Typical Process for Titles and Insurance?

[2martins]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

I recently bought two sets of chains for this bus. Not that expensive either. Rear chains ($95) for snow and some front wheel diamond chains ($159) if steering becomes a problem. With a little luck my chains will stay shiny, bright and unused.

Yeah, the weather has been building up for a while. Now that you've got insurance and gone through all that stress, is it possible to postpone pickup due to the weather? I know they wouldn't let me start up the pass to Trukee without chains when I was there.

My bus has automatic chains and sanders but I am ALSO going to buy 2 outer rear drive wheel chains and bags of sand which I will store over the rear wheels, held in place with ratchet straps. I shall have to see if the chains and sanders actually work which can only be done while driving above a certain speed I think.

My son is my chase vehicle driver, and next week is his spring break. If I can get the bus as far as Susanville, which is only maybe 5500 ft of elevation, I can put it in RV storage and go back later with my husband driving my chase vehicle. He does not have time to do the big trip to Oregon.

If it's simply horrific I can go pick up the bus, take a lot of pictures and measurements and practice driving it and all and then put it in storage in Medford and go back and get it when my son comes home for the summer. Or when my husband actually has time to do it (but he really doesn't want to anyway). I want more info on the bus so we can learn about it and make plans and I was just not able to get all the info I wanted from the mechanics where it's currently living.

I'm not worried about going to visit the bus because my Subaru Outback has AWD and the best snow tires (Michelin Ice X). I also carry chains and I will have everything I need to spend the night because that's how we drive in the winter in the mountains. Even if I'm just going to the Doctor in Reno, I take that stuff with me in the winter.

I feel so much better now.

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[Twigg]

There may be an auction site for "better husbands" , ones who at least like driving buses

[Robin97396]

I'm always hesitant about that pass, but my cousin lives in Carson City and he says they plow those roads constantly for the locals so most traffic just slows down and deals with it.

I hate to see your bus go into storage and sit. It's likely to be a little hard to get started gain.

[2martins]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

I'm always hesitant about that pass, but my cousin lives in Carson City and he says they plow those roads constantly for the locals so most traffic just slows down and deals with it.

I hate to see your bus go into storage and sit. It's likely to be a little hard to get started gain.

The Carson pass is significantly better than Mt. Rose or Donner. 80 gets closed all the time in the winter. I do sometimes go thru Carson back up to Reno from the basin because that pass is so much lower and it's 2 lanes a lot of the way. I might this Sat. to go pick up my son as it may be pretty icky. But there was a 34 car pileup between Reno and Carson last week when it was icy! You can go slow, but if others don't you can get in a big mess.

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[Robin97396]

If your bus is still yellow, you're covered. People always stop to get a school bus moving.

Ok, I'm apparently not familiar with the pass you mentioned. I either go through eastern Oregon and then south or I go south on I-5 and take a left at Sac. If you can get a set of the right size chains I think you'd be ok. Not suggesting Donner Pass type of effort or anything.

Does your son want to drive the bus? I can't quite tell who's the enthusiastic driving force behind this project.

[2martins]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

If your bus is still yellow, you're covered. People always stop to get a school bus moving.

Ok, I'm apparently not familiar with the pass you mentioned. I either go through eastern Oregon and then south or I go south on I-5 and take a left at Sac. If you can get a set of the right size chains I think you'd be ok. Not suggesting Donner Pass type of effort or anything.

Does your son want to drive the bus? I can't quite tell who's the enthusiastic driving force behind this project.

It is very large and white (not yellow) which is why it is named Mobi. It's spelled that way because my son and I speak Spanish to each other. It was his idea, but I got very enthusiastic about helping him with it and we decided to go in on it together. But he's only 18. The first quote I got for insurance (which didn't work anyway) was like 400 for me and 1200 for both of us. So I think I should drive it until he's 21 maybe. Or maybe it will be better once it's converted? If he wants to live in it for a semester I can drive him there, wherever there is, and then he can get a roommate with a car or take transit or bike, walk, Uber... He won't need to drive it. But he's gonna have to join the gym if he wants to park in someone's yard with no hook ups!

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[Robin97396]

That’s a pretty cool project for you guys to do together. It would make a very good dorm room.

