new to headaches

trexmotors

New Member
Joined
May 23, 2016
Posts
3
well new to this just picked up a 96 freightliner mini bus made by champion with a almost new 2300 miles cummins 12v and Allison auto and am going thru the headaches of plating it every one I ask gives me a different answer here in Virginia talked to dmv ,state trooper,motor carrier enforcement on how to get around the whole cdl ordeal just trying to see if anyone else has been thru this around
 
When you say mini, how many passengers? What is the gross vehicle weight? Former school bus or a shuttle bus? These are factors for the CDL requirement, although not going to speculate on whatever classification method your state will use to title it, registration or insurance.
 
Okay, so no school lights or signs to contend with... Well, CDL requirements apply to vehicles over 26,000 AND capacity of more than 15 passengers... So if you can remove enough seats then your state shouldn't require any special licensing to operate it. Now, I don't know what they WILL classify it as; I've heard some states have a personal heavy truck class or folks getting it tagged as a farm vehicle - it really depends on the motor vehicle department's views on non-commercial vehicles. It may be worth a phone call before you commit.
 
I talked to a trooper about it he says if he stopped me and it didn't have seating for more than 15 and not over 26k he wouldn't ticket me for no cdl and as for the dmv they said as long as it isn't equipped to carry more than 15 it doesn't require cdl unless it has it stated on title and I'm waiting on that now then they are saying have to go thru a reconstructed title process to title as arv but my thing is the wording see it was originally equipped to seat 30 but once I'm done it will be equipped to haul 10 but it was still originally equipped to haul 30 that's what worries me cause its revenue for the irritated police because of the wording
 
In Virginia, perhaps everywhere, if you are using the vehicle for your own personal purposes, such as recreation, you don't need a CDL.

Commercial driver’s license requirements don’t apply to:
operators of emergency vehicles, such as firefighters
active duty military personnel operating military vehicles
operators of farm vehicles when
used by farmers
used to move farm goods, supplies or machinery
to or from their farm
not used as a common or contract motor carrier,
and
used within 150 miles of the farm
vehicles operated by persons only for personal use,
such as recreational vehicles and rental moving vans.
from page 3 of http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/pdf/dmv60.pdf, retrieved 5/23/16 and confirmed with DMV by phone.

When (OK, 'if') I get my bus, I plan to neatly letter just under the driver's window, "Private recreational vehicle - not for hire".

But one has air brakes and goes to Canada, one better have the proper endorsement.
 
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