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Old 03-17-2018, 11:03 AM   #1
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: MO
Posts: 199
Year: 1978
Engine: Detroit 6-71
Greetings from STL/MO help?

Hi everyone, what a great community you guys have built, my wife and I have been reading a lot on here and we cannot wait to undertake a skoolie project and change our lives. If anyone has experience with Missouri skoolies and what we can face when buying bus and trying to drive it to parking/construction location. We are mostly worried on not being able to legally drive it because of license or insurance reasons. From what we have read its sort of a grey area when driving a school bus and also insuring it. Ideally we would want to title it as motorhome and insure it as motorhome so that we don't have as many issues parking at RV parks. We are thinking of gradually living part time in it and then eventually full time once we have enough remote income. My job is pretty flexible and I work 50% remote and trying to convince my company to make me full remote and I will even take a paycut as costs will dramatically decrease living on a skoolie and traveling. Right now our costs are 2-2.5k per month with car payments (finishing 2019) mortgage, bills, food, etc not including travels,going out, vacations. Doing the math we think we could live and travel from 1.5-2k per month available funds and anything extra could go towards savings/emergency funds etc.

Any ideas, information we would really appreciate it! Looking for 30-40foot flatnose buses, and we see many listed whats a good price range that generally gets you a good working bus (don't mind paying 2-3k in mechanical costs but anything more would be hard)

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Old 03-17-2018, 10:27 PM   #2
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Welcome to the forum. My wife and I just purchased a bus about 1 month ago. We live across the river from you in Belleville IL. I called my insurance broker and just added the bus to my policy. We picked our bus up in Afton MO and drove it back to Illinois with no problems. I just saw a Flat Nose Blue bird for sale in E STL today when driving into the city. I think the price was 4900.00 looked to be in the early 2000s and a front engine. Probably about a 35-40ft unit.

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Old 03-18-2018, 02:01 AM   #3
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: MO
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Originally Posted by Z.morris View Post
Welcome to the forum. My wife and I just purchased a bus about 1 month ago. We live across the river from you in Belleville IL. I called my insurance broker and just added the bus to my policy. We picked our bus up in Afton MO and drove it back to Illinois with no problems. I just saw a Flat Nose Blue bird for sale in E STL today when driving into the city. I think the price was 4900.00 looked to be in the early 2000s and a front engine. Probably about a 35-40ft unit.

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Thanks for the input. What did you add it to insurance as? I have american family as my home insurance, car insurance. Is it as a van or bus?
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Old 03-18-2018, 07:30 AM   #4
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Brunswick, GA
Posts: 150
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
I have Allstate, and asked for a "Commercial for private use" policy before
I started bidding on my bus. It took them a week or so to figure out how to do it, but the rates were reasonable. When I won the auction, I emailed them the VIN number, took them a check and picked up a temporary insurance card. That's what I took to retrieve the bus - a week later I received the policy and permanent cards.
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Old 03-18-2018, 09:10 AM   #5
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by TrailLifeBill View Post
I have Allstate, and asked for a "Commercial for private use" policy before
I started bidding on my bus. It took them a week or so to figure out how to do it, but the rates were reasonable. When I won the auction, I emailed them the VIN number, took them a check and picked up a temporary insurance card. That's what I took to retrieve the bus - a week later I received the policy and permanent cards.
Are you required a CDL license since you have it insured as a commercial vehicle?
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Old 03-18-2018, 09:31 AM   #6
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KANSAS CITY
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I am in Kansas City. I could only get National General partial conversion policy. Mine was titled as a motorhome but a football tailgater set up when i purchased. Very expensive. Waited 60 days the went to Farm Bureau and by having insurance and changing to them they wanted me for about $65.00 per month.FB are very good to me. YMMV

