96" or 102" Wide Bus

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

If you were to buy another bus, would you buy a 96" wide bus or would you buy a 102" wide bus if the price and everything else were the same and why?

[HB of CJ]

Ninety six inches.  Eight feet wide.  I also, after much consideration, would like a 35 foot Bus Conversion and nothing longer. Very narrow roads; the first half of the old Bakersfield Ca highway going East to Lake Isabella comes to mind.  Not much road width to correct instant mistakes.

I think the turning circle comes into it also.  My old Crown 40 footer had a very wide turning circle.  Kinda like the Queen Mary or Titanic.  Lots of times tight right hand turns cannot be attempted.  One has to make several left hand turns instead.  Takes pre planning.  The little extra inside room is not missed.

[lvmci]

102 wide, not only is it wider but the feeling and visual effect of those 6" is noticeable.  That feeling is enhanced by a raised roof, like a 102C3, lvmci...

[chessie4905]

I"ll wait till 108" wide becomes legal. I'm sure regulators will approve it in a couple of years as trucking keeps trying to take a bigger bite out of the railroads business. Are any of the newer major coaches still available in 96" ?
If you run mostly divided or interstate highways, 102" is probably preferred. Same as for taller coaches. Since so many owners are now 7 ' or taller, 10 foot ceilings seem to be the goal.

[Lin]

Ninety six inches.  Eight feet wide.  I also, after much consideration, would like a 35 foot Bus Conversion and nothing longer. Very narrow roads; the first half of the old Bakersfield Ca highway going East to Lake Isabella comes to mind.  Not much road width to correct instant mistakes.

I once drove that road from Lake Isabella to Bakersfield in our MC 5a.  I was glad I was on the outside lane and not the lane close to the rock face.  That rock face is so close to the road that I could easily see a mishap.  As I remember it (correct me if I am wrong) Don Fairchild said he would not drive that road in his Country Coach and would have to take a much longer route around it.

[Mike in GA]

I've had 96" and 102" and I think wider is better. The 6 inch wider dimension is profoundly noticeable, especially in the salon.
     In our opinion it greatly diminishes the need for slideouts.   
     But as with all things, it's usually a matter of personal choice. YMMV.
Mike in GA

[edvanland]

wish we had a 102 wide bus. Our enclosed trailer is 102

[richard5933]

Two sides to this one...

I'd love to have the extra width inside the bus, especially on a bus without slides.

But, I've driven 102" wide trucks and that few inches can make a huge difference trying to maneuver the vehicle through tight roads, even more so through construction zones with narrow lanes and concrete barriers.

In the end it would depend on intended use - mainly on the Interstate I'd take the wider width. Back roads, urban driving, etc. I'd stick with the 96".

[benherman1]

I'd love to have the space inside of a 102 but with where I want to go and where is has to go (my driveway) 96 is the limit. Even with a 96 my clearance is measured in inches on my driveway. I'm going to have to trim the trees back again before I make my first attempt to drive back out.

[luvrbus]

The standards for highways is 12 ft wide lanes minimum  it would need to be very old road for lanes to be less than 12 ft wide,Gary should know 1st hand lol his bus like most all the MCI's and Eagles in the early years were 96 wide on the front and behind the driver was 102 wide, the MCI 6 and the Eagle 07 were 102 wide from front to the rear but not many were made.All the newer buses are 102 wide from bumper to bumper.You are not talking but 3 inches on each side,Mirriors don't count in the width lol they are just something to get knocked off I am at 118 wide with mirrors so far traveling this year they are still hanging     

[buswarrior]

Lots of narrow stuff in the east.

Grand Island bridges over the Niagara River, the border bridges at 1000 Islands over the St Lawrence...

Every little road in Florida...

102 is not for the faint of heart, or unsteady of hand.

Keep the mirrors snug with the line of the side, or kiss 'em goodbye.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[chessie4905]

Come on Cliff, come to the NE and drive some of the state and county roads You're spoiled being out West. Lots of sandy berms and scrub brush.

[luvrbus]

Come on Cliff, come to the NE and drive some of the state and county roads You're spoiled being out West. Lots of sandy berms and scrub brush.

I drove my Eagle down Bourbon Street in New Orleans before  and I never want to do that again   

[richard5933]

Lots of very tight roads all over the country once you get off the Interstates and State highway system. More so when you get into wooded areas where the trees grow into the road a bit on each side.

Yes, the actual 'official' road width may be 12', but the usable width is often far less.

Anyone tried driving through Chicago on 294 or 55 recently knows how close to the road the crews are putting the concrete barriers nowadays.

[luvrbus]

Lots of very tight roads all over the country once you get off the Interstates and State highway system. More so when you get into wooded areas where the trees grow into the road a bit on each side.

Yes, the actual 'official' road width may be 12', but the usable width is often far less.

Anyone tried driving through Chicago on 294 or 55 recently knows how close to the road the crews are putting the concrete barriers nowadays.

Most barriers are set at 10 ft and 12 ft that is the distance they always made me set mine at anyways,narrow roads with no shoulders do get a little tight in places,Az highways are 14 ft wide lanes all usable but some don't have shoulders to pull off either.I been watching the construction for interstate 11 those lanes are wide like 18 ft wide,the AZ round about's suck big time on the highways