nikitis
1994 International 3800 - Thomas, T444E 165HP
I've been thinking about starting a Certification process for Skoolie building.
I've been reading about all of the problems that go along with Skoolie building. Mainly legal problems and obtaining insurance and additionally safety issues people create for themselves.
It would seem to me the solution to all 3 of these issues would be to start an official Skoolie Building Certification Process.
We have all the knowledge here on this forum collectively that we can confidently create guidelines for each step of the processes needed to ensure our own safety and help our cases with the insurance companies and overall make the world a bit safer.
This is in no way to imply taking away people's freedom to build but to have inspections to assure the builders they are doing things in a safe manner as to not only keep themselves alive, but also others they may wreck into. Busses are large vehicles.
We have to take more measures to ensure they are safer from the start of we want to be included in the world of insurance and be on par with RVs.
I've seen something like this type of certification process be created and take hold in the Paramotoring world. Some guys came together to create the PPG 1,2,and 3 certifications to help keep regulation on them from the FAA and it worked.
Certifications are powerful, and they show those who have no clue (insurers) that the issuers do know what they are talking about and as a new Skoolie owner shows you took time to seek out professionals to inspect your builds. It's about building confidence for those people in the work
I say we start one here, right now with a select few of you who have proven yourselves over and over you know what you are doing, being automatically inducted on the certification approve list.
I'll in my spare time draw up guidelines on inspection criteria.
Will likely lean in on many of you to provide guidance in certain areas as I cannot do it alone.
As I've been building out my bus I've been asking detailed questions on even menial things to understand the science of it and to determine the best way to build my bus out. I've purposefully choose a 30 year old bus because I knew it would need a ton of work and allow me to dig in deep and learn everything I can about skoolie building and I feel starting a certification is a way I can contribute to the cause for everyone's benefit.
My plan for the certification is to have 3 levels depending on the interests of the builder. This also makes it so the builder can still maintain a level of freedom and design and still get certified to some level. A level 3 would be for someone who has done a complete tear down and fortified every square inch of the body, taken pictures throughout the whole process, provided to an inspector, and had it inspected by designated qualified builders who can issue the cert, many of which could be you guys if you so desire and are qualified.
A level 2 could entail not a full tear down, but has had roof raise ribs inspected etc, and decks inspected with proper certified methods for mounting steel against aluminum for example, or even using certified and proven safe methods.
Level 1 could entail motor vehicle safety measures have been taken place like air brake line inspections, slack adjusters, tank status, etc, to ensure the vehicle is safe which may not help with insurance with a deck, wood stoves or a roof raise, but help insure for those not looking for a ton of modifications but simply need insurance to drive.
Now that I've said all of that, thoughts, criticisms?
I expect a lot of negativity around this post potentially and that is fine and is to be expected when such a process begins, I've seen it before in the Paramotoring world when certs first entered the space, but in the end it was a net benefit for all involved and it ensures far less deaths in flying, which is kind of the goal here as well for us and insurance companies to know we are not just randos building a hillbilly bus, but nice safe RVs.
When we have these guidelines fully developed and agreed upon, I will personally hold meetings with major insurance companies and present the certification in detail to get traction and to set expectations with them
I've been reading about all of the problems that go along with Skoolie building. Mainly legal problems and obtaining insurance and additionally safety issues people create for themselves.
It would seem to me the solution to all 3 of these issues would be to start an official Skoolie Building Certification Process.
We have all the knowledge here on this forum collectively that we can confidently create guidelines for each step of the processes needed to ensure our own safety and help our cases with the insurance companies and overall make the world a bit safer.
This is in no way to imply taking away people's freedom to build but to have inspections to assure the builders they are doing things in a safe manner as to not only keep themselves alive, but also others they may wreck into. Busses are large vehicles.
We have to take more measures to ensure they are safer from the start of we want to be included in the world of insurance and be on par with RVs.
I've seen something like this type of certification process be created and take hold in the Paramotoring world. Some guys came together to create the PPG 1,2,and 3 certifications to help keep regulation on them from the FAA and it worked.
Certifications are powerful, and they show those who have no clue (insurers) that the issuers do know what they are talking about and as a new Skoolie owner shows you took time to seek out professionals to inspect your builds. It's about building confidence for those people in the work
I say we start one here, right now with a select few of you who have proven yourselves over and over you know what you are doing, being automatically inducted on the certification approve list.
I'll in my spare time draw up guidelines on inspection criteria.
Will likely lean in on many of you to provide guidance in certain areas as I cannot do it alone.
As I've been building out my bus I've been asking detailed questions on even menial things to understand the science of it and to determine the best way to build my bus out. I've purposefully choose a 30 year old bus because I knew it would need a ton of work and allow me to dig in deep and learn everything I can about skoolie building and I feel starting a certification is a way I can contribute to the cause for everyone's benefit.
My plan for the certification is to have 3 levels depending on the interests of the builder. This also makes it so the builder can still maintain a level of freedom and design and still get certified to some level. A level 3 would be for someone who has done a complete tear down and fortified every square inch of the body, taken pictures throughout the whole process, provided to an inspector, and had it inspected by designated qualified builders who can issue the cert, many of which could be you guys if you so desire and are qualified.
A level 2 could entail not a full tear down, but has had roof raise ribs inspected etc, and decks inspected with proper certified methods for mounting steel against aluminum for example, or even using certified and proven safe methods.
Level 1 could entail motor vehicle safety measures have been taken place like air brake line inspections, slack adjusters, tank status, etc, to ensure the vehicle is safe which may not help with insurance with a deck, wood stoves or a roof raise, but help insure for those not looking for a ton of modifications but simply need insurance to drive.
Now that I've said all of that, thoughts, criticisms?
I expect a lot of negativity around this post potentially and that is fine and is to be expected when such a process begins, I've seen it before in the Paramotoring world when certs first entered the space, but in the end it was a net benefit for all involved and it ensures far less deaths in flying, which is kind of the goal here as well for us and insurance companies to know we are not just randos building a hillbilly bus, but nice safe RVs.
When we have these guidelines fully developed and agreed upon, I will personally hold meetings with major insurance companies and present the certification in detail to get traction and to set expectations with them
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