Hello again..

[trentet]

Hi Skoolie Community! My name's Trent and I have been modifying my International 3800 Short bus Named Lola from a mountain bike shuttle to an RV over the last few years.. I started a local trail advocacy group in 2005 when I bought her and modded her to haul riders and bikes. I eventually left the organization I founded and decided I wanted to have something a bit more homey. I grew up in Oregon and loved all the bus homes I saw cruising around there so I decided to build one of my own. When she was a shuttle I just left her yellow..

But one fix it ticket later and

I've so far added a wood stove, removed an aft bench seat and all the bucket seats, installed a bathroom, a couple of side sliding vinyl double pane windows, a propane tank, an on demand hot water heater, an exterior electrical box, flooring, LED lighting and a cat door. I'm working on solar, grey water tank and lines, a kitchen and interior propane lines as well as an exterior shower and some more cabinets.. Here's some pictures of my mods:

 

[Native-SKO]

Much more homey. ;-)

 

[WoodenYouKnowIt]

But one fix it ticket later and

Seriously?

You can get a ticket if you do not paint the bus another color?

That seems unfair to me. You should have the right to have it in any color you want, INCLUDING yellow. I'm just saying.

BTW, I LOVE the tile work in the bathroom. That looks really good to me as is also concealing the water heater behind the chalk board. COOOOL

 

[EastCoastCB]

I can't speak for every state but yeah here in FL you can't privately own and drive a yellow school bus. The insurance also asks if its yellow or not.
I've never heard of anyone being hassled though and more than half the "converted" buses I've seen here are still yellow.

 

[trentet]

I heard California and Illinois have laws against private ownership of yellow ex school buses. I had always meant to paint it but never could find the round toit.. Turn's out the CHP had it all along..


Thanks, I spent a lot of time on the bathroom, I've been using that water heater for years inside an easy up with privacy sides when we camped so I know how well it works..

 

[o1marc]

I heard California and Illinois have laws against private ownership of yellow ex school buses. I had always meant to paint it but never could find the round toit.. Turn's out the CHP had it all along..


Thanks, I spent a lot of time on the bathroom, I've been using that water heater for years inside an easy up with privacy sides when we camped so I know how well it works..

I think reciprocity works here. I don't believe it is legal to maintain a yellow paint job on a privately owned school bus.
The rule actually says it can't be any shade of yellow, not just NCY.

 

[Native-SKO]

I can't speak for every state but yeah here in FL you can't privately own and drive a yellow school bus. The insurance also asks if its yellow or not.
I've never heard of anyone being hassled though and more than half the "converted" buses I've seen here are still yellow.

Now that is funny! We registered ours in Florida and the registration shows yellow as the color!

 

[o1marc]

Now that is funny! We registered ours in Florida and the registration shows yellow as the color!

So far general consensus has been that it's pretty easy to pull the wool over the keys of DMV workers, they are not law enforcement. They just want your money, as long as the get some they are happy. It doesn't come back on them when the SHTF.

 

[Native-SKO]

So far general consensus has been that it's pretty easy to pull the wool over the keys of DMV workers, they are not law enforcement. They just want your money, as long as the get some they are happy. It doesn't come back on them when the SHTF.

Yeah, so true. Ours is S-L-O-W-L-Y making its way to non-yellow (black primer).

 

[EastCoastCB]

Now that is funny! We registered ours in Florida and the registration shows yellow as the color!

You can register it any color you want. Likely no one will mess with you.
I'll dig it up when I get my coffee but I'm well aware of FL and technically its illegal.
Edit-
Here's the FL law.

316.72 Buses simulating school buses in color and insignia; conditions of use.—
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person, except a governmental unit or agency operating as provided by law, to use on the public highways of the state any bus of an orange or yellow color known as “school bus chrome,” or any color purporting to resemble the color of a school bus, for any purpose other than to transport persons to and from educational or recreational facilities or institutions or to and from events or activities which are sponsored, financed, or supervised by educational, recreational, religious, or charitable organizations. When said vehicle has ceased to be so used, or is used for the transportation of passengers other than for said purpose, its use shall be unlawful unless and until said bus has been changed from said colors to some other color by repainting and unless and until all signs and insignia which mark or designate it as a school bus have been removed therefrom. However, in school districts contracting for buses from an outside source or in school districts operating specially designed or equipped buses for the transporting of the handicapped, those buses may be used on a temporary or irregular basis to transport persons to and from facilities or activities not specified in this subsection within the county with the express consent of the school board.
(2) Any educational, recreational, religious, or charitable organization may own, operate, rent, or lease any bus which has been painted the orange or yellow color known as “school bus chrome” and which has been equipped with the signs, lights, insignia, and other features which normally characterize a school bus, as defined in s. 1006.25, consistent with the provisions of this section.
(3) Any person violating any provision hereof shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
(4) Any county or municipal ordinance contrary to the provisions of this section is hereby repealed.
History.—ss. 1, 2, 3, ch. 57-280; s. 5, ch. 61-459; s. 96, ch. 65-239; s. 106, ch. 72-106; s. 13, ch. 75-284; s. 2, ch. 78-104; s. 1, ch. 80-265; s. 40, ch. 97-190; s. 961, ch. 2002-387.
Note.—Former s. 234.041.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.72.html

 

[Native-SKO]

You can register it any color you want. Likely no one will mess with you.
I'll dig it up when I get my coffee but I'm well aware of FL and technically its illegal.
Edit-
Here's the FL law.

Thank you for posting the code section.


It is interesting that they used the word "simulating" in the title of the section. It also neglects to mention the amount a vehicle must be changed (or how other than removing the insignia) to comply with the law.


Let's face it, no amount of paint will make it NOT look like a school bus!

 

[o1marc]

Thank you for posting the code section.


It is interesting that they used the word "simulating" in the title of the section. It also neglects to mention the amount a vehicle must be changed (or how other than removing the insignia) to comply with the law.


Let's face it, no amount of paint will make it NOT look like a school bus!

In some statutes it specifically goes a step further and says "or any other shade of yellow". When they refer to insignia I think they mean the words "SCHOOL BUS" all over it, not the International insignia on the front. I'm sure there's another statue in Fla. regarding the lighting and what needs to be removed or disabled.
Flat front buses can look not like a school bus with a decent paint job.

 

[Sharee100]

I have spent over a year trying to find a bathroom stall that I liked. It never occurred to me to build my own or even to use tile. I like yours. Looks like build a box, add door or curtain, install shower and toilet. Cool. Thanks for the photos.

 

[Sharee100]

In TN it says remove "School" and stop sign. It says bus cannot be "school bus yellow". It doesn't say it can't be pale yellow or other shade of yellow. But if I will be driving thru other states, I think it would be safer to choose a non-yellow color. I was lucky. My shuttle was owned at one time by Alamo and is blue and green. I still have on my list to paint it a color of my choosing (antique burgundy with off-white top).

 

[trentet]

My tiles are peel and stick vinyl tile decals. Otherwise, yep that's how I made my bathroom. The walls are fiberglass in plastic over thin plywood.. Pretty simple.