what is a bus?

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by Smitty77

RV
Coach
Motor Home
Bus
Tenement on Wheels
Roving Home
Class A
Gasser
DP
Others

Are sometimes used interchangeably to talk about our Class A RV's. I do agree that usually an RV built on a bust chassis and or in a bus shell - is what I call a bus... (And as mentioned, Tiffen has the Allegro Bus, which is rally not a bus, but a Class A DP, on a non bus chassis.) So - clear as mud!

Best to you, and all,
Smitty

Encountering one on the road in Yellowstone, we often called them, "Grandparents in a can."

[Brad W]

in the circles where I came up, we always referred to rear engine as a bus. ... which is why the old VW buses are called buses, cuz they are rear engine.

A Ford E250 is a Van. A '71 VW is a bus. Then of course there is the slightly older VW which was referred to as a "microbus". Why you ask? well, they looked very much like the public transportation buses in Germany at the time (also rear engine)

A DP is a bus where a gasser is just a motorhome. A FRED is a motorhome.

yes, i realize they are all motorhomes, but they aren't all buses... at least not in my head

[JohnBoyToo]

OMG - topics here always go the the nTH degree

I love it... but I actually have heard someone ask how you like your camper to someone with an expensive RV and he replied the payments say it's not a camper, but a motorcoach !

[THenman]

One thing I see missing in the list is the odd school bus conversion. I seem to recall seeing some places that do not allow them.

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by JohnBoyToo

OMG - topics here always go the the nTH degree

I love it... but I actually have heard someone ask how you like your camper to someone with an expensive RV and he replied the payments say it's not a camper, but a motorcoach !

Ironic, many years ago I helped develop an education program for Cincinnati Metro public transit. They were obsessed with calling the vehicles 'coaches' because it sounded better than calling them 'busses.' They also wanted the schedules called a 'ride guide.' I wrote it the way they wanted, but in use, it was a bus and a bus schedule. Now, 35 years later, Metro is calling the streetcar a 'Connector' instead of a trolley.

In college, I had a VW Microbus, 23 windows, sunroof, and all. Many times I had enough riders it was a bus, not a van.

[CharlesinGA]

What, no one has mentioned the Allegro Bus, by Tiffin? Its a specific brand and model of motorhome.

Charles

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Smitty77

RV
Coach
Motor Home
Bus
Tenement on Wheels
Roving Home
Class A
Gasser
DP
Others

Are sometimes used interchangeably to talk about our Class A RV's. I do agree that usually an RV built on a bust chassis and or in a bus shell - is what I call a bus... (And as mentioned, Tiffen has the Allegro Bus, which is rally not a bus, but a Class A DP, on a non bus chassis.) So - clear as mud!

Best to you, and all,
Smitty

And then there's the DynoMax chassis to consider too.

[dons2346]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

What, no one has mentioned the Allegro Bus, by Tiffin? Its a specific brand and model of motorhome.

Charles

See post #13

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

What, no one has mentioned the Allegro Bus, by Tiffin? Its a specific brand and model of motorhome.

Charles

Suggest you re-read post #3.

[TexasTom]

Originally Posted by dons2346

"Bus" sounds more sexy than "motorhome" or "rv"

Ah, I tell everyone I drive an old school bus! Then they set their expectations really low and are surprised when they actually see my coach.

[artman1913]

Does it have a rear engine and/or front wheels are not inset (A on a C frame) then i call it a bus.
DW doesnt call it a bus unless it has kids on it.

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by Brad W

in the circles where I came up, we always referred to rear engine as a bus. ... which is why the old VW buses are called buses, cuz they are rear engine.

A Ford E250 is a Van. A '71 VW is a bus. Then of course there is the slightly older VW which was referred to as a "microbus". Why you ask? well, they looked very much like the public transportation buses in Germany at the time (also rear engine)

A DP is a bus where a gasser is just a motorhome. A FRED is a motorhome.

yes, i realize they are all motorhomes, but they aren't all buses... at least not in my head

OK Brad - Where do you slot the rear gas engined UFO class A's... And even the older FMC with the 440 in them? They're 'buses' because they have rear gas engines like a VW?

What we're going to need to do, is set up a 'Go Fund Me Page' for a few of us to be supported in diligent, worldwide, investigation into the proper terminology... I figure four or five of us from IRV2, with say a split of probably $1M would cover augmenting a year of investigation... And then we'd set up a Wiki on proper RV terminology!!!!

(I'm in for a count of 1... 4 slots opened...).

Liked your Microbus definition, and as a reformed 68 Fun Camper VW Bus (For sure not a 'van') that matches what I'd heard over the years too... Like their cool looking retro micro that's coming out too...

Best to you, and all,
Smitty

[BFlinn181]

We called my '63 VW Microbus a bus because it had a bus-like shape and carried up to 9 passengers, more if everyone was friendly. Having ridden public and school buses since I was an infant, I find it hard to imagine one as 'sexy.'

How about 'bus' is only one syllable, most other names for the vehicle is more? Beats 'omnibus.'

[Brad W]

Originally Posted by Smitty77

OK Brad - Where do you slot the rear gas engined UFO class A's... And even the older FMC with the 440 in them? They're 'buses' because they have rear gas engines like a VW?

What we're going to need to do, is set up a 'Go Fund Me Page' for a few of us to be supported in diligent, worldwide, investigation into the proper terminology... I figure four or five of us from IRV2, with say a split of probably $1M would cover augmenting a year of investigation... And then we'd set up a Wiki on proper RV terminology!!!!

(I'm in for a count of 1... 4 slots opened...).

Liked your Microbus definition, and as a reformed 68 Fun Camper VW Bus (For sure not a 'van') that matches what I'd heard over the years too... Like their cool looking retro micro that's coming out too...

Best to you, and all,
Smitty

Lol, I'm not sure fuel matters. If it's rear engine, it's a bus. End of story.

Now I get, and this thread has shown, there likely isn't any real rule on what is what. Likely just depends on who we grew up with and around ... and where too I suppose.

I'm all for a gofundme to research this for a year. We will need to think about our conference locations