Who is making money with their skoolie?

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Drew Bru

I didn't put all of this money and work into my home to have some greasy stranger sleeping in my bed. Gross, no thanks!

The trick is being greasier and nastier than any of your potential tenants.

[RickG]

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

That makes sense. However, it doesn't appear to be enforced.

Looking over Craigslist is see ads offering just that.

Enforcement level varies state to state. "DOT" inspectors in most cases aren't federal employees. They are CVSA trained state employees. Some states are very lax on small businesses, others are very strict. Fines can be really expensive and vehicles can be impounded.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

the problem with nomads is training... i work in the hotel business... and turnover is a huge issue amoingst hotels and retailers.. while it seems pretty simplistic to stand behind a desk and bleep items and take $$ but its apparently not since training is one of the biggest concerns that comes up.. procedures and laws in various areas.. as well as need of permenent addresses for some of these companies to base tax witholdings on and such... its a neat idea if you can pull it off.. though I wonder about being able to fund a lifestyle where bus insurance, fuel, place to park (most dollar stores around here are tight on parking), shower, etc on a minimum wage retail job pay..

A lot of self-storage places have an upstairs apartment above the office, and they hire couples who tend to the business and live in the apartment. The self-storage places don't have to pay much salary because of the residence benefit. Somebody with a skoolie could provide the same sort of on-site manager benefits without needing to have a residence built. RV hookups have to be a lot cheaper than that.

A number of these places around where I live are actually in really nice, semi-wooded locations, and would be kind of cool places to live, actually.

[john61ct]

But the value put on the "accommodation" benefit is usually at a huge markup, the actual cash wages far below what they should be.

Full-time or long-term nomads are perceived as just one step up frome homeless, and unfortunately many aren't doing it out of choice but necessity.

Even "real jobs" like Amazon centers are horribly exploitative, really a shameful stain on the richest country in the world.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by RickG

In order to avoid federal regulations the "stationary" would have to be permanent. Moving it from site to site makes it a commercial vehicle. You would be subject to inspections at scales. The required posting of DOT number and company name would also make it stand out as a CMV. Any vehicle used for profit with a GVWR over 10,000 lbs. is a CMV. That includes motorhomes used to bring items to flea markets for sale although there is not much enforcement of that.

I read the code of federal regulations concerning CDL, and did not see anything that says this. Can you point me in the right direction to the law that says so?

[gs1949]

This is a very interesting thread, thanks to everyone who has posted.

[firebuild]

Originally Posted by asquarecan

I was more curious if anyone has found a way to generate revenue with their skoolie in different fashions. I do not want anyone driving the bus for liability reasons, but I feel like tours would be fun. Like wine or tiny home tours, but I need like the bus layout would depend on its end purpose would be. I want to travel in it, but I also want to make money with it. I am self employed so my schedule is fairly flexible. I have budgeted about $40k to go into the project and would like to get that back so I can build another one and repeat the process!

I sell vintage at flea markets, use the bus for hauling and sometimes even sert up the inside for all shopping. I have considered doing that cross country; lots of shows let you camp there a few days when you're selling so it accomplishes two goals. You have to refine what you're going to sell and make sure you leave room in your setup to haul it.

[firebuild]

There are long range delivery services that work similar to Uber, as another thought. I briefly covered them in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xeziy_cU4qs

[wrenchtech]

When I travel these days, I try to avoid motels and hotels in favor of air&b. Had a number of really good experiences meeting different folks and in staying in unique places. I haven't stayed in a tipi, a travel trailer or converted bus yet, but I have stayed in some back yard garden cottages, basement apartments, and just recently I rented a whole three bedroom ranch house on the high plains of eastern Colorado for $85 dollars a night. It didn't look like much from the outside, yet clean and orderly. Once inside it was obvious that the owner had taken painstaking attention to seeing that everything was absolutely meticulous and welcoming, yet that the same time homey and even idiosyncratic. I felt absolutely relaxed and happy. airbnb has a pretty good feedback system that weeds out bad guests and bad landlords.

