Bus conversion

[Clifton Tesh]

So I'm in the thinking stage of buying an old bus, probably a school bus, and converting it into an RV.

Has anyone here ever done this, and if so, what are some things I'd need to know. Mainly looking for legal info such as tags and licensing.

I'm a bus mechanic and have class a CDLs with passenger and school bus endorsements and a medical card. I know I can legally drive it in NC, and in all theory I should be able to drive it in any state, but I know theory and reality are quite often 2 different stories.

Any info, suggestions, or experiences are welcome.

 

[peg110]

It's my understanding that the CDL is a Federal License and as such it would allow you to drive the specified vehicle types in any state. That said, however, it's not necessary to have the CDL to drive the bus as a converter RV. Only if you are driving it in a "Commercial" capacity do you require the CDL. Depending upon the end weight after conversion, you may not even be required a Class A (but you are better off). A Class C (or regular auto type license) will typically allow you to drive a single vehicle or combination (1 trailer) not exceeding 26,000 pounds. There is no restrictions on the "Dimensions" of the vehicle as far as licensing. Now DOT may have other requirements on the vehicle itself as far as what is legal to do with it.

You will have to consider that your vehicle modifications may have a different impact from state to state. What one state considers safe another may not. The key in most states is "Safety". If it's considered "Safe" by most common people, chances are you would be okay, but of course, I am no "Authority" on this.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

It's my understanding that the CDL is a Federal License and as such it would allow you to drive the specified vehicle types in any state. That said, however, it's not necessary to have the CDL to drive the bus as a converter RV. Only if you are driving it in a "Commercial" capacity do you require the CDL. Depending upon the end weight after conversion, you may not even be required a Class A (but you are better off). A Class C (or regular auto type license) will typically allow you to drive a single vehicle or combination (1 trailer) not exceeding 26,000 pounds. There is no restrictions on the "Dimensions" of the vehicle as far as licensing. Now DOT may have other requirements on the vehicle itself as far as what is legal to do with it.

You will have to consider that your vehicle modifications may have a different impact from state to state. What one state considers safe another may not. The key in most states is "Safety". If it's considered "Safe" by most common people, chances are you would be okay, but of course, I am no "Authority" on this.

I called the DOT this morning to check up on whether or not I would need a CDL for this and apparently, if it is registered as an RV, you are not required to have CDLs to drive it regardless of weight or whether or not it has air brakes, unless you are carrying more than 16 passengers or towing a trailer rated over 10,000 pounds.

And from what the fellow at the DOT office said, if you can legally operate it in the state that issued your license, you can legally operate it in any of the states.

So you are 100% correct

He said the only trick is, if you buy it and it has all the seats still in it, it can only be registered as a school but until you remove the seats.

 

[PaHunter]

The biggest problem with converting school bus vs and older tour bus, is there is not much room to mount holding tanks. On a tour bus you have the storage compartments underneath. With a school bus one would have to raise the floor to put in holding tanks and then you are losing head room. Water and waste management are the hardest part. Helped my friend build a 40 foot pontoon home for traveling the intercoastal waterway.

 

[snowmedic]

I have been toying around with doing a project like this for a few years, and later this year I will pick up my school bus to be converted. There are a lot of great video's out there along with a great website for people who are looking to convert a bus. I feel confident that I can accomplish a project like this, I figured with work and anything else that might come up, it will probably take me a year to complete.

I have a guy from work that does all the vehicle painting and he said he would help in that area, and I also have a metal fabricator from work that I can enlist if needed, diesel mechanics, got a couple of those also.

It would be a good idea to get the bus DOT inspected, whether your converting it or not, just to be sure that it is up to federal safety standards.

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

It would be a good idea to get the bus DOT inspected, whether your converting it or not, just to be sure that it is up to federal safety standards.

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

I'm good on this part, I perform the federal safety inspections on a daily basis

And like wise for you, keep me posted on the progress. Mine probably won't get started until 2017.

