Pre-Owned, we've simplified the whole process to make it easy to buy a bus which allows you to start helping your clients and to make money as soon as possible. All you have to do is call us, then we will help complete all the paperwork you need to do, and we'll even work with the DMV for you as well. We are the bus experts, so you don't have to be.

Q: Are school buses really safer than a passenger car?
A: Yes. According to National Safety Council Statistics, School buses are 172 times safer than passenger cars in terms of occupant deaths per 100 million
passenger miles traveled. In fact, school buses rank much better than any other form of surface transportation.

Q: How many school buses are in service nationwide and how many students ride them?
A: Approximately 450,000 school buses transport 25 million students about 23 million miles...every school day!


Q: Why are school buses yellow?
A: This distinct color is called "National School Bus Yellow." It has been the standard color for school buses built after 1977 due to its high visibility characteristics. The color is immediately recognizable to motorist who should always proceed with caution when near a school bus.

Q: Can I use any type of bus to transport kids to or from a school?
A: No. Transporting school children requires a school bus. School buses are built with safety in mind...and nothing is more important than our kids safety.

Q: Is a day care center required to use a school bus to transport children?
A: Recently, school bus law interpretations have been extended to any group that regularly transports children to and from school or school related activities. It is a violation of federal law for a new car dealer to sell a van to anyone that will transport children to and from school or school related activities. Some states specifically require day care centers and private schools to use school buses. Contact your state officials or your insurance carrier for more information.

Q: How safe is the school bus? How can it be safer than a car with airbags and seatbelts?
A: The National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Department of Transportation and other authorities agree that school buses are the safest form of transportation for getting children to and from school. Some 475,000 school buses transport 25 million children – more than half of America’s school children – each day, and complete 10 billion passenger trips and 4.3 billion miles per year, almost always without a serious incident.

Riding in a school bus is much safer than using any other form of transportation – including personal vehicles and railroad and airline travel. According to the Transportation Research Board, part of the National Academy of Sciences, a child is 13 times safer in a school bus than in other modes of travel. Children driving to school or riding with other teenage drivers are 44 times more likely to be fatally injured than in a school bus. (“The Relative Risks of School Travel,” 2002.)

Q: The school bus looks like it’s hardly changed in decades. Where’s the modernization?
A: Although school buses have been the safest mode of transportation on the road for decades, the school bus industry is continuously working on new technology and safety features to make our children as safe as possible.

School buses have remained distinctive in color and basic shape for years – preserving their easy identification by the rest of our communities. However, beneath this familiar shape is a modern generation of school bus with dozens of improvements. New buses regularly incorporate new safety features, all designed with the goal of keeping our children safe. You may not see all of them, as improvements are constantly being made both internally and externally with each new model. Different buses from different manufacturers will include different new features, but some examples are:

* Gate arms attached to the front of the bus help guarantee children walk out where the driver can see them at all times.
* “Sleeping child alarm” in the rear of the bus guarantees the driver checks each seat at the end of his or her route.
* New designs of the front windows, mirrors and the driver’s seat location give drivers a better view of the road and of students.
* Reinforced side panels resist side impacts.
* Increased emergency exit space allows quick and easy evacuation if necessary.
* Higher seat backs to increase the effectiveness of passenger protection.
* High visibility exterior markings to increase traffic awareness.

Q: What kinds of regulations must school buses abide by?
A: School buses abide by a host of federal, state and local regulations that govern their production, maintenance and operation. For full details on school bus guidelines, please visit our list of safety attributes and mandates.

Regulations vary slightly from state to state, but certain federal guidelines ensure that every bus in every state meets high safety and upkeep requirements. Unfortunately, many of these laws are unfunded mandates, placing the onus to pay for compliance on states, local school districts or school bus operators.

Although the federal government sets requirements for school buses, such as pollution limits and safety features, it does not provide any direct, regular funding to meet these or other expenses. With federal funding to complement these federal regulations, school buses in all states could adhere to even higher safety standards and expand their service.

Q: What can parents do to help keep kids safe on and off the school bus?
A:The American School Bus Council is working hard to keep children safe, but there are things you and your child can do to take an active role in staying safe.

• Walk your child to and from the bus stop. If possible, wait with him or her until the bus arrives.
• Be alert to traffic. Check both ways for cars before stepping off the bus.
• Wait for the bus driver’s signal before crossing the street.
• Walk in front of the bus; never walk behind the bus to cross the street.
• While waiting for the bus, stay in a safe place away from the street.
• Before leaving the sidewalk, look for the flashing lights.
• Never go under the bus to retrieve something you’ve dropped.
• Teach your child the importance of staying seated on the bus.
• Get to know your bus driver. He or she is a trained professional who sees your child every day; he or she would be happy to tell you about the safety features on the bus and the responsibility drivers have for keeping their young passengers safe.
• Get to know the parents of other riders. You will learn about the other children your riding along with your child.

Q: What do the different classes of School buses mean?
A: The Type A school bus consists of a bus body constructed upon a cutaway front-section vehicle with a left side driver's door, designed for carrying more than 10 persons. This definition includes two classifications: Type A-I, with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less, and a Type A-2, with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or more. Type A school buses meet all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for school buses.

The Type B school bus consists of a bus body constructed and installed upon a front-section vehicle chassis, or stripped chassis, with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds, designed for carrying more than 10 persons. Part of the engine is beneath and/or behind the windshield and beside the driver’s seat. The entrance door is behind the front wheels. Type B school buses meet all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for school buses.

The Type C school bus, also known as a "conventional," is a body installed upon a flat-back cowl chassis with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds, designed for carrying more than 10 persons. The entire engine is in front of the windshield and the entrance door is behind the front wheels. Type C school buses meet all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for school buses.

The Type D school bus, also known as a transit-style, is a body installed upon a chassis, with the engine mounted in the front, midship, or rear with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds, and designed for carrying more than 10 persons. The engine may be behind the windshield and beside the driver's seat; it may be at the rear of the bus, behind the rear wheels; or midship between the front and rear axles. The entrance door is ahead of the front wheels.Type D school buses meet all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for school buses. Type D buses are referred to as FE--Engine in the front, or RE--Engine in the rear.

A Multifunction School Activity Bus is a vehicle sold for purposes that do not include transportation between home and school for K-12 students. Since they are not intended to be used for picking up or discharging students on public roadways MFSAB are exempt from the traffic control requirements and devices - stop arm, flashing lights - designed to control traffic. While the MFSABs are exempt from the traffic control requirements, they are required to comply with all school bus crashworthiness standards, all other requirements in the school bus crash avoidance and conspicuity safety standards, and all post-crash school bus standards. Schools and school districts are specifically prohibited from using MFSABs to transport school children in regular route school bus transportation service.