He won’t have any problem showering at the gym and he’ll likely have a class there per semester. Having a toilet at the right time is another matter. He’s going to be a chick magnet living in that bus.

[2martins]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

That’s a pretty cool project for you guys to do together. It would make a very good dorm room.

He won’t have any problem showering at the gym and he’ll likely have a class there per semester. Having a toilet at the right time is another matter. He’s going to be a chick magnet living in that bus.

It's bigger than his current dorm room that he shares with a roommate! I think it will be harder to find a place to park it than he thinks. People are going to worry that it will be a party bus, but my son is a geeky Engineering honors student. He would be living in the bus while working full time, not attending classes. He attends Northeastern and they have a co-op program where you study, work, study, and usually graduate in 5 years with 1.5 years of work experience. Those jobs are almost always normal business hour jobs and the students can get offered great full time jobs after graduation if they do a great job, so they are pretty motivated.

Oh, and the Carson pass is from Carson over into the Tahoe Basin. I'm sure you usually avoid that, although it's really beautiful if you have a chance to do it. There will be construction on 28 between 50 and Mt Rose highway (431) this summer again, so you might want to wait until summer of 2019 to take it. If it's clear when you visit before it starts again then it would be fine, although it's curvy, one lane, almost no shoulder, no passing lanes and I can't think of a pull out. There are places with no cell service and there are commuters speeding on that route! Last year a woman slid off the road along there and died because it snowed on top of her car and no one saw her.

Wow, I make it sound great, don't I? Yeah, so, summer of 2019 before it gets crazy with tourists, (never, ever near 4th of July) or September after the tourists leave but it's still beautiful.

Or get your cousin (I think is what you said) to drive you over in his vehicle so you can just look and not worry about driving. You cannot drive all the way to Carson from the PNW and not go see the Lake! Hell, if he won't do it, contact me and if I'm around I can go get you from Carson and give you a little tour. I usually have some errand I could do there that I am putting off anyway.

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[fadderall]

Originally Posted by 2martins

OMG I think I finally got it! Cross everything please! I called AIS back. The first person I talked to tried to get it done thru National General which only does completed conversions. I asked to speak to the commercial side and they are totally cool with it being a bus with no seats. She said the price was firm as she ran my DL and it was $595/ yr 300k liability if paid all in advance and they will prorate and switch me if I do convert it.

SO relieved!!!! I have never been so excited about paying $600 for a piece of paper in my life!!! I REALLY hope this works as she seemed very confident that I would. She's done a lot of them apparently. She said she's starting to want a bus!

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Hey 2martins, I have followed several of your posts and like the research you do. I used to live in Tahoe myself. South Lake Tahoe off of Rubicon Trail. Only a couple years but one of the greatest places on earth. Are you on the Nevada side? I read in one of your posts where you had a motorhome title from Oregon and registered in Nevada as motorhome. I am in Las Vegas so I am very interested in this process. So, when you did all the insurance work, did it not matter that it was registered as a motorhome? Was the commercial for personal use policy because they wouldn't do RV insurance? From what most people seem to be saying insurance only cares about VIN not how its registered. I am trying to get a policy in a hurry as I want to bring a bus up to Las Vegas from Arizona in the next couple days. I have USAA as well (30 years, home, auto, etc) and already went through the USAA-progressive-commercial-USAA loop with of course no result. To be honest, this is the first time they let me down. Great company and never had a problem with them. But, as soon as I mentioned bus/RV/personal commercial they just turned their back on me.
Did the NG commercial policy actually work? Do you still have that insurance or did they drop it after a few weeks like I keep hearing? Do you have a contact at National General Commercial? I would like to call them today.

Thanks and keep up the awesome transformation.

