We rented Skoolchella for a week-long trip in July, driving from Bozeman to Butte and then on to Yellowstone. Overall, it allowed us to have a memorable and affordable way to see family, and a national park, but there were some bumps along the way worth mentioning.When booking the bus (over 6 months prior to our trip), we purchased the late check-out to work around our itinerary and our departing flight. Unfortunately, the host canceled it the day before we left because she hadn't looked over the add-ons until then, and it caused a real headache as we scrambled to replan parts of our trip. On the plus side, she did accommodate our request for early check-in, though as luck would have it, our flight was delayed and we weren't able to use it anyway.Picking up the bus had its own hiccups. She gave us her house address rather than the alley address, which made finding the right spot more confusing than it needed to be. We were surprised to find the fuel gauge reading “E” upon pickup, requiring an immediate stop to refuel before we could really get on the road. This is an uncommon experience for us with rental vehicles and added an unnecessary, unplanned inconvenience. While fueling up, we realized the camp toilet (included on the “Fully Stocked Bus” add-on) wasn’t in the bus, so we had to circle back to grab it.Mechanically, we noticed a few things. The tires were slightly dry rotted, which isn’t a problem, but a little concerning. The larger issue, was that the inner dually wheel was completely bald. It felt a little unsafe on some curvy mountain roads because the likelihood of a blow out is much higher in that condition. The windshield wipers only had one speed, on or off, and the blades were pretty worn out. The host had mentioned recent service had been done, but the check engine light was on the entire trip, which was a little unnerving even though we didn't have any actual mechanical breakdowns or issues.The "fully stocked kitchen" was missing some basics. Simple things like a spatula or measuring spoons would’ve been helpful. We also wish there were reusable cups for hot drinks included. Overall, we think everyone has their own kitchen preferences, so if the host just listed out everything included on the bus, it would have made the world of a difference for us.The cooler was a little smaller than expected and had a hard time keeping things cold (camping in early July without constant power). We made the assumption the folding table, shown in one of the images, was included and it is not. I only say this because some of our stops didn’t have a picnic table to use. We didn't find any instructions for the solar setup either, so we had to figure out through trial and error that it only worked in direct sunlight and only powered certain things.This isn't a criticism of the host, but I think it's important for future renters to acknowledge that the vehicle doesn't have a traditional passenger seat. Passengers ride on the bench-style couch, which sits quite high. As a result, taller passengers may have a limited view out the windows, which took away from some of our sightseeing. Had we thought more about this seating arrangement ahead of time, we may have chosen a different vehicle.One suggestion that would improve the experience for future renters would be to provide a printed instruction guide in the bus and/or include more detail about the power system in the listing. The listing states that the bus is powered by solar, but we didn't realize that the electrical system appears to rely on direct sunlight to generate power. Based on our previous experiences with solar power, we expected there to be a battery that would store energy for use when the sun wasn't shining. If there is a battery, we may have misunderstood how the system operates, which is exactly why a simple guide or a more detailed explanation would have been so helpful. If there isn't a battery, we think that's an important detail for future renters to know before booking so they can plan accordingly.That said, there is plenty of positives to Skoolchella! The mattress was comfortable, though anyone over 6 feet tall might find it a tight fit. We had plenty of blankets for the cool nights. The add-on generator was new, quiet, and easy to start. Important to know for other travelers, national parks (and probably most camp grounds) do not allow generators to run overnight, so plan accordingly. The “Stock the Bus” add-on was a nice touch as well, giving us snacks and plenty of water at the very start of our trip. Also to our surprise the bus came with a Bluetooth speaker, phone mount for the driver, USB C cord, and 12V USB adapter, which were all nice extras.Overall, this rental served its purpose and offered an affordable way to explore Yellowstone. With some TLC and more details from the owner, Skoolchella would make a perfect way for any couple to have a great, unforgettable, and unique trip. We hope our feedback helps the host continue improving the experience and for future renters to have more clarity before starting their trip.