You can drive a motorhome for 30 days on your auto policy so getting it home is no problem.
I think a bus with a Motorhome title is well worth an extra $1000.00 to me so you don't have to make those inspection trips to the Highway Patrol.
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Old 03-18-2018, 01:52 PM   #7
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by Versatile View Post
I am in Kansas City. I could only get National General partial conversion policy. Mine was titled as a motorhome but a football tailgater set up when i purchased. Very expensive. Waited 60 days the went to Farm Bureau and by having insurance and changing to them they wanted me for about $65.00 per month.FB are very good to me. YMMV

You can drive a motorhome for 30 days on your auto policy so getting it home is no problem.
I think a bus with a Motorhome title is well worth an extra $1000.00 to me so you don't have to make those inspection trips to the Highway Patrol.
So are you with National General or Farm Bureau? What was the cost for both of those?
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Old 03-18-2018, 02:22 PM   #8
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Brunswick, GA
Posts: 150
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rawlings View Post
Are you required a CDL license since you have it insured as a commercial vehicle?
I'm not sure - I already had a CDL so that didn't come up. Don't assume that your auto policy will cover a commercial vehicle for 30 days. Mine wouldn't - if I had gotten into an accident, I'm sure they would have denied the claim. Either way, do your homework with an agent.
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Old 03-18-2018, 02:31 PM   #9
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
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Originally Posted by TrailLifeBill View Post
I'm not sure - I already had a CDL so that didn't come up. Don't assume that your auto policy will cover a commercial vehicle for 30 days. Mine wouldn't - if I had gotten into an accident, I'm sure they would have denied the claim. Either way, do your homework with an agent.
This is what confused me about everywhere I read, some people state it's only a "commercial vehicle" if you keep it yellow, school bus colors and with seats in place. What would qualify it as a non commercial vehicle? Not having business name or school bus signs? Or actually retitling the vehicle??
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Old 03-18-2018, 02:41 PM   #10
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
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Posts: 150
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rawlings View Post
This is what confused me about everywhere I read, some people state it's only a "commercial vehicle" if you keep it yellow, school bus colors and with seats in place. What would qualify it as a non commercial vehicle? Not having business name or school bus signs? Or actually retitling the vehicle??
That's going to vary state to state. I'm in Georgia, and have been told by more than one tag clerk from different counties that as far as they're concerned it'll always be a school bus since it originally was manufactured as one. However, when I got the registration, they coded it so that I don't have to pay annual weight fees like most commercial vehicles. The tag will cost me $20 per year to renew, and my insurance will still be as a motor home after conversion is completed. Other states have extremely different policies. I did find the following thread that's a couple years old, but is from Missouri - hope it helps.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f18/mo...rsion-666.html
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Old 03-18-2018, 02:42 PM   #11
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Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rawlings View Post
This is what confused me about everywhere I read, some people state it's only a "commercial vehicle" if you keep it yellow, school bus colors and with seats in place. What would qualify it as a non commercial vehicle? Not having business name or school bus signs? Or actually retitling the vehicle??
It's a bus, until it is titled as something else.

DO not confuse "commercial vehicle" with "commercial driving".

Technically there is no category defined as "commercial vehicle" even though that term is bandied about by everyone including your DMV.

Vehicle are classified only by weight and the number and weight of trailers.

So it's a bus, and once you own it it is no longer a school bus, but a private bus. The stuff about color and lights is so that your bus is not confused with a school bus.

As for driving it ....

You need to check what your state demands for private heavy vehicles. Some states demand nothing, others have "Non-Commercial" classes that need adding to your license.

What you do not need, ever, in any state, is a Commercial Driver's License because the Federal CDL laws apply not to the vehicle, but to the purpose it is being driven.

You also need Liability Insurance. I got a "Commercial Policy for Private Use" from Progressive Commercial (not Progressive). It's reasonable.
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Old 03-18-2018, 04:04 PM   #12
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: MO
Posts: 199
Year: 1978
Engine: Detroit 6-71
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
It's a bus, until it is titled as something else.

DO not confuse "commercial vehicle" with "commercial driving".

Technically there is no category defined as "commercial vehicle" even though that term is bandied about by everyone including your DMV.

Vehicle are classified only by weight and the number and weight of trailers.

