I think he is really into saving weight because he doesn't want fuel mileage to suffer from unnecessary weight. We split the fuel bill on trips and he doesn't have all that much money. I think the aero profile of the bus has as much to do with fuel mileage as the weight.
Brian Elfert
I once had a 3/4-ton Ford pickup (1960 model) with a 6-cylinder engine. Whether I was hauling
2 tons of cargo or running empty, it got the same mileage on the road: 16 mpg.
The fuel savings by cutting weight in a bus is negligible unless you're talking several tons. You
might save a smidgen on uphills, but not enough that you could ever measure it accurately.
And what percentage of total miles travelled are uphill at 3-7% grade?
Weight just doesn't matter in most big busses.
Clarke