Registration issue

[BUSTED]

I need to get a new Louisiana license plate for my bus when i register it, because the last plate that was on it is has been previously canceled. The title place that I normally go through could register it as a Private Bus with a plate cost of $50 or a School bus for $10. Of course my insurance is for a non-professional bus conversion, but on the phone I told the girl at the title place that ,yes, it is a school bus body and she insisted that they must register it as a school bus becuase of the body style.

Does anyone know if this will this cause problems relating to CDL requirements and insurance complications later down the road?

[Firearm]

I don't know much about Louisiana, but in Wisconsin and Minnesota they have special plates for buses used for schools and churches, etc... and they are super cheap. Only problem is they are very specific on how they are to be used and personal use would not fall in their definition. Check carefully and make calls first. I would start with the state police and/or any local law enforcement agency. Don't trust the DOT to give you the right stuff. They don't pay the fine if they're wrong.

Try http://www.findlaw.com/

[Eric von Kleist]

I'd be very careful about the stated purpose for which the bus is registered, because it may have an impact on the kind of driver's license you have to have to drive it. If you are driving a registered bus that is capable of carring passengers commercially (even school), you may be required to have a CDL.

Not sure about LA's laws, but there are more than just cost-of-tags issues that you need to check out. You sure don't want to get blind-sided with something.

[RevKaryn]

I would go for the Private Bus tag, because you have to have a CDL for the school bus tag, AND the fine for not having a CDL license is MUCH more than the $40 difference. The insurance is also greater on a school bus. Find out if you can register is as a Motorhome, Texas has a form to fill out saying what you changed and what have you and then it is a motorhome and not a bus. LA may have the same kind of rules, now may not be a good time to get a valid answer from anyone but checkout if Baton Rouge has a website from the state that list that type of info...

[busone]

What are the requirements for a motorhome in TX? We are thinking of moving there.

[bdavis441]

I guess I've got it easy here in Indiana. I had to do a "change of body" form to get my title changed to RV. This required a police inspection , all he did was verify the VIN, looked inside (bus was completely gutted) and said "well, I guess it's not a school bus anymore". Went to the DMV and got my RV plate same day.

[Wolfman]

When I bought Ol' Smokey, I just went in to the DMV office, and told them that I bought a retired Texas A&M shuttle bus, and was going to convert it to an R.V. They handed me a set of private bus plates, and sent me on my way. I had a harder time finding insurance for it.

[busone]

Wolfman, are you in texas? Did you get your bus off Ebay? I seem to remember Texas A&M selling a few buses. Are you looking to change the rear end gears? They should not be too expensive since it is a "T" configuration.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by busone

Wolfman, are you in texas? Did you get your bus off Ebay? I seem to remember Texas A&M selling a few buses. Are you looking to change the rear end gears? They should not be too expensive since it is a "T" configuration.

Yup, I'm in Texas. Ebay played a part in me finding my bus, but it was not purchased as an Ebay sale. I went down to the college to look at their offerings, as they were only a few hours away. What they had up for auction, were in particularly bad condition - not to say that any of their retired busses were spectacular. I paid $1400 for mine, with ~130,000 and 134,000 miles on the engine and transmission. The chassis itself has 440,000 miles on it. The bus drove home, but had a seriously failed rear main seal. It was bad enough to allow the oil pressure to completely drop to zero at idle once it warmed up. I got this problem repaired immediately after getting the bus home. It has electrical issues as well, but being rewired is part of the plan for its strip down prior to conversion. Mine has the air actuated french doors, and I'm gonna keep them as part of the busses unique quirks.

I have to changeout the gears as this thing is seriously wound out while still travelling WAY too slow on the highway. I lost count of the offensive gestures I received while holding the pedal to the mat on a particularly long stretch of 2 lane highway with no safe place to pull off to allow traffic by. On top of that, I'd really like to get it capable of getting 10 mpg on the highway, so I'm going to take the hit on pulling power on the grades, and have it regeared for a top end of 85 mph. Those here who are talking about regearing their Cat engined pushers will have the exact ratio I'm looking for, as my 555T Cummins is at it's sweet spot at the same revs that the Cat is being shut down by it's fuel governor. Mine has something along the lines of a 7.6:1 differential. Since I have a wickedly tight budget reserved for my bus, I'm looking to get deals wherever I can find 'em.

I got a good early start on the strip down, but then summer ended, and hell started earlier than normal. I haven't touched the bus since late June. Now that hell is over, and fall is here, I'll be getting back to work once a couple of other higher priority items are completed.

I'm stripping it down to the supports, as there is a bit of a rust issue on alot of the interior panels, and I want to make sure that there is no chance for cancer to get embedded.

[busone]

You might give Greg a call and see if he knows of any affordable rear end gears. If you email him he might be a while getting back because he is out of town. I might also know of another guy if Greg does not have anything. Gregs website is flbus.tripod.com