[2martins]

Originally Posted by fadderall

Hey 2martins, I have followed several of your posts and like the research you do. I used to live in Tahoe myself. South Lake Tahoe off of Rubicon Trail. Only a couple years but one of the greatest places on earth. Are you on the Nevada side? I read in one of your posts where you had a motorhome title from Oregon and registered in Nevada as motorhome. I am in Las Vegas so I am very interested in this process. So, when you did all the insurance work, did it not matter that it was registered as a motorhome? Was the commercial for personal use policy because they wouldn't do RV insurance? From what most people seem to be saying insurance only cares about VIN not how its registered. I am trying to get a policy in a hurry as I want to bring a bus up to Las Vegas from Arizona in the next couple days. I have USAA as well (30 years, home, auto, etc) and already went through the USAA-progressive-commercial-USAA loop with of course no result. To be honest, this is the first time they let me down. Great company and never had a problem with them. But, as soon as I mentioned bus/RV/personal commercial they just turned their back on me.
Did the NG commercial policy actually work? Do you still have that insurance or did they drop it after a few weeks like I keep hearing? Do you have a contact at National General Commercial? I would like to call them today.

Thanks and keep up the awesome transformation.

I insured it before I went to pick it up using the VIN and they did not care at all about how it was registered in Oregon. It didn't have seats already but the commerical for personal use is because it's a commerical *sized* vehicle. You have to get the right side of the insurance company- personal versus commercial. Even when it's for personal use, if it's a commerical policy, that's the commercial side and they other people never seemed to know anything about the other. One office I called insisted there was no such thing as commerical for personal use and refused to put me thru to the commercial side without giving her a company name and what it did. Very frustrating.

I said I just want to be able to drive it home legally and then drive it to Home Depot. I said it's going to be storage in my driveway this summer and then I am going to make a decision as to what to do next based on how that goes.

I was a little worried I would get a cancelation from Progressive after registering it as an RV but it's been over a month so it must not be a big thing here, unlike Florida. Insurance is incredibly state specific.

Also, NV law is actually extremely lax about what is an RV if you read the law. There is an old thread about how you have to have this and that and that is NOT what the law says. I saved a copy to my phone in case anyone tries to give me crap about it. That doesn't mean the INSURANCE Company has to listen to the state. They can make their own determination as to the RV-ness of your vehicle.

Does this help?

[2martins]

Originally Posted by fadderall

Hey 2martins, I have followed several of your posts and like the research you do. I used to live in Tahoe myself. South Lake Tahoe off of Rubicon Trail. Only a couple years but one of the greatest places on earth. Are you on the Nevada side? I read in one of your posts where you had a motorhome title from Oregon and registered in Nevada as motorhome. I am in Las Vegas so I am very interested in this process. So, when you did all the insurance work, did it not matter that it was registered as a motorhome? Was the commercial for personal use policy because they wouldn't do RV insurance? From what most people seem to be saying insurance only cares about VIN not how its registered. I am trying to get a policy in a hurry as I want to bring a bus up to Las Vegas from Arizona in the next couple days. I have USAA as well (30 years, home, auto, etc) and already went through the USAA-progressive-commercial-USAA loop with of course no result. To be honest, this is the first time they let me down. Great company and never had a problem with them. But, as soon as I mentioned bus/RV/personal commercial they just turned their back on me.
Did the NG commercial policy actually work? Do you still have that insurance or did they drop it after a few weeks like I keep hearing? Do you have a contact at National General Commercial? I would like to call them today.

Thanks and keep up the awesome transformation.

USAA doesn't do anything over 10k lbs.

I am with Progressive commercial. National General will, in theory, take care of me once it's converted. I got the progressive policy thru AIS after getting the right person on the phone (at least 3 tries). Below are my notes on insurance:


AIS Insurance:

commercial policy for personal use - incl. bus conversions

pay in full 595 300K NO LIMIT individual items

they said no the first time because they thought it was converted because the seats were out, not true

(88 772-4247 Marie Ruiz ext 78802 written with Progressive

Placed thru Silver Key Insurance Agency,

Underwritten by United Financial Casualty Company

should be fine til convert, then National General will do it once it’s self contained.

pics with basic, fake, conversion has worked for others, not recommended!

Best Options for post conversion:

AIS personal, not commercial and National General

balsiger emailed Kat 2/27 SHE FINALLY GOT BACK TO ME WITH A QUOTE.

skoolie insurance emailed Rochelle 2/27

TRIED AND FAILED WITH THE FOLLOWING:

USAA no over 10K GVWR

AAA don't do RVs by themselves said if I called back I might get someone else who knew how to do it.

at least one more vehicle non professionally converted unacceptable.

too big, commercial vehicle GVW excess 12K#

allstate David Hoopengardner (775) 831-3773 Marta will look seemed doubtful

tahoe insurance (775) 833-9600

carpenter insurance (775) 831-4446 Farmers Michael Payton (775) 831-6233

indep. insurance carson 775-499-5844

LP Insurance 775-996-6000 Dani left message

Sierra Insurance Assoc. Truckee

Menath no. would do commercial, not personal use

Alpine Insurance (775) 883-5000 Cynthia - left message

Nevada Insurance Carson 775-883-6666 Janet can call tomorrow.

