Few things ;)

[Honza]

Hello everyone,
I'm so glad I found this awesome page!
(Sorry, this is my first post, I and I just wanted to say that )

We are thinking about going to US (from Europe) to convert the bus and travel, however, I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the information everywhere. So, I thought I would ask

Please...
1, What type of driving license I need for the Bluebird medium size?
2, I'll travel with child under year old baby and wife. Would my baby need to be in baby seat all the time when we drive? (I know she should for safety reasons, but I don't know how she would cope)
3, How long does it take to get the new number plates... would I have to re-register the but to something like camper van?
4, how much does the insurance cost in average please?

+ please, feel free to recommend us place where we should buy the bus... we don't care where... it will be fist part of the adventure

Thank you very much and good luck to all of you

[Whatthefak]

That would all be loads easier with help from this side of the ocean

Possibly start an LLC here to license and register and even buy the bus

I don't have experience starting in a new country but I think I'd like all my paperwork in order before I got there

[o1marc]

Welcome, join the community by going to the UserCP and fill out your profile so we know a little about and can advise better.

If you are not using the bus for commercial purposes, remove the seats and you need no special drivers license.

Children under 10 kg (22 lbs.) must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat. Children under 18 kg (40 lbs.) must ride in a forward-facing child safety seat. Children may ride in a booster seat if they are over 18 kg (40 lbs.), under 145 cm, and age 9 or less. Doesn't matter how she copes, your not a fit parent if you drive your child not in an approved car seat.

Registration depends on use and modifications to said bus. If all your ducks are in a row, it's a straight forward process

Insurance varies across the board from cheap ($360/yr) to $1000+ depending on many variables.

[Twigg]

[QUOTE=o1marc;269821

Children under 10 kg (22 lbs.) must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat. Children under 18 kg (40 lbs.) must ride in a forward-facing child safety seat. Children may ride in a booster seat if they are over 18 kg (40 lbs.), under 145 cm, and age 9 or less. Doesn't matter how she copes, your not a fit parent if you drive your child not in an approved car seat.

[/QUOTE]

Much of this depends on the state.

However, there is no reciprocity for seatbelt laws, so you have to comply with the rules of the strictest state you will drive through.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Twigg

Much of this depends on the state.

However, there is no reciprocity for seatbelt laws, so you have to comply with the rules of the strictest state you will drive through.

Just for giggles, can you name a single state that does not require your child to be in a safety seat?
I can tell you the answer, Only South Dakota.
Child Passenger Safety

All states and territories require child safety seats for infants and children fitting specific criteria, but requirements vary based on age, weight and height. Often, this happens in three stages: infants use rear-facing infant seats; toddlers use forward-facing child safety seats; and older children use booster seats.

Many laws require all children to ride in the rear seat whenever possible, and most states permit children over a particular age, height or weight to use an adult safety belt.

First offense fines for not complying with a state's child passenger safety laws vary from $10 to $500. Some states also use driver's license points as an additional penalty for noncompliance.

49 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico require booster seats or other appropriate devices for children who have outgrown their child safety seats but are still too small to use an adult seat belt safely.
The only states lacking booster seat laws is South Dakota.
11 states (California, Connecticut, Nebraska [eff. 01/01/2019], New Jersey, New York [eff. 11/01/2019], Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia [eff. 07/01/2019]) require children younger than two be in a rear-facing child seat.
5 states (California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey and New York) have seat belt requirements for school buses. Texas requires them on buses purchased after September 2010.
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on child passenger safety laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.

[Honza]

Thank you very much everyone for your replies. )

[Honza]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Welcome, join the community by going to the UserCP and fill out your profile so we know a little about and can advise better.

If you are not using the bus for commercial purposes, remove the seats and you need no special drivers license.

Children under 10 kg (22 lbs.) must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat. Children under 18 kg (40 lbs.) must ride in a forward-facing child safety seat. Children may ride in a booster seat if they are over 18 kg (40 lbs.), under 145 cm, and age 9 or less. Doesn't matter how she copes, your not a fit parent if you drive your child not in an approved car seat.

Registration depends on use and modifications to said bus. If all your ducks are in a row, it's a straight forward process

Insurance varies across the board from cheap ($360/yr) to $1000+ depending on many variables.

Thank you very much.
I'll add more information indeed. The thing is that we haven't got the bus yet... we are now just a the stage of finding all the information.
I agree, safety first.... I wan't my baby to be safe of course.
I'm surprised to see that I don't need extra driving license, but it's great... because we have just a standard EU driving license.

All we know right now is that we wish to convert the bus so we can be there all the time... including solar panels, composting toilet. We are not planing to fit the whole kitchen - no fridge/freezer or cooking hob with oven. Just some small portable electric and gas one.

Thank you

[Honza]

Originally Posted by Twigg

Much of this depends on the state.

However, there is no reciprocity for seatbelt laws, so you have to comply with the rules of the strictest state you will drive through.

Thank you,
that's very interesting.... I mean how every state can be different.
I'll have to check it out

[Honza]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Just for giggles, can you name a single state that does not require your child to be in a safety seat?
I can tell you the answer, Only South Dakota.
Child Passenger Safety

All states and territories require child safety seats for infants and children fitting specific criteria, but requirements vary based on age, weight and height. Often, this happens in three stages: infants use rear-facing infant seats; toddlers use forward-facing child safety seats; and older children use booster seats.

Many laws require all children to ride in the rear seat whenever possible, and most states permit children over a particular age, height or weight to use an adult safety belt.

First offense fines for not complying with a state's child passenger safety laws vary from $10 to $500. Some states also use driver's license points as an additional penalty for noncompliance.

49 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico require booster seats or other appropriate devices for children who have outgrown their child safety seats but are still too small to use an adult seat belt safely.
The only states lacking booster seat laws is South Dakota.
11 states (California, Connecticut, Nebraska [eff. 01/01/2019], New Jersey, New York [eff. 11/01/2019], Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia [eff. 07/01/2019]) require children younger than two be in a rear-facing child seat.
5 states (California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey and New York) have seat belt requirements for school buses. Texas requires them on buses purchased after September 2010.
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on child passenger safety laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.

Great information! Thanks again.
I definitely want my baby to be safe, so, not a big problem. Just a bigger bus will be needed ;)