They’ll be the people driving something that still smells faintly of hand sanitizer and high school detentions: the humble, retired transit bus. BusesForSale.com digs into the transit bus and why it just may be a favorite for the end of the world. Why a Transit Bus Beats Your Neighbor’s RVRVs are designed to impress your in-laws at a KOA campground, not to endure the collapse of civilization. The average transit bus is designed for a 12-to-20-year service life and 500,000 miles before major overhaul. The Blank Canvas FactorThe beauty of a retired transit bus is its simplicity: It’s just a big box on wheels.