I was hoping to buy a piece of land this summer in southeastern Wisconsin. I hoped to put a bus on it while I was building a conventional dwelling. I hoped that if I had a building permit and construction was underway they would allow it, but they would not. If I bought land in western Colorado, in most unincorporated areas I could just live in a bus on that land. I think at the next opportunity, I am heading for western Colorado, where my goal is to buy land, park my bus on it, and build a combination bus garage, workshop and residence unhindered by building codes and zoning restrictions.

[john61ct]

Until they're implemented later on.

Might get grandfathered in, except maybe the septic, often it's the state requires that

[wrenchtech]

When I travel these days, I try to avoid motels and hotels in favor of air&b. Had a number of really good experiences meeting different folks and in staying in unique places. I haven't stayed in a tipi, a travel trailer or converted bus yet, but I have stayed in some back yard garden cottages, basement apartments, and just recently I rented a whole three bedroom ranch house on the high plains of eastern Colorado for $85 dollars a night. It didn't look like much from the outside, yet clean and orderly. Once inside it was obvious that the owner had taken painstaking attention to seeing that everything was absolutely meticulous and welcoming, yet that the same time homey and even idiosyncratic. I felt absolutely relaxed and happy. airbnb has a pretty good feedback system that weeds out bad guests and bad landlords.

I was hoping to buy a piece of land this summer in southeastern Wisconsin. I hoped to put a bus on it while I was building a conventional dwelling. I hoped that if I had a building permit and construction was underway they would allow it, but they would not. If I bought land in western Colorado, in most unincorporated areas I could just live in a bus on that land. I think at the next opportunity, I am heading for western Colorado, where my goal is to buy land, park my bus on it, and build a combination bus garage, workshop and residence unhindered by building codes and zoning restrictions. Of course it almost goes without saying, I would be surrounded by one of the most beautiful landscapes in North America with an almost perfect four season climate.

[Seriousracer]

Originally Posted by SpoonLady

I make money with mine, kinda. It's my office, my online store, my recording studio, and my band vehicle.

Wait are you this “spoon lady”
https://youtu.be/uOgZOv9e6vQ?list=RDEMhVCyaMIEsVdI1V4yKF3Ulg

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Seriousracer

Wait are you this “spoon lady”
https://youtu.be/uOgZOv9e6vQ?list=RD...sVdI1V4yKF3Ulg

That spoon lady.

[DreamWeaverBus]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

That spoon lady.

Bahahaha!!!

That's some kick ass spoonin!! I was NOT expecting this but I like it!!

[Sleddgracer]

another idea occurred to me while reading through this thread - a fellow approached me one time to ask if he could buy an old van from me - said it didn't matter if it ran or not - 'what are you going to use it for, I asked - his practice was to buy up cheap old vehicles and park them at highway junctions or other suitable spots, then buy produce that was in season from the local wholesaler, make some amateur home made signs advertising corn, apples, what ever, and hire someone to man each old vehicle to handle the sales - the guy said it was a real money maker - he sold the produce for more than it sold for in the local stores, paid minimum to his help and pocketed the best part of a years income in just 2 or 3 months - I guess customers assumed the produce was fresh from the fields, although no claims to that were made - with a bit of modification and a trailer, that could work for gypsy skoolies living/traveling in some areas, especially north of perpetual summer

[john61ct]

Cops, zoning etc authorities in most places would shut you down in a heartbeat

[gs1949]

Around here you can get a ticket for giving money to a panhandler on a state highway.

Just ticketing panhandlers wasn't enough to stop people from setting up just outside large shopping centers, which happen to be on a state highway as it passes through town.

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Cops, zoning etc authorities in most places would shut you down in a heartbeat

perhaps - we see a lot of mobile roadside stands where l live - fresh fish, veggies, rugs, handicrafts, or people buying antlers etc

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by gs1949

Around here you can get a ticket for giving money to a panhandler on a state highway.

Just ticketing panhandlers wasn't enough to stop people from setting up just outside large shopping centers, which happen to be on a state highway as it passes through town.

We have such obvious and annoying panhandlers I'd almost support any efforts to abate them. Most aren't homeless at all.

[john61ct]

I guess nice thing about nomadic life, just move to friendlier jurisdictions.

What would anyone want antlers for?