School Bus to Fashion Truck

[bansil]

Welcome, sounds like a plan.....only issue is will you need a cdl and commercial plates, insurance etc?

probably will, not sure tho'

[inkblots84]

If you are doing business out of your vehicle you will definitely need a CDL and commercial tags.

Sounds like a really cool plan - and a good way to make money! Please keep us posted on your progress

[JakeC]

And just so you know, getting a class B is super easy.

[bansil]

I like the idea...this is like the first food trucks....now they are everywhere

The mall can go to your work place now ....hook up with people that have Avon parties and Tupperware parties

[Malkieri]

Have you checked out the transit type buses? They tend to have a much more square roof line and also tend to sit lower to the ground. Also from what I have read they err on the side of too much A/C, which is a really good thing here in DFW.

There seem to be 2 big players in bus auctions here in DFW:
http://www.renebates.com/
http://lonestarauctioneers.com/

I got my bus from Arlington ISD a few weeks ago through Rene Bates. They don't charge sales tax or a buyer's premium (of course you pay the state the taxes later, can't escape taxes) There is probably more auctions but these 2 seemed to have the majority of the buses. We are building our bus to transport us and our dogs to markets to sell our stuff as well. (Nothing more fun than loading glassware in and out of an xb)
In any case, welcome to the forums and fun!!

[bansil]

def. google the airbrake tests on youtube,watch and take notes and print out the ones on line(cdl pre-test's)

as for the 5.9 it's a good engine, more important is which trans it has

you can crawl under the bus and look at pad life left as well as brake drum grooves (take a flash light with you) ask a heavy vehicle mechanic what to look for (class 7/8 trucks) most truck repair places will answer basic questions and such

[Jarlaxle]

Make sure the GVWR is 26,000lbs or less, and you will NOT need a CDL. You WILL need to comply with various DOT stuff (including a medical card), but you won't need a CDL.