Registering short bus in NY

[Wreckster]

Greetings all,

After and complicated life the last few years, I am a new home owner (again) and have been looking into a vehicle for hauling. 4x8 sheets just don't fit in many vehicles, and I hate the idea of using a trailer.

I wanted to, still do, find a Kei truck, NY isn't friendly and it costs over a grand to set up an LLC to go through all the hoops to register one out of state.

The thought came to me to nab a short bus. Keep a couple seats in and I can haul the family with room to spare for equipment, mountain biking, camping.. but more importantly, plenty of room for materials and hauling general stuff.

Price is right, I'd be looking for one around 4-5k. I have questions about reliability, though I'm a former mechanic and surely can handle that.

Registration.. that I am not sure about. I'm just looking for a small jobber. I imagine NY being NY, I still have to jump through hoops and register it either as a commercial vehicle (not ideal) or as a house on wheels? Am I able to just register it as a van, since that essentially is what it is?

[BarnYardCamp]

Just my guess....

depends on the title, if the bus is one built on a van chassis...then if possible, I'd call it a van. Remember the days of the conversion vans? They were still vans but had plush seats
some had beds...but they were still vans.

In my view, a E350 is a van...regardless of alterations.

[Wreckster]

That was my thought. Shuttle vs the bus chassis. The model code is still the same as a van, I don't know 100% though. If I can convince the better half, the shuttle short bus just seems like a good idea with the practicality.

Those rear doors are 4' tall, right?

[sandbagger2u]

I have a 2003 chevy express 3500 skoolie. If all you are doing is taking out the seats, you won't be able to register it as a RV. My insurance is with State Farm and they insure it as a commercial vehicle and rejected it as an RV for an unknown reason. It was converted but possibly it was the electric hotplate unit. NYC has their own way of looking at things but once you remove all the school bus markings, the signs etc., and remove the seats, you should be able to register it as a passenger vehicle. Search internet for nysdmv rules

[nords]

I have two short buses registered in NY. One is as an RV - my agent gave me no grief about that. The other is as a van. Mostly, DMV was interested that I had permanently pulled most of the seats out so it couldn't be used for transportation.
I find with this kind of thing it is worth talking face-to-face with people. My Allstate agent knows me and helps steer me to correct answers. Our DMV isn't huge and I know a couple of people who are flexible - they won't break the law and I never ask them to but when I went in to do the van registration I had photos of the gutted bus and the GMC van model number from before the conversion to a bus. They agreed, it looked like a van and quacked like a van.

[sandbagger2u]

Originally Posted by Wreckster

That was my thought. Shuttle vs the bus chassis. The model code is still the same as a van, I don't know 100% though. If I can convince the better half, the shuttle short bus just seems like a good idea with the practicality.

Those rear doors are 4' tall, right?

mine id a school bus and there is 1 back door about 4’ high and 3’ wide. Shuttle is fiberglass. Not as safe but easier body work. Mine is a gas guzzler 7mpg but cheaper than diesel. Try here are always surprises, like brakes, electric, and insurance. Good Sam never called me with quote. They are s State Farm company. Get all your electric done before building anything inside.

[Barry S.]

Here is what I did to my 2005 e350 Ford Bus in Putnam County NY: 1. removed all bus things and painted it grey. 2. Removed all the seats but front driver and passenger. 3. Insured it with Haggerty after Allstate said no. 4. got a new title that says "van" and Grey color. That was all I had to do. Good luck!