Our bus, Blue Bird, has been converted for two people. The previous owners, Mick and Julie, did an awesome job. There are two seats with belts in the front and a large bed in the back. The skoolie is spacious and we can easily move around inside without stepping on each other's toes. My girlfriend and I are having a lot of fun traveling with this bus.
A few months after buying our bus, my girlfriend got pregnant! Very good news! We are now going to make one of our dreams come true! We are going to start a little family! We can't wait to travel on the beautiful roads with a little co-pilot on board, while offering him an extraordinary childhood.
Therefore, we absolutely need a third seat with a seat belt in the bus to be able to travel as a family. In Quebec and all over Canada, there are very strict safety standards. The installation has to be done properly. The process can be very long and this is why I started my research right away.
I started by asking a couple of questions in Facebook groups in my area. There is an amazing community of people who are always ready to help you! Thanks to everyone who provided me with valuable information. It helps moving forward with the project!
In these groups, you can find people selling used seats at a very fair price. There are also people who can help you install them in your van or in your bus. If you want used seats, the classifieds is a good place to start your research.
Used seats are cheaper but they come with a couple of challenges. It can get tricky very quickly. Big thanks to Laurie from The Full Moon Family for writing an in-depth article on how to install used seats in a converted school bus. You can check out their Facebook page for more info.
Photos by The Full Moon Family
You have to start by finding the seats you want and going to get them. Then you have to hire an engineer who will approve your seats. Used car seats have to get approved in order to be legal. He will also inspect your vehicle and provide you with a precise plan for the installation. You have to install the seats by yourself or hire a professional. It is mandatory to follow the engineer's plan if you want your work to be approved. Afterwards, everything must be inspected by the Société de l'Assurance Automobile du Québec [SAAQ]. They have to ensure that your setup respects the Transport Canada standards.
It is much easier to buy a new seat and have it installed by a professional. It saves you from having to search the classifieds and it gives you a peace of mind. You can't make a mistake with a new seat. However, it is much more expensive! There are several Quebec companies like VanLife MTL , Boréal Campeurs and Safari Condo who can help you with your van's conversion. You can contact them and ask if they install seats.
Freedman Seating is an excellent supplier of new and certified seats. This company offers a great selection of seats that you can add to your campervan , your RV, your boat or your bus. If you don't have a lot of space in your van and you're looking for a specific seat that suits your needs, you should go with them.
This double bench seat is luxurious and comfortable. It comes with 3-point belts and its foldaway option is very practical. The seat folds up against the wall to maximize the living space in your van.
Here is another type of double foldaway seat with belts. A very nice addition to your van if you want to travel with more passages in the back.
A simple, fixed seat that does not take a lot of space. My girlfriend and I chose this one for our bus. It comes with child seat anchors so the baby is securely attached.
When I was doing my research in 2021, VanLife MTL was offering a "half conversion". This service included the installation of seats combined with a few other things like the floor and insulation. The only problem was that they only worked with recent models of Mercedes Sprinter, Dodge Ram ProMaster and Ford Transit. They couldn't help me with my 23 year old school bus! My request was too specific and I had to find a solution somewhere else.
Transformation of road vehicles is the specialty of TVR Technologies! This company is located less than an hour from Montreal and is the ideal place to have your van modified. The team members are experts in adapted vehicles, specialized vehicles and seat installation. They can design a vehicle adapted for people with a disability according to the needs of the client. They can modify an emergency vehicle, truck, bus or trailer. They can also install seats in any vehicle. TVR offers very specialized services and adapts to the specific needs of customers. The company has a dynamic team that loves new challenges. They have a good knowledge of safety standards and their installations are 100% legal. If you have a specific project and want a job well done, you should check them out!
After several months of research, calls, e-mails, measurements in the bus and submissions, we made a final decision. My girlfriend and I asked TVR to install our seats. I went straight there to chat with the engineer. That day, we talked about the final details to complete the submission.
Initially, I wanted to completely remove the passenger seat and install a double foldaway seat in the back. We would have had a total of three seats in the bus with the possibility of folding the double seat against the wall to have more living space. Unfortunately, this option was not possible due to the interior layout of our campervan . Because of the shower, the foldaway seat, once folded up, blocked partially the school bus door. Also, there was not enough leg-room. The engineer informed me that this kind of installation was not legal. To make the project possible, it would have to move or modify the shower. We didn't want to make this kind of modification. We wanted to keep the interior layout as it is.
The engineer from TVR took some measurements and suggested several alternatives that are possible. I finally decided to get two single seats installed: one in the front as a passenger seat and another one in the back for the little bambino. The passenger seat had to be closer to the driver's seat to leave enough space behind. So we got rid of the old passenger seat. Anyway, it didn't meet all the safety standards. Keep in mind that a rear-facing child seat takes a lot of space. Measure very well before the installation!
After completing the quote, we ordered two Freedman single seats with some accessories. We waited two months for the seats to arrive and another two weeks for the installation appointment.
The installation of the two seats in our bus required an entire day of work. The team overcame several challenges and the job was very well executed. Holes had to be drilled through the wood floor, the insulation and the floor of the bus. Then, huge bolts had to be screwed from under the bus. Some places under the vehicle are difficult to access and require more time. In addition, certain parts of the floor must be strengthened with steel beams.
My girlfriend and I are very happy with the outcome. We have now one more passenger in our skoolie and we can make our dream come true. We will finally be able to travel as a family!
Ouch! It breaks the bank! Does it make sense to add parts that are more expensive than the vehicle itself? Not really. Is it a good long term investment? Not at all. Is it worth doing it anyway to fulfill a dream? Yes of course! Life is simple, you make choices and you don't look back!
Subtotal: 4390$ CAD
GST taxes: 219.50$ CAD
PST taxes: 437.90$ CAD
TOTAL: 5047.40$ CAD
Jon
September 24, 2024
Merci beaucoup! Good to read about your experience. (Sorry, my French is non-existent. I’m a New Zealander here in Canada).
Do you know if the rules and regulations are the same across Canada? I wondering whether it’s possible to do a similar conversion in BC or Alberta.