| Author | Message | ||
| Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A |
I've searched, but I didn't find this covered. I'm hopefully going to look at a coach this weekend. If I buy it, I need to get it home. How would I insure a seated coach to get it home? I can't insure it as an RV when it has all the seats in it. My insurance agent pretty much laughs at me when I ask about insurance for these types of things. I don't want to buy a coach and then not be able to get it home. I won't drive anything without insurance. Brian Elfert | ||
| Donald Lee Schwanke (Dontx)
Rating: N/A |
Are you talking liability or comprehensive insurance? If liability, check your policy, most are required by the state to insure something like "newly acquired, borrowed, rented, temporary substitute vehicles" for a period of 30 days. Read, then drive it home and honk as you go by the agents office for the next 30 days! | ||
| Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A |
Brian I can probably help ya with a solution but need more info! 731-885-7460 Bryce aka Busted Knuckle | ||
| Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A |
At minimum I need liability insurance to drive the vehicle home. I can get by without comp/collision if need be. I forgot about the 30 days for newly acquired vehicles, but would a regular vehicle policy cover a seated coach in that situation? Would they not call it a commercial vehicle? Certainly no passengers. I would probably pull any insurance except maybe comp once I got it home to work on. Brian Elfert | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
I just did it thru State Farm... no biggie... | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
I told them I bought a 1979 MC9 motorhome shell, and they (Progressive) insured it as such. | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Rating: N/A |
And State Farm covered our coach when we brought it home; our car policy did the trick. To make that work, it has to be within 29 days, and all your registered vehicles have to be insured before the purchase. I don't know if they all have to be with State Farm. It may make a difference which states the coach will be driven in. If you have a good agent, you should be able to tell him your route and plans and find out if this will work. At least, that's what we understand, and that's what our agent did. We've used that feature several times. For what it's worth. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher Ketchikan, Alaska | ||
| bruce knee (Bruceknee)
Rating: N/A |
State farm did mine with no problem. It is a bus, but not a commercial vehicle, a private vehicle until it is converted. | ||
| Casper Rating: N/A |
Ok, I know I'm opening a can of worms here, but here goes: If it still seats 15 or more (or 16, or 18, whatever the magic number is), and is still titled as a bus, can he drive it home without a CDL? I know that once the title/registration says "motorhome", any of us can drive, and getting the title changed is pretty straightforward (in ohio anyways), but until you do that, it's still a bus. Empty or full, a bus is a bus... Curious, I've often looked at affordable seated coaches, and contemplated a sofa/bunkbed/portapot conversion - but the first question is my mind is always "How would I get it home"? | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
If you register it as a motorhome (shell), insure it as such, and the title will (eventually) reflect the same, it's a motorhome. Not sure of the question... But if you ask too much at your registry, you will get answers you don't want to hear. And that would be worse than the can of squiggly things here, since once the registry says "no", you're going to be in deep brown smelly stuff. In Floriduh, I simply walked in, put the papers down, told them it was an MCI motorhome shell, and I was swapping my plates from my old RV to this one. If one registry gives you a difficult time, yes them to death, and go to another one. I found that not asking questions, and simply acting like it's the most normal thing to do, phrasing your words as if you've done it a thousand times before.... works much better than asking as much as one question. That holds true with nearly all gubberment agencies. Do not give them the opportunity to think about what they are doing, and all will be well. | ||
| Stan Rating: N/A |
My advice is to not register the bus until you have it converted enough to use it. Buy a ten day 'IN TRANSIT' sticker to put in the windshield to take it home. Insurance companies issue temporary insurance for the ten days. While it is parked in your yard, cover it with fire and theft insurance. | ||
| Sojourner (Jjimage)
Rating: N/A |
Tell seller to remove all but whatever seats you want to keep ( no more then 8 passengers). Purchase liability insurance and drive home. It work for me! Sojourn for Christ, Jerry | ||
| bruce knee (Bruceknee)
Rating: N/A |
