From Burning Man to Yellowstone: Why nomads are choosing buses over vans

They used to chase the horizon in rust-stained Sprinter vans, solar panels bolted to the roof and Instagram filters masking the mildew. But lately, something’s shifted. From the alkali dust of Burning Man to the bear country of Yellowstone, more nomads are swapping van life for something bigger, older, and unapologetically square.

The bus.

School buses, shuttle buses, and retired coaches—vehicles once bound to route schedules and field trips are being reborn as rolling homes for the disenchanted and the deliberate. And it may have something to do with space. But what it’s really about is the soul.

What’s Driving the Shift?

Van life took off during the 2010s, boosted by social media and an appetite for minimalism on wheels. But while the filtered images of Sprinter interiors drove millions of clicks, the day-to-day reality wore thin.

Reddit group conversations and camper forums reflect widespread frustration with van life’s tight quarters and constant rearranging. Many nomads report that while vans photograph well, the daily practicalities of limited space, tight layouts, and the need to convert beds into dining tables get old.

But, there’s now an alternative. Tall enough to stand up in, strong enough to haul gear, and long enough to have an actual bed that doesn’t double as a sink counter, buses offer something else entirely. There’s been a steady uptick in noncommercial buyers—solo travelers, couples, even young families—using resale platforms to find vehicles they can turn into custom homes, BusesForSale.com reports. Noncommercial buyer growth on the platform rose 27% YOY in 2024. Solo travelers, couples, and young families represent the fastest-growing buyer segment, accounting for nearly 40% of sales in Q3 of 2024 alone.

Inside the Buslife Mindset

Choosing a bus isn’t merely about practicality. It’s a mindset. Van builds are tight and curated. Bus builds are raw, open, and often unfinished. That’s the point. Some communities describe bus conversions as a deliberate rejection of the influencer-ready van aesthetic. There’s a kind of humility to rolling down the highway in something that once ferried second graders or served as an airport shuttle.

That authenticity, along with the elbow room, has drawn more creatives, families, and intentional communities toward buses as both temporary and permanent housing. In many ways, buslife mirrors the early ethos of the digital nomad movement of freedom, creativity, and a willingness to trade sleek polish for personal expression.

Community, Creativity, and the Long Haul

Burning Man has always attracted the mobile and imaginative. But lately, buses are showing up not only as transport, but as installation pieces, community hubs, mobile DJ booths, and meditation spaces. And after the festival dust settles, many of those same rigs continue westward toward the Tetons or south to Baja.

Reddit threads, YouTube channels, and Discord groups now trade advice not just on how to insulate a floor or wire a solar array—but how to find the best deal on a decommissioned shuttle bus or coach. And they’re not wrong: A growing network of resellers and private listings is making it easier to get started. 

And while we’re talking about design, buses aren’t only about practicality anymore. They’ve become storytelling tools. Whether wrapped in hand-painted murals, neon slogans, or left proudly plain, buses today are rolling declarations of lifestyle and intent. Artists, creators, and even small businesses are using them as mobile canvases and brand statements. It’s not subtle, but it works.

More Than a Vehicle

There’s a surprising thing for many. It’s that the shift from van to bus isn’t only about function. It’s emotional. Buses carry a weight. Literally, yes. But also metaphorically.. They were built to last. They have scars, stickers, and stories. They hold space. Not just square footage, but emotional space. Room to breathe. Room to create. Room to start over.

That flexibility has also made buses a kind of canvas—not just for nomads but for brands. Mobile coffee shops, tattoo studios, and eco-minded product companies are increasingly wrapping buses in artwork and turning them into traveling statements. In this sense, a bus becomes more than a vehicle. It becomes a storytelling tool.

And maybe that’s why the movement hits hard. Because in a time when attention spans are short and digital lives feel disposable, a 20,000-pound bus says something real. It says: I’m staying for a while.It’s not for everyone. And like most good things, it’s not supposed to be.

But for those who find themselves somewhere between the dust and the pines, a bus might be more than a vehicle. It might be a way forward.