When I was driving stick shift GM Old Look transits, fishbowls, and 4903's & 4905's (and schoolbuses), it was "put it in second and pop the clutch." Sometimes pushed with the company pickup truck. Automatic transmissions meant I was out of luck.
The 6-71's in our old, used buses didn't like to start when hot. Of course, this implies I had air pressure for brakes, engine hadn't been off for very long.
Arthur