How Heavy Is A School Bus? (Empty And Full)
Last updated on March 20th, 2023 at 12:53 pm
This article will show you the weights of different sized school busses.
School busses are such a common sight around the United States and the rest of the world that they’re often taken for granted.
However, as you see a school bus driving down the street, you may wonder how much a bus weighs.
How much does an empty school bus weigh?
There are a few different types and sizes of school buses, so how much each one weighs when it’s empty will vary a bit.
On average, an empty school bus weighs about 15,000 pounds or 7.5 US tons. This weight will most likely include the fluids in the engine, fuel, and any add-ons the bus has, but it doesn’t necessarily include the weight of the passengers.
School buses come in a few standard types, and while each brand and model will weigh a bit differently, getting to know the various types can help you make an educated guess when it comes to how much the bus weighs.
| School bus type | Weight in pounds empty | Weight in pounds full |
|---|---|---|
| Type A-1 | 10,000 | 14,500 |
| Type A-2 | 10,000 | 21,500 |
| Type B | 10,000 | 21,500 |
| Type C | 15,500 | 30,000 |
| Type D | 25,000 | 36,000 |
How much does a small school bus weigh?
The smallest school bus type is called Type A.
These are usually shaped much like a van, but they can generally hold more than 10 passengers.
Type A buses are broken into two categories.
Type A-1 busses have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 14,500 pounds. Type A-2 busses usually weigh between 14,500 pounds and 21,500 pounds, or 7.25 to 10.75 US tons, when they are fully fueled and loaded with passengers.
The Type A-I bus is generally smaller and lighter, weighing less than 14,500 pounds, while the larger Type A-II bus can hold more people and is often at the heavier end of the spectrum.
When considering, for example, how much a 24 passenger bus weighs, you could estimate with relative accuracy that a bus that can hold that amount of people is likely a Type A-II vehicle and will weigh somewhere between 14,500-21,500 pounds when full.
Type B buses are also relatively small.
These buses are generally longer than Type A buses, but they have a short front end, with at least part of the engine located under the windshield and next to the driver’s seat.
Type B busses are designed to hold more than 10 people, and, although they tend to be larger than Type A buses, they start at 10,000 pounds and go up from there.
How much does a large school bus weigh?
Type C school buses are perhaps the most common or easily pictured school bus style.
These buses have a long nose and feature a hood.
Type C buses are designed to hold a greater amount of passengers.
Some Type C buses can easily hold 72 passengers.
The weight of a Type C bus varies depending on the exact make and model, but these buses can weigh anywhere from 15,500 to 21,500 when they’re empty. When they’re full, most of these vehicles are rated at between 25,000 and 30,000 pounds or 12.5 to 15 US tons.
Type D buses are very similar to Type C buses except they have a flat front end and the door is located before the front wheels.
These buses tend to be quite large, measuring up to 45 feet in length, and they are designed to hold up to 72 passengers, which is why they’re such a common sight in more populated areas, such as cities.
Type D buses generally weigh within the same range as Type C buses, coming in at between 15,000 and 21,500 pounds when they’re empty.
A type A-2 school bus can weigh between 14,500-21,500 pounds.
How much does a full school bus weigh?
How much a full school bus weighs compared to an empty one depends on a number of factors, including how many people are riding the bus, what age the people are, and what type of bus it is.
You can estimate that the average weight of a group of children riding a school bus will be about 100 pounds per person.
Multiplying this by how many people are riding the bus will give you a starting estimate of the additional weight.
However, you should also keep in mind the fact that younger children will generally weigh less, while older children will weigh more.
When calculating how much a full school bus weighs when compared to an empty one, you’ll also need to take into account the weight of any belongings the passengers are bringing on board.
For bigger buses, a full school bus can weigh as much as 10,000 pounds more than an empty bus.
