Bought an air brake school bus in austin-I need someone to drive it to Omaha, NE

[nwarner2010]

Originally Posted by Brewerbob

DO NOT MENTION RV, DO NOT MENTION RV CONVERSION.

Agreed..in my experience mentioning anything about conversions, skoolies, RV etc was the quickest way to not get insurance.

I registered mine as bus and insured it as a bus.


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[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by nwarner2010

Agreed..in my experience mentioning anything about conversions, skoolies, RV etc was the quickest way to not get insurance.

I registered mine as bus and insured it as a bus.

They record the conversions so even when you call back a month later, they go back and check.

[heeranyi]

Looks like I'll be watching a youtube video on how to drive a school bus with air brakes and then I'm just going to head down to Austin and pick the sucker up. I went to progressive.com and it didn't have "bus" under the auto category and I didn't want to go under commercial vehicle. I hope I don't get into an accident while driving. I'm buying it directly from the austin school district so I guess I need to actually do the conversion before getting insurance.

[Kubla]

You call progressive and insure it as commercial vehicle, private use, should be around 400 a year for liability and DO NOT MENTION CONVERSION OR RV. Pretty much the only way to get insurance

[nwarner2010]

I had to actually go to a progressive agent they wouldn't insure me over the phone. The agent had no issues writing me a policy. It's a commercial for private use policy. Mines about $550 for the year

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[Scooternj]

I find the Trusted Choice site to be useful for finding independent agents.

[karrlot]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

You don't need a CDL to drive a privately owned bus, unless you're using it for commercial purposes. Your intent is to convert it to a motorhome, more or less. You would be allowed to drive a motorhome with air brakes for private purposes without a CDL. Check with your own local DMV.

Now, go drive that bus like it's stolen. The adventure begins. Yeah, it's good to get insurance. Best not to mention the word conversion in an insurance conversation.

That is not true. The laws vary by state.

In the state of Colorado, for example, you have to have a CDL for any vehicle with air brakes (commercial or private). The only exception is for a motor home.

So a private bus with air brakes requires a CDL.

[Robin97396]

I stand corrected then. I wish there was some standardization. I'd go for an air brake endorsement.

I lived in Colorado Springs for several years. I don't remember much beyond Colorado was a pain with all those window stickers.

I'm going back there. I saved the experience of going up Pikes Peak for this age. Anybody took a bus up there?

[Tango]

It's not the same since they paved it. Wrong...just wrong.

[Clayton]

I traded a shotgun to a fellow who drives trucks professionally in exchange for him driving my air brake bus home. It was a good trade, and he was good enough to give me lots of advice too. But now I still have to get the proper license!

[Robin97396]

Clayton; nice power package in that Thomas. Now you need another shotgun.

I never thought I'd do Pikes Peak in a bus, but that's a pretty good test for any bus. Now there's your bus game. Top of Pikes Peak photos of your bus. I do enough mountain climbing around here that's steeper than the Pikes Peak road. I started speilunking near Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs, in a different century. Those good old days weren't all that great.

[Seriousracer]

Originally Posted by Tango

It's not the same since they paved it. Wrong...just wrong.

No truer words have been spoken

[ColoradoCummins]

Here are a few air brake vids.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHCF3_j-Azc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iY_HCfBoGU

Tons more on YT.

Good Sam is another source for insurance. They aren't scared off by the term Skoolie, or Conversion, etc. I've had them for 8 years. About $25/mo.

I have purchased 2 busses directly from the district. First one gave me temp tags. Second let me drive with the plates and mail them back.

When turning, watch the rear wheels in the mirror, and wait till they are even with the corner to make your turn. When you turn right, the back end swings out left, and vice versa. You'll pick it up quickly!

[Scooternj]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

I wish there was some standardization. I'd go for an air brake endorsement.

I wish there was, too. But 50 states, one capital district, and 5 territories makes for 56 different rules and regulations. And *much* confusion.

[Brewerbob]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

I never thought I'd do Pikes Peak in a bus, but that's a pretty good test for any bus. Now there's your bus game. Top of Pikes Peak photos of your bus. I do enough mountain climbing around here that's steeper than the Pikes Peak road. I started speilunking near Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs, in a different century. Those good old days weren't all that great.

I highly recommend the caves in Marianna, FL. https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Florida-Caverns As good or better than Mammoth or Carlsbad. Not as big of course but VERY nice.

In previous centuries, you could walk their nature trails and go in all the little size caves on your own. Some of them weren't so little. Now they are all gated off to protect the bats. None of the ones I explored had bats. I wouldn't have pestered them anyway.

Originally Posted by Scooternj

I wish there was, too. But 50 states, one capital district, and 5 territories makes for 56 different rules and regulations. And *much* confusion.

According to both Google and the US State Department, you're a little off on your territory count. There are 16. https://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/10543.htm