Skoolie Today Podcast

In the beginning I attended the Florida Crime and Intelligence Analyst Association conference in Jupiter, Florida, in June 2019. Being relatively new to my role as a crime analyst, it was the first industry conference like it that I attended. It was an eye-opener. When I walked into the meeting room on the first day, I immediately noticed how full it was with crime analysts from all around the state. It seemed like everyone knew what they were talking about except for me. I immediately...

Morgan and Ryon live in Chitty Bang, a self-converted 1999 International Genesis school bus, with their two daughters, Mila the English Mastiff and Micio the cat.

As drummer for The Everly Brothers Experience, a band that plays all over the world celebrating the music and history of The Everly Brothers, Burleigh Drummond spends a good bit of time on the road. His wife and young daughter sometimes travel with him so they can avoid being apart for months at a time. You can connect with Chanda and Burleigh on Instagram (@ourmoonbus) Visit Chanda's Blog ( https://www.mamaontheroad.me/ ) The Everly Brothers Experience (...

After Shaina and Connor lived in a tent for almost a month, they realized that they didn’t need most of their stuff. So they spent nearly two years researching multiple alternative-living options that would enable them to move off the grid and live a simpler life. When Connor presented the idea of a skoolie, Shaina wasn’t on board at first — but eventually she came around. They started watching bus conversion videos on YouTube and felt inspired. Shaina and Connor purchased their 2003...

As a school bus driver for 14 years, Dominique loves her job and the interaction she has with the kids. That was a big part of what led her to buy a school bus and convert it into a home on wheels. The conversion has been challenging but she is enjoying the journey, looking forward to traveling with her dog, and hoping to start a community of like-minded people. When she gets on the road full time, Dominique plans to make a living working at campgrounds. In the meantime, she loves to camp...

Lydia Dreyer converted her school bus while working three jobs and going to college. She did most of the renovation herself, though her dad and uncle were instrumental in helping complete the conversion process. Lydia named her skoolie Loraine, after her great-grandmother, and will remain stationary until she finishes school. The post-college plan: Lydia and Loraine will start their travels, which Lydia will fund through remote work. You can catch a tour of Loraine on Instagram...

Amanda Moon was a teacher for 10 years in Arizona when she decided to buy a school bus. She quit teaching to focus on her skoolie conversion, which she’s doing because she wants to travel and bring awareness to environmental issues.

Before flight attendant Lissette Arroyo bought a school bus and started her conversion, she had already experimented with living on a small scale. Her journey of selecting a tiny house, having it built, and moving in was featured on the Tiny Luxury show, which aired on the HGTV and DIY networks. Now, she is building a skoolie so she can have a fully functional tiny home on wheels while also remaining accessible to airports for work. You can hear more of Lissette’s story on her YouTube...

Martha Hudson discovered sewing at an early age. Now she does what she loves — making custom swimwear that women feel fabulous in — from her short-bus skoolie conversion. With an industrial-size sewing machine on board, the skoolie doubles as her place of business and her home. Whether she’s parked at the beach or in the mountains of California, Martha enjoys having clients step into her skoolie to get measured and fitted for a swimsuit. Her skoolie is not always Instagram-worthy, she...

Mandee and Sherman spent two years doing their school bus conversion, and they wanted to be sure their kids were involved in the process. Mandee also homeschools their son and daughter, while Sherman has a photography and video production or business. Part of the reason they built their skoolie, which they recently moved into, was so the whole family could be on location with Sherman while he’s working. Previously, they had been separated for a week or more at a time. Hear more about...

Tina Wann went to college to be a teacher, but she didn’t like the idea of being chained to a classroom. Now, she homeschools her two sons as she and her husband, Chris, prepare their family to live in a skoolie full time. After some initial setbacks in finding the right school bus — and getting the one they bought inspected before starting the conversion — Tina and her family are now well on their way to fulfilling their skoolie dream. She also explains how homeschooling her kids has...

Chad Brown has made some big life transitions. He went from working in corporate America to being an entrepreneur — and, since they enjoy being outdoors so much, Chad and his wife, Katie, recently decided to sell their house, build a skoolie, and travel the U.S. with their family. Chad shares about some of the positive aspects of skoolie life, like how supportive the skoolie community is. He also touches on the misconceptions people have about skoolies, and why it’s so important to do your...