More and more people are chasing their dreams of freedom and adventure by adopting a rent-free life on the road, and a quick glance at campgrounds across the country is enough to understand that motorhomes, RVs, and converted camper vans are as popular as ever. While some choose to travel in off-the-shelf models, occasionally, you'll find custom homes on wheels converted from old or decommissioned vehicles such as school buses.
Known affectionately as skoolies, former school buses converted into living spaces offer a balanced mix of mobility and comfort. What's more, many of these bus conversions are tastefully styled and squeeze inside all the amenities necessary for full-time living. One such example is Sage the Skoolie, a lovely rolling home that is now up for sale.
Offered as a turn-key motorhome, Sage is a complete conversion that has been used by its owners as a full-time home for the past four years. Since they have now settled into a more stationary life, they decided to part ways with it and allow other traveling enthusiasts to take it on new adventures.
Titled as an RV in Arizona, Sage the Skoolie is built on a 2000 Blue Bird All American with a 5.9 Cummins engine and an Allison AT545 transmission. It measures 38 feet (11.6 meters) in length, and its generous interior has been skilfully transformed into a comfortable living space that can easily accommodate up to five people. With a cozy living area, a huge kitchen, a comfy rear bed, and a functional bathroom, it feels just like an apartment on wheels.
Photo: Skoolie Livin
However, thanks to a well-thought-out layout, apart from the essential functional areas mentioned above, this bus home also has a desk area, a cute dinette, and a laundry area, which greatly enhances its functionality. And with a reliable off-grid setup that includes 1,800 watts of solar power, 100 gallons of fresh water, two 40-gallon gray water tanks, and an Airhead compost toilet, Sage is more than a mobile habitat; it's your gateway to freedom and adventure.
It boasts a professionally installed 20" roof raise and eight RV windows and is fully equipped for four-season living. It has quality insulation throughout (R13 havelock wool insulation all around, with additional spray foam in the ceiling), double pane windows, a minisplit unit for AC and heat, as well as an Eberspacher diesel heater. During its time on the road, it was fully tested through the scorching hot Arizona summers and chilly Colorado winters.
The interior has a modern rustic aesthetic, with a farmhouse vibe thrown into the mix in the kitchen area. It feels warm and welcoming thanks to all the timber panels used on the walls and ceilings, while rustic carpets, window curtains, and blankets tie in perfectly with the warm wood tones and highlight the farmhouse styling. Right up front, the driver's seat benefits from a new custom upholstery, while the steering wheel has been wrapped in natural leather.
Photo: Skoolie Livin
With no formal separation between the driver's cab and the actual living space, you enter directly into the living room area, which is furnished with a simple and stylish wooden sofa and a built-in dinette with storage under the custom benches. Above the windshield, the Sage skoolie has a full-width shelf that holds a big smart TV that is perfectly visible from the three-seater sofa, or any other corner of the bus, as it is mounted on an extra sturdy pull out/ moveable mount.
The sofa pulls out to turn into a comfy bed, while the custom dinette creates an extra bed by lowering the table top and using the chair cushions.
Venturing further into the bus, you'll find the spacious kitchen with oodles of cabinets and miles of counter space. It looks like a regular apartment kitchen and features custom butcher block countertops, a farmhouse-style porcelain sink, and various modern appliances, such as a Furrion RV propane range with three burners and oven, a range hood, an under-counter dual door marine fridge and freezer, and even an ultra-efficient drawer dishwasher. Under the sink, there is also a reverse osmosis water system with a separate tap.
Photo: Skoolie Livin
Right next to the cooking area, the countertop extends to form a generous breakfast bar that can also act as a workstation for those with remote jobs. Positioned under a large window, it is a great space for dining or working with a view.
Most bus conversions have the bedroom at the rear, and Sage is no exception, but this particular build does things a little bit differently. Instead of an east-to-west bed setup that occupies the entire rear area, the designers of this skoolie opted to split the area between the bedroom and the bathroom. As such, at the back of this bus, you will find a north-to-south queen-size bed along with a narrow bathroom separated from the sleeping area by a solid wall.
Photo: Skoolie Livin
The bedroom area comes with a mini-split blower above the bed and a large window on one side, while the adjacent bathroom has a subway-tiled shower, an Airhead compost toilet, a small vanity with sink basin, and a tower cabinet with full length mirror. Next to the bedroom, there is also an LG washer/ dryer combo with a cedar-lined hanging closet above it.
Tons of storage throughout make this bus perfect for lengthy trips or full-time living on the road, and it also includes a 5x7-foot separate garage for outdoor toys or tools.
All in all, Sage the Skoolie is a lovely rolling home that can take a couple or a family on memorable adventures. The asking price for this converted Blue Bird is $90,000.
After spending a few years as a copy editor, Ancuta decided to put down the eraser and pick up the writer's pencil. Her favorites subjects are unusual car designs, travel trailers and everything related to the great outdoors. Full profile
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