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Old 01-30-2015, 11:47 AM   #1
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Commercial drivers license required (Florida)?

Local school bus auction tomorrow, and I'm trying to decide to get into this....
Is a commercial drivers license required in Florida if not hauling kids, etc.? Bus GVWR shows 26,500 and Florida DMV site says CDL class B required for GVWR > 26,000.

<Update>
OK, maybe I found the answer in other threads... as long as it is for private use, bus to RV, then sounds like no CDL required.

Marty.

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Old 01-30-2015, 02:34 PM   #2
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You don't need a cdl for a private bus in fl either.
Where you at in fl?
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Old 01-30-2015, 03:09 PM   #3
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Re: Florida

In Pensacola. County bus auction ends tomorrow for 15 buses....
https://www.proxibid.com/asp/catalog.asp?aid=90067

I'd love to do a project like I've seen done on this site. Just a matter of justifying the tag, insurance... and the work involved I had a U-Haul truck tagged as an RV a couple of years ago. It guess it would be the same kind of thing.

Marty.
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Old 01-30-2015, 09:30 PM   #4
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Nice prices, I may pick one up for the hell of it.
It is a ton of work to do it right! But so much more BOSS than any sticks and plastic old geezer RV.
If its as simple as bringing a couple batteries, that's awesome. I just wish they had tried to start these. I would hate to spend hundreds or thousands on towing and or repairs right off the bat.
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Old 01-31-2015, 03:14 PM   #5
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Those are nice prices. Hope you got a good one
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Old 02-01-2015, 09:01 AM   #6
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As it turns out, I missed the end of the auction and didn't get one. They went from about 1800 to 5000. I think I'll study this site and think about it a bit more and look for the next auction.
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Old 02-01-2015, 09:10 AM   #7
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Its the "florida bus" thing.. they go for darn near double what they should here.
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Old 02-02-2015, 09:52 AM   #8
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Under the CDL rules any yellow bus regardless of size requires a CDL with a school bus and passenger endorsement.

Every bus that seats more than 15 passengers requires a CDL with a passenger endorsement.

Every vehicle in excess of 26,000 GVWR requires a CDL.

If the bus has a GVWR of less than 26,000 GVWR you can get away with a Class "C" CDL. If the the bus has a GVWR of more than 26,000 GVWR you will need a Class "B" CDL.

If the vehicle has air brakes you will need the air brake restriction taken off.

That is the Federal requirements for CDL vehicles and applies in all 50 states and is generally the same in Canada.

In practice if you are purchasing a bus for the purposes of converting it you can generally skate around the rules as long as you have a legal/temporary license plate and proof of insurance.

The one thing you won't be able to skate around is the air brake restriction in western Canada. They have had some problems, particularly in B.C. with large RV's getting into trouble so they red flag every air brake equipped vehicle if the drver doesn't have an air brake endorsement
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Old 02-02-2015, 11:44 AM   #9
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Per the pdf I just downloaded from here-http://www.flhsmv.gov/handbooks/englishcdlhandbook.pdf

Be at least 18 years of age to drive intrastate and
21 years of age to drive interstate. You must be at
least 21 years of age to qualify for the hazardous
materials endorsement.
Hold a Florida Class E License.
Surrender any and all other driver licenses issued
by Florida or any other state.
Not be under suspension, revocation, cancellation
or disqualification in Florida or any other state.
Submit a valid medical report or card, if you are
required to hold this document. In Florida, this
requirement includes public and private school bus
drivers who must meet medical standards of the
Florida Board of Education that are equal to the
federal medical standards for most other CDL
holders. All CDL holders must keep the status of
their medical certifications up-to date in their driver
records as described at:
http://flhsmv.gov/ddl/cdlmedicalcert.html.
Provide proof of your social security number such
as the social security card itself or your W-2 Form
(photocopies are not acceptable).
Pass all required tests and pay the proper license
fee.
Must be in compliance with the vision and Physical
requirements as stated in Part 391 of the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Regulations Handbook.
CDL Exemptions:
Drivers of the following vehicles which otherwise
meet the definition of a commercial vehicle are
exempt by law from having to obtain a CDL:

Military Vehicles – Vehicles operated by
members of the armed forces for military
purposes.
Authorized Emergency Vehicles – These
vehicles include, but are not limited to,
ambulances, law enforcement and fire trucks
equipped with red and blue lights and audible
devices (sirens).
Farmers – Transporting farm supplies, farm
machinery or agriculture products, to or from
the owners farm. Not used in the operations of a
common or contract motor carrier; and used
within 150 miles of the farmer’s farm.
Farmer, as defined by Florida Statute
322.01(1, means a person who grows
agricultural products, including aqua cultural,
horticultural and forestry products, and, except
as provided herein, employees of such persons.
The term does not include employees whose
primary purpose of employment is the operation
of motor vehicles.
Recreation Vehicles – A vehicle that is primarily
designed as temporary living quarters for
recreational, camping, or travel use, which
either has its own motive power or is mounted
on or drawn by another vehicle. Recreational
vehicle-type units, must comply with the length
and width provisions of Florida Statutes,

316.515, when traveling on the public roadways
of this state. Please see Florida Statutes
320.01 for more information regarding
recreation vehicles.
Straight Trucks – as defined in 316.033, Florida
Statutes, that are exclusively transporting the
driver’s own tangible personal property that is
not for sale.
Fees:
Fees for a commercial driver licenses will be $75
for the initial issue and renewal. Fees for
customers who have received school bus training
and are applying for employment or employed by a
public or non-public school system will be $48 for
the initial issue and $48 for renewal. Each
endorsement is $7. There is a $10 fee for written
re-exams and a $20 fee for driving re-exams.
1.5 – International Registration Plan
International Fuel Tax Agreement
If you operate a CDL required vehicle in interstate
commerce, the vehicle, with few exceptions, is
required to be registered under the International
Registration Plan (IRP) and the International Fuel
Tax Agreement (IFTA). These federally mandated
programs provide for the equitable collection and
distribution of vehicle license fees and motor fuels
taxes for vehicles traveling throughout the 48
contiguous United States and 10 Canadian
provinces.
Under the IRP, jurisdictions must register
apportioned vehicles which includes issuing
license plates and cab cards or proper credentials,
calculate, collect and distribute IRP fees, audit
carriers for accuracy of reported distance and fees
and enforce IRP requirements.
Registrant responsibilities under the Plan include
applying for IRP registration with base jurisdiction,
providing proper documentation for registration,
paying appropriate IRP registration fees, properly
displaying registration credentials, maintaining
accurate distance records, and making records
available for jurisdiction review.
The basic concept behind IFTA is to allow a
licensee (motor carrier) to license in a base
jurisdiction for the reporting and payment of motor
fuel use taxes.
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Old 02-02-2015, 11:46 AM   #10
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Rated Cap: 15
basically- get it titled as an RV and its legal. The gray area is transporting it home from a long distance purchase.
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