USF Bull Runner bus for sale?: ‘Just like buying a regular coffee’

*Other USF-related items can be found on Facebook Marketplace such as signed football helmets, door wreaths and even old chairs from the College of Medicine. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/JOSHUA OTTO*

The last thing USF students would expect to see scrolling through Facebook Marketplace would be a Bull Runner bus for sale.

Two weeks ago, however, 25-year-old Tampa native Joshua Otto received visits from many potential buyers after listing his Bull Runner bus on the platform.

“People who were coming to see my bus told me it was going viral on the internet,” Otto said. “When I saw it, I thought about driving over to USF to pick all you guys up and ride around it.”

Otto said he bought the 2005 Bull Runner last month for $3,500 at Manheim Tampa, a dealer auction that sells commercial vehicles.

The bus had a bad battery, but it is now fixed and drives perfectly, according to Otto’s seller’s description.

USF spokesperson Aaron Nichols said Bull Runner buses are sent to auctions when it is no longer cost-effective to maintain them. This is evaluated based on physical and mechanical condition, age and repair costs.

Otto said he frequently comes across Bull Runner buses in auctions. This was the fifth one he bought.

“They sell these older buses all the time,” Otto said. “I see them about 90% of the time I go to auctions.”

Otto, who isn’t a USF alum, said he often buys the USF buses to “play with them a little bit” and then resell them. Otto said he likes driving them around before selling them.

There is no need to contact USF before selling the Bull Runner buses, according to Otto. He can sell them to anybody who is interested, and the process is “just like buying a regular coffee.”

Nichols confirmed that once buses are sent to auction, Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) has no control over who purchases them.

Otto said he plans to purchase more Bull Runner buses in the future for reselling purposes.

Funds from the sale of Bull Runner buses help with PATS’ operating expenses, according to Nichols.

Otto said he sold the bus on Wednesday for $6,000. The person who bought the bus is from West Palm Beach and plans to turn it into an RV.

“It would be funny if they picked up all their friends in the RV and cruised around USF,” Otto said.

Clara Rokita Garcia, Correspondent

Clara Rokita Garcia is the news editor for The Oracle. She's an integrated public relations and advertising student double majoring in English with literary studies concentration. She grew up in Brazil and moved to the U.S in fall 2022. She started at The Oracle in fall 2023 as a news correspondent intern. She is highly motivated to write creative and helpful stories for USF students. Reach her at clararokitagarcia@usf.edu.

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