School buses not allowed on highways?

[Dèsirée]

Hello there!
A few days ago I met a man who without even knowing about the school bus conversion trend and the skoolie community, bought a local school bus and built it out for his motor cross team.

After four months of construction, he went to register the bus as an RV and was told, only school buses assigned to transport school teams, are allowed on the highway.

According to DMV, regular school buses regardless the size or body style, are not allowed on any highway.

Furthermore, someone else told me, it’s not a local, county or even a state regulation, it’s Federal Law.

Is that true? I was extremely surprised when I heard that little bit of information and needless to say, he was too!

Although he was able to register the bus, it can only be used locally, and not as intended.

Any thoughts on the matter?

Dèsirée

[Ninjakitty]

Needs to have a title change. Mine is not a school bus, mine is a motorhome.

[PNW_Steve]

My first question would be : "what has he been smoking? "

I have some certainty that there is no federal law as you describe and would be surprised to find something similar in NY. I don't have firsthand experience but we have members here that have successfully converted in NY.

Hopefully some of our NY members can chime in.

[Dèsirée]

Originally Posted by Ninjakitty

Needs to have a title change. Mine is not a school bus, mine is a motorhome.

—-//
He said something to do with the chassis or rear axles not sure. Whatever it is, it can’t be done.

[peteg59]

Sounds like Hogwash. Definitely not a federal law.
Maybe NY has this law for "local" busses registered in NY, but out of state skoolies traverse the state without issue...

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Register it as a truck or van, then. No law against trucks or vans having seats.

[Dèsirée]

Originally Posted by peteg59

Sounds like Hogwash. Definitely not a federal law.
Maybe NY has this law for "local" busses registered in NY, but out of state skoolies traverse the state without issue...

—-///
Ummmm... so sports team buses are not of a different designation... I wonder what went wrong.

[o1marc]

That sounds so outrageous that it couldn't possibly be unknown to at least a couple here, and if it were we would all know it off the tops of our heads.
Have your friend show you law.

[Dèsirée]

Originally Posted by o1marc

That sounds so outrageous that it couldn't possibly be unknown to at least a couple here, and if it were we would all know it off the tops of our heads.

Have your friend show you law.

—-//
Not a friend just someone I met. I wonder if this is insurance related.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by Dèsirée

After four months of construction, he went to register the bus as an RV and was told, only school buses assigned to transport school teams, are allowed on the highway.

According to DMV, regular school buses regardless the size or body style, are not allowed on any highway.

Furthermore, someone else told me, it’s not a local, county or even a state regulation, it’s Federal Law.



Although he was able to register the bus, it can only be used locally, and not as intended.

My first reaction to that would be "Citation needed" (and I don't mean traffic ticket, I mean cite the specific law to me). There is *NO* such federal law that I am aware of, and I've read the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations book cover-to-cover more than once. School buses are very much allowed (at least by Federal law) on any highway anywhere in the country - how do you think they get from factory to the school districts? (Hint - most are driven).



There *May* be a more localized state law in NY, but I highly doubt that too. I call B/S until someone can actually refer me to a law, not just "someone said".... (even if that someone supposedly works at some DMV).

[Dèsirée]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

My first reaction to that would be "Citation needed" (and I don't mean traffic ticket, I mean cite the specific law to me). There is *NO* such federal law that I am aware of, and I've read the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations book cover-to-cover more than once. School buses are very much allowed (at least by Federal law) on any highway anywhere in the country - how do you think they get from factory to the school districts? (Hint - most are driven).



There *May* be a more localized state law in NY, but I highly doubt that too. I call B/S until someone can actually refer me to a law, not just "someone said".... (even if that someone supposedly works at some DMV).

—//
I did read somewhere, buses used to transport school sport teams are not to transport pupils to and from home to school.

Also let me just note, the federal law notation was mentioned to me by a different person than the one who did the conversion.

When the man who converted the bus told me, of course my first reaction was, that’s not possible. But then he said, “had I known that, I would had not gone ahead with the conversion.”

The bus still sits at a motor cross place.

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by Dèsirée

Hello there!
A few days ago I met a man who without even knowing about the school bus conversion trend and the skoolie community, bought a local school bus and built it out for his motor cross team.

After four months of construction, he went to register the bus as an RV and was told, only school buses assigned to transport school teams, are allowed on the highway.

According to DMV, regular school buses regardless the size or body style, are not allowed on any highway.