If you fasten a couple of furring strips to the ceiling and floor, behind the first row of seats, fasten some luan to that, you have eliminated the seat problem. If you make it obvious that all you are doing is transporting the bus home DOT will not bother you. If you really need help getting it home, I'll help you, if you are within a reasonable distance or someone on here will. Bruce Knee 302-542-4464 | ||
| Casper Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the reply John, Let me explain my question a little better. Here’s how the law works in this state as I understand it. Suppose I’m tired of pitching my tent over at Big Mosquito state park. I want to do a very (very) basic conversion. SO, being a lunatic with a little bit of money, I go to the big Skoolie auction over in Pittsburgh. I lay down $1,800 for a 12 year old GMC with a jillion “well maintained” miles on the clock and a little rust around the back door. It runs good, and I’m a happy guy. On the Monday morning after the auction, I can take the endorsed/released title (plus bill of sale) to the Pennsylvania DMV office, who for a nominal fee will be pleased to issue me a temp tag so I can take it home, get an Ohio title and get on with my life. I cannot take the title to my Ohio DMV, clear it, and come back for the bus later, because Ohio requires a VIN inspection on any vehicle coming in from out of state. Ohio will also inspect the vehicle to ensure that it’s been converted before they’ll change the “body type” on the title from “Bus” to “RV/Motorhome”. As Bill Shakespeare might say, Here’s the rub… I gotta get her home. The title of the vehicle says it’s a bus – and you need a CDL to drive a bus in Ohio, empty or full, even with the seats torn out – if the title still says the “B” word, you need a CDL. Officer Friendly of the Buckeye Highway Patrol will not be interested in what I plan to do with it when I get it home. He will just write me a ticket for driving a vehicle I’m not licensed to drive, and he will wait patiently with me for a licensed driver or a tow truck to come and get the eyesore off of his highway. He will be excruciatingly polite. Now when I get the old beast home, I’ll rip out most of the seats. Turn a few seats around to make a “Dinette” or 2. Rough frame a couple of bunks with cheapie ply. Rough in a “counter” out of old barn siding and fasten a coleman camp stove to it with 4 sheet metal screws. Fasten a portapot down with a few tarp straps, toss in a cooler, hang a few curtains and the interior’s done. Get out the roller and paint the exterior Chartreuse purple. At this point, I can take the “Barney-bus” (It’s purple, remember) down to the DMV, demonstrate that it has “Permanently attached” Sleeping – and/or – cooking – and/or – bathroom facilities (In Ohio you must have two out of the three for it to be a motorhome) – and change the title to motorhome. My pal Dave did exactly that (except for the paint color, he went with a light brown), and they’ve been camping and fishing with their $2,500 investment for a few years now. Dave just took his chances bringing it home, and then when he took it to the DMV office for the title change, he had his CDL’ed dad drive it to the DMV, just in case they asked him how it got there (they didn’t). He was lucky, but I’m usually not. This is how I understand the situation. I have my Nomex coveralls on, so flame away – I’d love to learn of a loophole. | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Hmm... You summed it all up, and appear to have done all the homework involved for the State(s) that you will be involved in. "Monday morning after the auction, I can take the endorsed/released title (plus bill of sale) to the Pennsylvania DMV office, who for a nominal fee will be pleased to issue me a temp tag so I can take it home" And buy insurance to cover your teenie, weenie butt. (that's the most important paperwork!) "Dave just took his chances bringing it home" Remember that slogan? "No guts; no glory"? I'd hang a sign that declares "not for hire".... or flip the bus sign, if it has one, to read : "garage", "special", or "charter". Then drive the thing home. You already know the worst-case scenario, right? What else can they do? Take your first-born? Get you pregnant? Make you repeat things over and over while sitting in the corner? Post things to this forum, like I am made to do? You'll live. But make sure you have insurance. It's one thing getting fined, and another.. losing the farm. I have found that not making eye contact with a peace officer while I'm doing something slightly unlawful, allows them to remain peaceful with their bag of donuts. Try not to break their intense rapport with the glazed, filled Boston Cream. Like a frothing dog in front of you, don't look, just keep walking... Lots of luck!! You'll do OK! | ||
| Pete/RTS Daytona (Pete_rtsdaytona)
Rating: N/A |