So it's a bus, and once you own it it is no longer a school bus, but a private bus. The stuff about color and lights is so that your bus is not confused with a school bus.

As for driving it ....

You need to check what your state demands for private heavy vehicles. Some states demand nothing, others have "Non-Commercial" classes that need adding to your license.

What you do not need, ever, in any state, is a Commercial Driver's License because the Federal CDL laws apply not to the vehicle, but to the purpose it is being driven.

You also need Liability Insurance. I got a "Commercial Policy for Private Use" from Progressive Commercial (not Progressive). It's reasonable.
Thank you so much for all of your feedback that clarified a lot. When you mentioned "Non commercial classes that need adding to your license", what does that mean? I have a regular drivers license would that mean I take some classes just to prove I can safely operate the vehicle?
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Old 03-18-2018, 04:07 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rawlings View Post
Thank you so much for all of your feedback that clarified a lot. When you mentioned "Non commercial classes that need adding to your license", what does that mean? I have a regular drivers license would that mean I take some classes just to prove I can safely operate the vehicle?
It depends on your home state.

Which state issued your Driver's License?
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Old 03-18-2018, 04:10 PM   #14
Bus Geek
 
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Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Latest info I can find suggests you are good to go on your regular Missouri DL.

However, for your safety I recommend you watch a good few videos and become familiar with the "Daily Checks", and with Air-brake procedures.

The driving bit is fairly easy.
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Old 03-18-2018, 04:53 PM   #15
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: MO
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Engine: Detroit 6-71
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Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
It depends on your home state.

Which state issued your Driver's License?
I have a license from Missouri. Regular drivers license.
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Old 03-18-2018, 04:55 PM   #16
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: MO
Posts: 199
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Engine: Detroit 6-71
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
Latest info I can find suggests you are good to go on your regular Missouri DL.

However, for your safety I recommend you watch a good few videos and become familiar with the "Daily Checks", and with Air-brake procedures.

The driving bit is fairly easy.

Do you have a link or can guide me where you got this information? What are daily checks? Like daily checks I should do on my bus and air breaks?
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Old 03-18-2018, 04:59 PM   #17
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Quote:
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Do you have a link or can guide me where you got this information? What are daily checks? Like daily checks I should do on my bus and air breaks?
I checked RV License requirements. There are a bunch of sites that list the requirements for heavy vehicles, and they all said Missouri impose no restrictions. You can Google them yourself. "RV" isn't the key, weight is and those sites list requirements for GCVW of 26001 lbs, or more

Go look on YouTube for videos under bus driving and bus daily checks.

There are plenty.
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Old 03-18-2018, 09:23 PM   #18
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: MO
Posts: 199
Year: 1978
Engine: Detroit 6-71
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
I checked RV License requirements. There are a bunch of sites that list the requirements for heavy vehicles, and they all said Missouri impose no restrictions. You can Google them yourself. "RV" isn't the key, weight is and those sites list requirements for GCVW of 26001 lbs, or more

Go look on YouTube for videos under bus driving and bus daily checks.

There are plenty.
Thank you so much. If I were to travel across country would states that do have restrictions be okay with it since I would be out of state license holder? I guess as long as I'm just passing through?
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Old 03-18-2018, 09:34 PM   #19
Bus Geek
 
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Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rawlings View Post
Thank you so much. If I were to travel across country would states that do have restrictions be okay with it since I would be out of state license holder? I guess as long as I'm just passing through?
Driver's Licenses are recognized as valid in all 50 states, and Canada.
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Old 03-18-2018, 10:15 PM   #20
Skoolie
 
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Location: MO
Posts: 199
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
Driver's Licenses are recognized as valid in all 50 states, and Canada.
You have been so informative thank you and everyone with all of the help and information! We can't wait to start looking and hopefully get the bust by the summer.

Are there any specific engines I should stay away from? I have heard stay away from any 2005 or newer model as they have this new electronic smog and compliance thing that can be more costly and also heard certain engines are more costly than others maintenance wise?
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