Mary Jo with cover wallet don't do commercial for personal use

CAN REGISTER AS NON_OPERATIONAL when in storage or non operational SEE DMV website


From DMV website: There are no special registration requirements for non-commercial recreational vehicles. RVs
must meet pass emissions tests when required. You may need special driver license classes or endorsements for large

vehicles or multiple trailers. See Driver License Classes.

NRS 482.013  “Bus” defined.  ​“Bus” means any motor vehicle designed for carrying more than 10

passengers and used for the transportation of persons, and every motor vehicle, other than a taxicab,

designed and used for transportation of persons for compensation.

(Added to NRS by 1965, 316)

NRS 482.1345  “Van conversion” defined.  ​“Van conversion” means a vehicular-type unit originally

designed and manufactured as a van or enclosed truck, which is modified to be used for travel, camping

or recreational use, but which retains the basic silhouette of a van.

(Added to NRS by 1973, 230)

Note: The legal maximum width of a recreational vehicle is 102 inches excluding mirrors, lights and other devices

required for safety; and an awning and any hardware used to attach the awning, but it cannot extend beyond any

mirror.

NRS 482.071  “Motor home” defined.  ​“Motor home” means a structure:

1. Attached permanently to a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis;

2. Designed as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreational or camping use; and

3. When assembled for the road, has a maximum body width of 102 inches.

(Added to NRS by 1973, 229; A 2001, 1725)

RS 482.101  “Recreational vehicle” defined.  ​“Recreational vehicle” means a vehicular-type unit

primarily designed as temporary living quarters for travel, recreational or camping use, which may be

self-propelled, mounted upon, or drawn by, a motor vehicle. The term includes a recreational park trailer.

(Added to NRS by 1973, 229, 1585; A 2001, 1726)

FEMA defines an RV:

A vehicle which is:

(a) Built on a single chassis;

(b) 400 square feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projection;

(c) Designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light duty truck; and

(d) Designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as temporary living quarters

for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use.

Recreation.gov defines an RV:

RecML, the recreation standard that is being developed, describes RV's as:

vehicles designed for providing lodging and meals while enjoying the outdoors, motor homes

[fadderall]

Originally Posted by 2martins

USAA doesn't do anything over 10k lbs.

I am with Progressive commercial. National General will, in theory, take care of me once it's converted. I got the progressive policy thru AIS after getting the right person on the phone (at least 3 tries). Below are my notes on insurance:


AIS Insurance:

commercial policy for personal use - incl. bus conversions

pay in full 595 300K NO LIMIT individual items

they said no the first time because they thought it was converted because the seats were out, not true

(88 772-4247 Marie Ruiz ext 78802 written with Progressive

Placed thru Silver Key Insurance Agency,

Underwritten by United Financial Casualty Company

should be fine til convert, then National General will do it once it’s self contained.

pics with basic, fake, conversion has worked for others, not recommended!

Best Options for post conversion:

AIS personal, not commercial and National General

balsiger emailed Kat 2/27 SHE FINALLY GOT BACK TO ME WITH A QUOTE.

skoolie insurance emailed Rochelle 2/27

TRIED AND FAILED WITH THE FOLLOWING:

USAA no over 10K GVWR

AAA don't do RVs by themselves said if I called back I might get someone else who knew how to do it.

at least one more vehicle non professionally converted unacceptable.

too big, commercial vehicle GVW excess 12K#

allstate David Hoopengardner (775) 831-3773 Marta will look seemed doubtful

tahoe insurance (775) 833-9600

carpenter insurance (775) 831-4446 Farmers Michael Payton (775) 831-6233

indep. insurance carson 775-499-5844

LP Insurance 775-996-6000 Dani left message

Sierra Insurance Assoc. Truckee

Menath no. would do commercial, not personal use

Alpine Insurance (775) 883-5000 Cynthia - left message

Nevada Insurance Carson 775-883-6666 Janet can call tomorrow.