 

[peg110]

He said the only trick is, if you buy it and it has all the seats still in it, it can only be registered as a school but until you remove the seats.

The key here is "Registered". You can buy it and transfer Ownership (Title) and NOT register it until it's ready to be road worthy as an RV.

Also, while it sounds like it's not an issue for you as you have a CDL, you do not need the CDL for RV's BUT that doesn't preclude you from an alternate class license (again, not an issue for you, but for others who might be reading).

If you are driving a vehicle (single/combo) where the total weight is OVER 26,000 pounds, you will likely have to "Up" your class. You can get a class A or B but NOT be a CDL. In that way you are not responsible for keeping the Log Book and there are other criteria that are less of a concern as well. The problem is (at least here in PA) is that most DOT locations don't understand that you can have a NON-CDL Class A or B (or that you can actually have a CDL Class C only) because it's not normally what they expect.

The funny thing is, so many people think that if it's an RV you only need the regular Class C (or your states equivalent) to drive because that's what the dealerships all tell you. Their motivation, however is to make the sale, so if they told you that you needed a class A license, they may not make the sale.

Any way, good luck with your project. Don't forget pictures.... We love pictures.

 

[tiggerdad]

I have been toying around with doing a project like this for a few years, and later this year I will pick up my school bus to be converted. There are a lot of great video's out there along with a great website for people who are looking to convert a bus. I feel confident that I can accomplish a project like this, I figured with work and anything else that might come up, it will probably take me a year to complete.

I have a guy from work that does all the vehicle painting and he said he would help in that area, and I also have a metal fabricator from work that I can enlist if needed, diesel mechanics, got a couple of those also.

It would be a good idea to get the bus DOT inspected, whether your converting it or not, just to be sure that it is up to federal safety standards.

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

Oh cool Vince! You gotta keep me updated on this for sure.

I wish I had the pictures. A physician I used to work with bought an old Blue Bird, early 80's? model school bus. Was 4 speed I believe. It was an old Mississippi Highway Patrol mobile command bus so it already had some mods like cabinets and couch. He was able to mount the holding tanks under the frame because those old buses had a lot of clearance underneath them. I believe the black tank was behind the rear axle and the gray tank was long ways on the driver side and the fresh water was opposite it on the passenger side. He put about 3 years of work into it. His wife was appalled, I guess mainly because he could have easily bought a nice Class A but he had his sites on something he could do with his own two hands. He moved away a few years ago.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

Oh cool Vince! You gotta keep me updated on this for sure.

I wish I had the pictures. A physician I used to work with bought an old Blue Bird, early 80's? model school bus. Was 4 speed I believe. It was an old Mississippi Highway Patrol mobile command bus so it already had some mods like cabinets and couch. He was able to mount the holding tanks under the frame because those old buses had a lot of clearance underneath them. I believe the black tank was behind the rear axle and the gray tank was long ways on the driver side and the fresh water was opposite it on the passenger side. He put about 3 years of work into it. His wife was appalled, I guess mainly because he could have easily bought a nice Class A but he had his sites on something he could do with his own two hands. He moved away a few years ago.

My fiancee is actually on board with it. I don't have the money, or the will to spend the kind of money that they ask for a class a motor home.

I can get an old school bus and remodel it for around $15,000 total. That's cheaper than some pop ups I've looked at!

 

[2goofycampers]

check this out
http://www.disboards.com/threads/tc...-news-to-report.2050008/page-10#post-36933767

 

[Clifton Tesh]

check this out
http://www.disboards.com/threads/tc...-news-to-report.2050008/page-10#post-36933767

It's amazing what can be done with a little blood, sweat, and imagination!

