New kid on the block in utah.

[Darrenmm]

Hello all,

Im Darren, I am 27 and live in Mona Ut. I work as a quality inspector for a company that supplies and manufactures parts for the aerospace industry. I just joined the skoolie club by buying a 98 AMTRAN Genesis 78 passenger high roof with a DT466 engine. It has a few miles on her (188,000 ish) but she looks to be in good shape, all i really have to go on is a checklist sheet that was included in the pictures that stated that it runs drives and is operable. there were 13 buses from the same district that were removed from service at the same time so i feel a little more confident that it will be alright.





I won it on govdeals.com in tennessee for $1,766 after the buying fee and now i am currently planning the trip to drive it 1,700 miles from Nashville to Utah. The best part is that i have talked the wife into the bus and will be flying out together this thursday night Feb. 16. tickets were amazingly cheap and must have been a sign that i was supposed to fly out there, from SLC to Nashville with upgraded seats it was only $260 for both of us on frontier airlines. Im estimating that in the end i will be into it $2600 - $3000 with travel expenses. i live in a rural area on a half acre so i shouldn't have any problems with parking it at my house.

I am not sure what we are getting into but i decided that i would like to create either a blog or thread about the whole experience and all the financial details to help others see what to expect. there are a lot of posts about this on the internet but im the kind of guy that likes to read the same story from ten people and find the guy that thinks like i do before i try something.
anyways i will update this as we go and hopefully our trip doesn't have to many surprises but it will be an adventure.

 

[Busmanmoab]

Hey Utah ! Im down in moab with the same set -up , am-tran , DT , Allison . i have a big place , with plenty of bus parking if you ever make a road trip to Moab stop in !! So whats the plan for the bus? Ive lived in my bus for 12 years , am a mechanic , so if you have any questions let me know ?

 

[jctrembly]

Something to consider, for a drive like accross state lines you need a CDL and DOT# unless you can have it titled in Tenn as a motorhome. When I bought my bus in Florida to WV I had several law enforcement folks pace me while looking at my DOT# and what not.

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[Darrenmm]

that would be awesome! our plans are to convert it to a motor home not sure on the specifics till we get it home and can get real measurements and get a feel for it. i am curious as to what horse power and transmission came in your bus, they were fairly generic and just posted that it has a dt and a alison. it sounds like the mt643 is a popular one for larger busses but the at545 was used as well. thanks!

 

[Darrenmm]

jctrembly - thats an interesting thought, i dont know anything about the DOT world. would i have to stop at weight stations or anything like that? how would i get a temp registration while im out of state?

 

[jctrembly]

jctrembly - thats an interesting thought, i dont know anything about the DOT world. would i have to stop at weight stations or anything like that? how would i get a temp registration while im out of state?

Unless it's titled as a motorhome, one needs a Class B CDL drivers license with Passinger endorsement. The DOT # is obtained via the fmcsa website and is ready pretty simple. You will have to pay a $90 ish yearly fee for inspections. While I haven't drove directly from TN to your area many of the weigh stations are starting to require buses to stop.

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[jctrembly]

If your missing a CDL and Dot they can make you park the bus until that is corrected. Your also supposed to flow Hours of Service which is not more than 10hrs of driving with out a sleep period. I would have to look up the passinger version and I follow property which is 11hrs driving in a 14hr period with 10hrs off prior to the next driving period.

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[Darrenmm]

could i register it in tennessee or would i have to wait till i get it to utah to get it registered?

 

[Darrenmm]

okay so i went to the fmcsa.gov site under the bus section and it said i do NOT need DOT numbers so i can mark that one off, now i just need to figure out the CDL thing with it.

 

[jctrembly]

If they will mail you the title then you can register it in your state and the the licence plate with you

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[jctrembly]

To drive a “Private” Bus legally across state lines here is what I did.


Commercial Drivers license (CDL) Class B minimum with Passenger Endorsement

Any vehicle that can carry 16+ according to the title and Vehicle ID must be operated by a CDL holder even if the seats our ripped out.

I have heard of someone ripping the seats out and having the DMV re-register the bus as a truck. *


DOT number -BIG GREY AREA!

Without a DOT # you will have to convince an inspector that you are not involved in commerce (property or passenger) of any kind.

Driving an empty bus would be for Transporting it elsewhere.

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/do-i-need-usdot-number-1

Why -It’s required due to vehicle type (bus), seat capacity (more than 15) and size (26K+lbs GVWR) even if you not doing commercial work. *The only people exempt is Governement. *

The only time it's not required in a large vehicle is a Motorhome.

If you have a private truck and only hauling your own product there are exceptions however bus never meet that if you cross a state line.

-Posted on both sides legible at 50’



Hours of Service -Even when Private (Vehicle 10,001lbs or above and Designed to carry 16+ occupants)

You do not have to keep a Log Book §395.8(a) (Page 9 on link below)

You don’t have to keep a log book but if you in an accident they can look at any documentation (receipts) to determine if you are following Hours of Service or driving illegal.

You do have to follow them.

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmc...te-Passenger-Carrying-Driver-Guide-To-HOS.pdf

10hrs driving in a 15hr period then 8hr off duty before another 10hr drive period.

Passenger HOS not Property



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[Darrenmm]

great idea! I e-mailed the contact to ask him to send the title or a bill of sale so that i can get it registered. if i can do that the DMV here is pretty chill and can switch its classification to an rv which would void the CDL requirement from what i was reading.

 

[jctrembly]

That would be the best! Show up with RV on the title and have a great road trip back!

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[Darrenmm]

thank you for all the advice i feel a lot better about the legalities and technicalities and possible loop holes, i guess if they do give me a hard time after doing all that then i will fly my uncle or one of my friends out to drive it home for me. but hopefully i can skirt around all that. the DOT is about as yellow taped as the FAA. they should really try to hammer something out with all the states regarding new purchased vehicles and transportation to the new point of origin.

 

[jctrembly]

Some of the DOT Inspectors are very nice. Some, just are not nice at all. In the end if they don't enforce something and it is later proven his/her lack of enforcement contributed to an accident.... You see where I'm going. It's unfortunate but one DOT officer explained it to me that way it changed my perspective.

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[Rusty-SKO]

thank you for all the advice i feel a lot better about the legalities and technicalities and possible loop holes, i guess if they do give me a hard time after doing all that then i will fly my uncle or one of my friends out to drive it home for me. but hopefully i can skirt around all that. the DOT is about as yellow taped as the FAA. they should really try to hammer something out with all the states regarding new purchased vehicles and transportation to the new point of origin.

If it has air brakes, go to youtube and learn to do the COLA test. If you ever loose air pressure while driving, pull over at once, as the default without air is --brakes. The spring brake engages when air is lost.

Have fun, take pictures. Watch engine oil pressure and temp. Is different than car.

 

[jctrembly]

The rules are tough because of folks trying to go around them. Even today there are "illegal" freight hauler's. Some just transporting a vehicle from point A to point B others freight and so on. I have heard folks brag about what they can get away with yet the life they normally live. No thanks. CDL wise, it can be tough to get one, the training, drug screening, physicals required anywhere from monthly to every two years. Yet the training and hours of service are there to protect people. Some from themselves, some from companies. I don't always like them, but it is nice not to be forced to drive 16- 20 hrs a day as some companies used to do.

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