Commercial Bus Shipping Info.

Have you ever wondered how a shiny new bus gets to the bus depot before its first official run?

Or, have you ever dreamed of owning a bus—maybe to transport a local kids’ sports team or to use it as a food truck like this diner in Oxford, MA?

Do you need a way to get an old, inoperable bus shipped somewhere to be fixed, donated, or perhaps turned into a home?

We’re here to explain everything you need to know about bus shipping.

It all Comes Down to the Equipment

Buses come in a variety of sizes, weights, and even shapes. Generally, they are long, wide, and tall—with their height between 10 and 14 feet, width 8 to 8.5 feet, and weight between 20,00 and 40,000 lbs.

In other words, buses are big and heavy. This means that buses require special transport trailers and sometimes special permits to ship. Each bus has an identification plate and owner’s manual that provides specific loading rating information, which guides professional heavy equipment haulers to make the appropriate choices when it comes to selecting a trailer.

When You Need to Ship Your Bus

In Case of Breakdown!
Have you ever been on a trip with a team in high school when the bus suddenly broke down to the side of the road? It could be fun, until the wait for a new bus became really long. In this situation, your best (although expensive option) will be to reach out for a nearby towing company.

This also goes for non-emergency shorter distances (maybe from town to town), but be sure to call around to find a company with the appropriate equipment and a price that works for you.

Long Haul
If you need a bus shipped long distances, then you want to do the research to find a transport company that can ship your bus.

This means looking into things like:

• Is the company licensed, bonded, and insured? This information can be found on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website. 
• Does the company have experience transporting buses and other heavy equipment? This includes evidence that they know the permitting requirements and take care of all of the logistics for you.
• What type of equipment does the company use? This includes any specialized equipment for loading and unloading.
• Remember that the lowest price isn’t always the best option—and if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. You want a company that offers honest and transparent pricing, including cost of transporting from door to door, import or export taxes, permitting fees, and anything else. There should be no surprise fees at the end of your bus’ shipping journey.  

How do you find out this information? Call companies, ask for price quotes, look for reviews, and ask lots and lots of questions.

The Cost Comes Down to the Details

Since every bus has different dimensions and requirements to ship them safely there’s no simple answer to how much it will cost to ship your bus. We won’t lie, it’s not cheap.

To get an accurate price quote, you will need to provide specific information. Prices vary depending on this information, as noted in this handy chart:

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Trust ShipLux with Your Bus Shipping Needs

The advantages of working with ShipLux to ship your bus are numerous:

• We are specialists in heavy haul shipping.
• Our team of shipping specialists will handle all of the logistics, with 24-hour multi-channel ways of contact us.
• We have access to a wide network of drivers and equipment, enabling us to ship equipment of any size.
• We offer price transparency and work with you to provide honest pricing. 
• We offer premium service for all vehicles we ship.

We know that shipping a bus is a complicated process. Yet, it is our goal to carry that load and figure out all of the logistics.

Contact ShipLux today, and let’s get that bus on the road!