Mary Jo with cover wallet don't do commercial for personal use

CAN REGISTER AS NON_OPERATIONAL when in storage or non operational SEE DMV website


From DMV website: There are no special registration requirements for non-commercial recreational vehicles. RVs
must meet pass emissions tests when required. You may need special driver license classes or endorsements for large

vehicles or multiple trailers. See Driver License Classes.

NRS 482.013  “Bus” defined.  ​“Bus” means any motor vehicle designed for carrying more than 10

passengers and used for the transportation of persons, and every motor vehicle, other than a taxicab,

designed and used for transportation of persons for compensation.

(Added to NRS by 1965, 316)

NRS 482.1345  “Van conversion” defined.  ​“Van conversion” means a vehicular-type unit originally

designed and manufactured as a van or enclosed truck, which is modified to be used for travel, camping

or recreational use, but which retains the basic silhouette of a van.

(Added to NRS by 1973, 230)

Note: The legal maximum width of a recreational vehicle is 102 inches excluding mirrors, lights and other devices

required for safety; and an awning and any hardware used to attach the awning, but it cannot extend beyond any

mirror.

NRS 482.071  “Motor home” defined.  ​“Motor home” means a structure:

1. Attached permanently to a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis;

2. Designed as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreational or camping use; and

3. When assembled for the road, has a maximum body width of 102 inches.

(Added to NRS by 1973, 229; A 2001, 1725)

RS 482.101  “Recreational vehicle” defined.  ​“Recreational vehicle” means a vehicular-type unit

primarily designed as temporary living quarters for travel, recreational or camping use, which may be

self-propelled, mounted upon, or drawn by, a motor vehicle. The term includes a recreational park trailer.

(Added to NRS by 1973, 229, 1585; A 2001, 1726)

FEMA defines an RV:

A vehicle which is:

(a) Built on a single chassis;

(b) 400 square feet or less when measured at the largest horizontal projection;

(c) Designed to be self-propelled or permanently towable by a light duty truck; and

(d) Designed primarily not for use as a permanent dwelling but as temporary living quarters

for recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use.

Recreation.gov defines an RV:

RecML, the recreation standard that is being developed, describes RV's as:

vehicles designed for providing lodging and meals while enjoying the outdoors, motor homes

Thanks for sharing all of that. I just posted a bunch of this Nevada stuff on my thread before I read this. I am relieved to see that it wasnt just me as I have a similar insurance call log!
BTW- not helpful for us but National General will do conversion in progress insurance on skoolies but only in 12 states (Nevada not one of them).
QUESTION: If you are titled/registered in Nevada as Motorhome, why do you still have the commercial policy? Have you talked to National General about the RV policy? What do they want from you to get that policy in place?

[ChrisFL]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Get commercial insurance for personal use.
You can change the title to "MH" by simply giving them a signed paper saying its an RV when you title and register it. No need to make two trips to the tag office.
I'm in FL, let me know if you have any questions. I've titled and tagged 4 buses now.

so, I assume yes... but I figure its worth asking.

Do I actually need those things? I just bought our bus yesterday, going to start taking seats out. Once I do, does me putting a generator inside, a bed and a homer bucket to serve as a toilet suffice? lol

[brokedown]

That's enough to get the title changed. getting the insurance may be a different story. Florida is a troublesome state to get motorhome insurance for a converted bus. AIS will do it but they require photos of the finished conversion, and likely won't be too amused by a sketchy minimal build.

[ChrisFL]

Originally Posted by brokedown

That's enough to get the title changed. getting the insurance may be a different story. Florida is a troublesome state to get motorhome insurance for a converted bus. AIS will do it but they require photos of the finished conversion, and likely won't be too amused by a sketchy minimal build.

I'm torn on how to proceed. I want it legal to drive... Dont care what kind of policy if its commercial private use, RV, titled a bus or RV...

[brokedown]

Commercial for private use will let you drive it but is expensive and doesn't cover conversions. It's good for the drive home and drives to the hardware store etc but at some point it stops covering you.