Furthermore, someone else told me, it’s not a local, county or even a state regulation, it’s Federal Law.

Is that true? I was extremely surprised when I heard that little bit of information and needless to say, he was too!

Although he was able to register the bus, it can only be used locally, and not as intended.

Any thoughts on the matter?

Dèsirée

When retiring a "school Bus" for private use, many if not all states have certain requirements that must be meet in order to officially and publicly make aware it is no longer used as a school bus.

Many states require the removal of the stop sign arms that are used to make the motoring public aware that the bus is loading or unloading. Many states also require either the deactivation or outright removal of the 8 way flashing lights up on the front and rear roof caps.

Some states also require that you remove the front and rear SCHOOL BUS lettering on the roof caps. some states also require repaint the bus so it does not stand out as a regular "YELLOW" school bus going down the road.

Each state is different but in the end what they don't want is the skoolie / retired bus being mistaken for an active duty school bus that is out picking up and dropping off kids.

[Dèsirée]

Originally Posted by ewo1

When retiring a "school Bus" for private use, many if not all states have certain requirements that must be meet in order to officially and publicly make aware it is no longer used as a school bus.

Many states require the removal of the stop sign arms that are used to make the motoring public aware that the bus is loading or unloading. Many states also require either the deactivation or outright removal of the 8 way flashing lights up on the front and rear roof caps.

Some states also require that you remove the front and rear SCHOOL BUS lettering on the roof caps. some states also require repaint the bus so it does not stand out as a regular "YELLOW" school bus going down the road.

Each state is different but in the end what they don't want is the skoolie / retired bus being mistaken for an active duty school bus that is out picking up and dropping off kids.

—//
That I can totally understand. I sent the man a text message noting the well versed factual opinions I received from members of this forum.

I’m sure there must be other litigating factors which are limiting the use of his bus to just local transportation.

[Gustav]

If it was built out for moto cross use does it also meet the criteria for an RV?

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by ewo1

When retiring a "school Bus" for private use, many if not all states have certain requirements that must be meet in order to officially and publicly make aware it is no longer used as a school bus.

Many states require the removal of the stop sign arms that are used to make the motoring public aware that the bus is loading or unloading. Many states also require either the deactivation or outright removal of the 8 way flashing lights up on the front and rear roof caps.

Some states also require that you remove the front and rear SCHOOL BUS lettering on the roof caps. some states also require repaint the bus so it does not stand out as a regular "YELLOW" school bus going down the road.

Each state is different but in the end what they don't want is the skoolie / retired bus being mistaken for an active duty school bus that is out picking up and dropping off kids.

Now most of this is true, but as far as I'm aware, it's *NOT* a federal thing. Most states require removal of stop sign and arms, removal (or adequate covering of) "school bus" markings, and many require repaint to some other color. Some allow non-School-Bus-Yellow shades, others want "No yellow at all, regardless of shade". Most require the 8-way lights either removed/plated over, or permanently painted over, or permanently deactivated.


There are exceptions for buses being transported for future school use (and nowhere does it say they *HAVE* to be new! Sometimes schools acquire used buses.)

[Dèsirée]

Originally Posted by Gustav

If it was built out for moto cross use does it also meet the criteria for an RV?

—//
It was built out with bunk beds, kitchen, etc... to travel with members of his team. The decor was motor cross related.

[family wagon]

Most likely it's simply an uninformed agent working behind the counter. No amount of arguing, statute-citing, or anything else is going to change their opinion.


Just take it to a different agent and/or office to complete the paperwork.

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by Dèsirée

Hello there!
A few days ago I met a man who without even knowing about the school bus conversion trend and the skoolie community, bought a local school bus and built it out for his motor cross team.

After four months of construction, he went to register the bus as an RV and was told, only school buses assigned to transport school teams, are allowed on the highway.

According to DMV, regular school buses regardless the size or body style, are not allowed on any highway.

Furthermore, someone else told me, it’s not a local, county or even a state regulation, it’s Federal Law.

Is that true? I was extremely surprised when I heard that little bit of information and needless to say, he was too!

Although he was able to register the bus, it can only be used locally, and not as intended.

Any thoughts on the matter?

Dèsirée

I wanted some add more thoughts to my last post.
The information from the original post is somewhat accurate but very misleading as well.

Private coach busses (for hire) can transport school teams too, but then again they are registered as a for hire bus service.

