Bus Tranportation - Landoll Service

chargePlus · February 26, 2007, 10:57:14 AM

Fellow Busnuts,

Natasha and I are watching an auction on the e-place for a 4103. The catch is that it is in/near Richmond, Virginia, and while it is drivable the current owner said he wouldn't drive it as far as it needs to go. I also noticed that there are enough lights missing in the back to be of "concern" if I were to drive it.

Does anyone know of any companies in the Richmond area that have Landoll service, and what I might expect for a per-mile cost? My wife and I are checking with our friends who are CDL-rated drivers and have a tractor available, and any places where we could rent a Landoll.

Thanks,

- John

kyle4501 · February 26, 2007, 11:57:26 AM

Are you talking ~175 miles? That doesn't seem that far for a bus. Seems like forever if you are pushing a bus.

Call local charter bus service departments & get them to suggest a hauler.
Your bill will be for the time away from the shop for the towing service. The fee starts at $100/ hour & can go a lot higher, just depends on what is involved in the job. At a minimum, you are looking at $600.00

Why is it not driveable for that distance? What are your plans for the bus?
You might have good luck in getting it serviced, insured (with towing coverage) & make that maiden trip with you behind the wheel! If it makes it, great. If not, insurance will pay for the tow.

Good luck with it!

Jerry32 · February 26, 2007, 12:25:05 PM

I think Kyle has the right Idea as that is what I intend to do with mine. I'll get road service insureance hope for the best. and I have 2500 miles to cover. Jerry

chargePlus · February 28, 2007, 05:58:12 PM

Hey Folks,

Thanks for the ideas. The driving distance doesn't bother me at all. Owning an old bus is all about adventure. The biggest problems were the missing lights (don't want to attract too much attention from the law enforcement officials) and as yet undetermined state of the tires and brakes.

The good news is that Natasha knows this guy (no, really, she knows him) who works for Volvo Trucks in Greensboro, NC and he has a tractor and a Landoll, and he'll help us out with this. We didn't know that he had a Landoll. It also looks like we will need to remove the roof A/C units to clear the bridges. Deflating the tires won't get us enough of a decrease.

If we win the auction, we'll be transporting it on 3/10 or 3/11, which is good since I go back to work on 3/12.

Right now the plans are to scavenge the original pieces that are missing on our current 4103, and probably pull the "rebuilt" 671 from the "new" bus to swap into the "old" bus. However, if the condition of the new bus is substantially better than our current bus we may keep the scavenging to a minimum and build it up from scratch with a floorplan of our own design since the "new" bus is mostly empty.

- John

Dallas · February 28, 2007, 07:14:05 PM

Hey John, How low are your Bridges?

The 4103 probably won't be over 11 1/2 feet with the roof airs. more likely, 10 1/2 or 11.

TomC · February 28, 2007, 11:56:08 PM

I have a transit with 3 roof airs that has been on a Landoll twice without removing the A/C's. You should be alright. Good Luck, TomC

Christyhicks · March 01, 2007, 04:32:35 AM

We have a 4106 that is 11'6" to the top of our low profile roof airs when fully aired up. The roof airs are 9" tall. Don't know as if this is of any use to you at all, but we were told that a few inches more and they wouldn't have hauled us without permits and escort. Christy Hicks

Dallas · March 01, 2007, 04:44:53 AM

I just measured my 4103 and from the top of the AC to the ground is 10 feet even.
IHTH,
Dallas

kyle4501 · March 01, 2007, 06:32:58 AM

The guy (Bruce) that haulled my 4501 used a Landoll that had a 30" deck height. My bus is 11' tall, so you should be fine, just measure to be sure you are 13' 6" or less after you're loaded. Personally, I think you will have an easier day by hauling it on a landoll. I got to ride in the BIG TRUCK. That was fun!

A funny story from Bruce about someone who didn't believe that being over 14' tall was a problem.
An obnixous customer had a tall bus with roof airs. Bruce told him they needed to be removed to clear a certain bridge. The owner & insisted all would be fine & was paying him to drive, not give advice or opinions. When Bruce dropped off the bus, the owner wanted to know where the roof airs were. Bruce told him the afore mention bridge had removed them quite efficiently & that is where he could collect the pieces.

John E. Smith · March 01, 2007, 07:13:35 AM

Send an email to rick@dnrdispatch.com outlining the move. D & R Dispatch (http://www.dnrdispatch.com/ or 1-800-549-3447) is a loading service I used to use when I was trucking -- they act as a load-finding service and dispatch for a lot of small, one-truck companies. He does have a guy based in Atlanta who does Landoll work and is set up for this. If it works for him, he can route him into the area after you work it out with them.

Figure between $2.00 and $2.75 a mile on the rate, since Landoll rates are considered "specialized".

Legal vehicle height in Virginia is 13' 6", so you will need a deck height of 28" or less; some leeway can be gotten by deflating the bus tires after loading.

I looked into this for Charles (my boss) to pick up two Eagles we have down in Leesville, LA -- Charles decided to just make a tow bar and tow them home by ourselves, though.

chargePlus · March 05, 2007, 08:30:13 AM

Ah well, it's all a moot point now.
Lost the auction, item 230096143635.
Maybe the high bidder will bail out.

- John