They'd been stopping at various locations to sign copies of their new book, Skoolie!: How to Convert a School Bus or Van into a Tiny Home or Recreational Vehicle, and meet with locals interested in learning more about skoolies and how to make one. One of Willbillys' last stops was in a high-desert tourist town, where Sutherland and Hartley pulled up next to the public library and a curious crowd. 

Get Schooled in Skoolies 

What is a skoolie? A school bus that's been renovated and reconditioned to serve as a home (whether stationary or on wheels). In some ways, the original tiny home, skoolies are a perfect example of upcycling, living small and light on the land, and living large in a sustainable and affordable home. In fact, Sutherland says, "School bus conversions to mobile living spaces are a natural extension of the tiny house craze." 

Because a school bus already has a basic house-like structure—walls, floor, and a roof—the vehicles are a natural fit for converting into a moveable home; don't forget, they already have wheels. A school bus also has an engine and several operable windows. In other words, they provide an excellent opportunity for do-it-yourselfers, families, young or older couples, and adventurers of all ages to take to the road in a tiny home inexpensively customized to their needs.

Bus Life X 4  

In his book Skoolie!, Sutherland documents the steps he's taken in converting several school buses into skoolies. He also profiles eight fellow skoolie fans and includes photos of bus interiors designed for simple living. 

Sutherland's first skoolie was a 1995 manual-transmission bus, which he painted blue, and eventually sold to a family from France looking to tour the United States and Mexico. He also worked on several upgrades to the blue bus, at the family's request, to make sure it was perfectly suited to their upcoming travel experience. (Sutherland continues to work on other skoolie commissions in his spare time.)

Another skoolie Sutherland renovated currently sits at the back of Sutherland and Hartley's property in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where it provides income as a five-star Airbnb. The skoolie, converted from a 1997, 28-foot International 3800, includes a sofa, table, wood-burning stove, and full bed. It has wood flooring and wood interior paneling. Guests pop into the hosts' bathroom and kitchen when they need to use those amenities. 

In the Airbnb skoolie, Sutherland used leftover lumber from his home renovation, along with old lumber from his family's pool deck for structural wood. He reused two bus seats for a table and booth, and leftover laminate wood flooring from his house for the sides and floor of the bus. A tiny wood-burning stove in the skoolie keeps things toasty during chilly nights and mornings. 

Hartley came into Sutherland's life shortly after the skoolie became an Airbnb. "She fell in love with my Airbnb bus at first sight," he recalls, and "described it as 'Pinterest-worthy.'" 

When Sutherland purchased his next bus, a 1995 Chevy 90-square-foot short bus with a 6.5L turbo diesel engine, Hartley joined in on the conversion. They called their new skoolie Woody, in part because of the wood panels on the exterior. "I had learned a lot from earlier conversions, including how to cut the bolts to get the seats out, and how to insulate the floor and walls to cut down on road noise," he says. 

The couple's current bus, Willbillys, is their most unique and sustainable roving tiny home to date. 

Willbillys has a 400-watt system of four solar panels on the roof, which powers the stove, hairdryer, television, lights, and roof fan. The system also includes a 200-amp battery. An MPPT charge controller connects the solar panels and battery. A wood panel at the foot of the bed, on which they mounted the tv, opens to reveal the guts (wires, boxes, cables, levers) of the solar-powered system. 

"We could talk about our skoolie all day," says Sutherland, who relishes the difficult physical work and creative acumen required to transform an old school bus into a comfy tiny home on wheels. He also loves the name they came up with for their current bus, which he says reflects not only his name but also the couple's playful, West Virginia "hillbilly-like" way of life.

All photos courtesy of Camille LeFevre