Yellow school buses are built from factory with one purpose, for transporting kids to and from school. They have a lot of regulations in place that must be met meaning, you just can't paint a bus yellow and put school bus lettering on it to make a school bus that follows all the federal and state and local school board regulations.

That being said, once properly retired...seats out, wording /lettering removed, 8 way lights removed or disabled along with any other exterior school bus designed safety devices, well then it can no longer be operated on the public roads as a school bus, but that does not mean that it cannot have a second life as a cargo vehicle or a homemade RV. There is no restriction on giving it a second life, just conditions that must be met under Florida law as found in chapter 316.72

All you have to do is change the titling designation...could be truck, RV, or just plain ol bus (not school bus).

Here is a link to the Florida Law that talks about some of this, again only applies to Florida but I am sure each and every state has a similar law on it's books.,

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2018/0316.72

316.72 Buses simulating school buses in color and insignia; conditions of use.—
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person, except a governmental unit or agency operating as provided by law, to use on the public highways of the state any bus of an orange or yellow color known as “school bus chrome,” or any color purporting to resemble the color of a school bus, for any purpose other than to transport persons to and from educational or recreational facilities or institutions or to and from events or activities which are sponsored, financed, or supervised by educational, recreational, religious, or charitable organizations.

When said vehicle has ceased to be so used, or is used for the transportation of passengers other than for said purpose, its use shall be unlawful unless and until said bus has been changed from said colors to some other color by repainting and unless and until all signs and insignia which mark or designate it as a school bus have been removed therefrom.

However, in school districts contracting for buses from an outside source or in school districts operating specially designed or equipped buses for the transporting of the handicapped, those buses may be used on a temporary or irregular basis to transport persons to and from facilities or activities not specified in this subsection within the county with the express consent of the school board.

[Dèsirée]

Originally Posted by ewo1

I wanted some add more thoughts to my last post.
The information from the original post is somewhat accurate but very misleading as well.

Private coach busses (for hire) can transport school teams too, but then again they are registered as a for hire bus service.

Yellow school buses are built from factory with one purpose, for transporting kids to and from school. They have a lot of regulations in place that must be met meaning, you just can't paint a bus yellow and put school bus lettering on it to make a school bus that follows all the federal and state and local school board regulations.

That being said, once properly retired...seats out, wording /lettering removed, 8 way lights removed or disabled along with any other exterior school bus designed safety devices, well then it can no longer be operated on the public roads as a school bus, but that does not mean that it cannot have a second life as a cargo vehicle or a homemade RV. There is no restriction on giving it a second life, just conditions that must be met under Florida law as found in chapter 316.72

All you have to do is change the titling designation...could be truck, RV, or just plain ol bus (not school bus).

Here is a link to the Florida Law that talks about some of this, again only applies to Florida but I am sure each and every state has a similar law on it's books.,

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2018/0316.72

316.72 Buses simulating school buses in color and insignia; conditions of use.—
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person, except a governmental unit or agency operating as provided by law, to use on the public highways of the state any bus of an orange or yellow color known as “school bus chrome,” or any color purporting to resemble the color of a school bus, for any purpose other than to transport persons to and from educational or recreational facilities or institutions or to and from events or activities which are sponsored, financed, or supervised by educational, recreational, religious, or charitable organizations.

When said vehicle has ceased to be so used, or is used for the transportation of passengers other than for said purpose, its use shall be unlawful unless and until said bus has been changed from said colors to some other color by repainting and unless and until all signs and insignia which mark or designate it as a school bus have been removed therefrom.

However, in school districts contracting for buses from an outside source or in school districts operating specially designed or equipped buses for the transporting of the handicapped, those buses may be used on a temporary or irregular basis to transport persons to and from facilities or activities not specified in this subsection within the county with the express consent of the school board.

—-//
Thank you for the time you spent researching this. I’m still waiting to hear from him, but I’m now even more curious to decipher what really happened to the mysterious motor cross bus.

[peteg59]

Originally Posted by Dèsirée

—-//
Thank you for the time you spent researching this. I’m still waiting to hear from him, but I’m now even more curious to decipher what really happened to the mysterious motor cross bus.

Might be a good time to offer him a lowball $$amount to make it yours.
The motocross motif should be easy enough to change? It's also likely he built out the rear of the bus into some type of garage, to accept motorcycles for transport to racetracks in your area?