 

[stpetedisneydad]

There is a website out there dedicated to this particular topic. I check it regularly just because I like to see peoples creativity and what they can accomplish. It is my understanding that it is becoming more and more difficult to get them insured. Each state is different as to what is required to get the bus retitled as an RV. If title says bus then commercial policies seem to be the only option and cost is higher. For those that go through the conversion process that their state requires to get it retitled as an RV can, if they are lucky, can get RV insurance which is cheaper. Because they are for the most part not professionally converted a lot of insurance companies won't touch them and since all companies don't write policies in all states who one person says he got coverage through won't write a policy for someone else. I've even heard that people have checked with agents who said coverage would be no problem only to go through the expense of purchasing a bus and converting it to then be told sorry, can't write you. And if that isn't bad enough, there are many campgrounds that refuse to allow them in.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

There is a website out there dedicated to this particular topic. I check it regularly just because I like to see peoples creativity and what they can accomplish. It is my understanding that it is becoming more and more difficult to get them insured. Each state is different as to what is required to get the bus retitled as an RV. If title says bus then commercial policies seem to be the only option and cost is higher. For those that go through the conversion process that their state requires to get it retitled as an RV can, if they are lucky, can get RV insurance which is cheaper. Because they are for the most part not professionally converted a lot of insurance companies won't touch them and since all companies don't write policies in all states who one person says he got coverage through won't write a policy for someone else. I've even heard that people have checked with agents who said coverage would be no problem only to go through the expense of purchasing a bus and converting it to then be told sorry, can't write you. And if that isn't bad enough, there are many campgrounds that refuse to allow them in.

Yeah, I'm a member of the skoolie forum. I know all about the insurance woes, but did not know about the campground issue.

As far as insurance goes, I'm in the clear. I've ran it by my insurance agent and the fact that I'm a bus mechanic and have my CDLs makes it easy for him to insure me. He just wants the electrical and plumbing certified by an RV company and they said they'd do the inspections for $100 each.

The big issue with insurance is the fact that the things are being built by amateurs out of the cheapest stuff they can get their hands on. I wonder what the issue with campgrounds is?

 

[stpetedisneydad]

I think the issue with campgrounds is the same as with insurance companies. Buses being cobbed together by amateurs and being a safety hazard. Also those same buses usually "look" like cheaply converted school buses and a lot of privately owned campgrounds are worried about their image.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

I think the issue with campgrounds is the same as with insurance companies. Buses being cobbed together by amateurs and being a safety hazard. Also those same buses usually "look" like cheaply converted school buses and a lot of privately owned campgrounds are worried about their image.

I figured that was the case. They've got a negative connotation associated with them now. There's a lot of people living out of them and trashing places they go.

I'll never talk bad about where someone chooses to live, but it needs to be safe and they need to be respectable towards everyone.

My uncle is a licensed contractor with his electrical license and plumbing license, so I know he's not going to let me go with anything unsafe. Plus, I'm going to take and have everything checked by an RV dealer mechanic and make sure it's all safe too.

My family's safety and well being come before anything.

 

[tiggerdad]

Perhaps making it a gooseneck / 5er?

(I like how the campsites look flooded)

Then there is the Toyhauler option...

(Not quite sure it will fit)

I like the rear porch option...

There's the double decker idea (notice Grizzly Adams in the photo)

but please, don't let it be this...

 

[Clifton Tesh]

Perhaps making it a gooseneck / 5er?

(I like how the campsites look flooded)

Then there is the Toyhauler option...

(Not quite sure it will fit)

I like the rear porch option...

There's the double decker idea (notice Grizzly Adams in the photo)

but please, don't let it be this...

HA! The guy in the picture of the Toy Hauler one is actually my brother, it's a friend of his bus. And the last one is actually a piece of history. It is part of the Route 66 Hall of fame museum in Pontiac, Illinois. It is known as the Waldmire Road Yacht.

 

[tiggerdad]

Are you kidding me!? I go and Bing an image to put on here and you're telling me I found a picture of your brother?

 

[Clifton Tesh]

Are you kidding me!? I go and Bing an image to put on here and you're telling me I found a picture of your brother?

Lol, yep! You might want to go buy a powerball ticket with that kind of luck.

 

[tiggerdad]

I live in Mississippi. One of the few states that doesn't sell them. I'd have to head to Louisiana, Tennessee, or Florida for that.

Dang!