Hi All Posted this a few days ago on the yahoo RTS-Bus-Nuts board Hey Guys - I did a little snooping around about bus insurance for John Ellis - hate to see anyone get that frustrated - I know - BT-DT (been there - done that) myself 3 years ago I called Rv Alliance Insurance (now called AON) and got "Liablitity Only" insurance with progressive insurance as the underwriter Here what you need to say - <>You wish to transport a bus to the converter- ..(You don't need to tell them that you may be the converter) <>You need Liability only (no comprehensive or collision) ..(they will use Progressive as the underwriter) ..(so if you hit anyone their damages are covered) <>That the bus is "NOT FOR HIRE" <>if they ask (and only if they ask) ..(you may be required to send (fax/email) pictures of the bus) ..(2 is minimum - 1 from front left corner and 1 from rear right) ..(this way they can see all 4 sides of the bus <>Again only if they ask - ..(tell tell you will remove all the passenger seating) <>I spoke to "Lailoni" at Aon Recreation Insurance 2600 116th Ave. NE, Ste 200 Bellevue, WA 98004 Phone: 800-521-2942 Fax: 800-598-9348 Email: service@... Business Hours: Monday – Friday, 6 a.m. – 4 p.m. PST. | ||
| bruce knee (Bruceknee)
Rating: N/A |
Here is how it works in Delaware. A friend of mine bought a bus on EBay that was located in Toronto. He had the seller fax a copy of the registration, got liability insurance and took proof of insurance and the fax copy of the reg. card to DMV. After shelling out a whopping $10. for a 15 day transport tag, we headed to Canada to bring back the bus. I guess all states do it their own way..... | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
Pull a toad behind you. Believe me (firsthand experience) it is well worth the trouble when your bus with "with a jillion well maintained miles" breaks on you in the middle of nowhere. How many commercial busses have you ever seen pulling a toad? Exactly. None. The same for the cops. It never happens, Thus, if you're pulling a toad, you will NEVER get pulled over and asked for your CDL, because vehicles pulling toads are NEVER commercial and don't need CDLs. That's the key... | ||
| Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A |
It looks like insurance should not be a problem. Would I have to stop at weigh stations with an empty bus? (I have no idea if any buses have to stop at weigh stations.) Brian Elfert | ||
| Casper Rating: N/A |
Bryan, didn't mean to hijack your thread, sorry about that. Gary, that's just crazy enough to work. Thanks to all, Casper | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
Brian, many weigh stations have signs that say "busses must stop" but those signs mean "comercial busses only", not RV's. If you want to convince them that you're not a commercial bus, again, that toad will do a perfect job of it. Removing the seats will help- anything you can do to make it look like a private RV. In Utah, a junkyard gave me a dollar for my seats... in California it would have cost me $200 or so to dump them.. maybe removing them where you start is a possibility...??? As long as you have insurance and your 1-way trip permit, it wouldn't matter anyway. Unless you're trying to pull something off and don't have proper paperwork, the weigh stations won't hassle you even if you do go thru them. They're only looking for aliens, drugs, and overweight trucks, etc. In any case, the toad is magic. You just whiz past the ports of entry, weigh stations etc and the guys inside look at you and think, "RV".... So far this has worked for me on four trips thru 6 states in the west, no problem (except for engines blowing up  ) cheers | ||
| Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A |
Brian, where from and where too matters some what in this case! Also Gary you have a good suggestion, but as a CDL Licensed, and commercially insured bus transporter, I have to point out altough it is extremly rare but I, personally know of serveral "drivers" or delivery outfits that do hook a toad to a comercial bus being delivered to a "new owner" which is rare! But it does and has happened! Most of the answers you have received are valid and good, but there are variables that are not covered in the info given, such as where to where, style and size of bus, and who you are purchasing from! I'd be glad to discuss these issues with you as I've BTDT before. However 1 other thing I will point out is if I deliver one for someone for hire, even if it's a "Motorhome" in both title and completion, it makes it a commercial move again because of the "for hire part" although that little gray area has been side stepped many time several different ways! Just my 2 cents worth! & if I owe ya anything for it, put it on my account, on the account I ain't got it! LOL Need any direct answers to anything I can be of assistance to you on feel free to call 731-885-7460 most any time (if nobodys in the shop or office, I usually forward it to my cell phone! Bryce aka Busted Knuckle | ||
| JR
Rating: N/A |
Forget comprehensive insurance during conversion. You'll have to be clever to get collision/comp on a "home-grown" conversion when it's finished. I drove my $45K "investment" for half a season before finding an insurance company that would write collision/comp. State Farm wrote liability...seats or no seats. So did GMAC (GMAC was nuts to deal with). I'm a hobby farmer with horses (liability issues) so had insurance all spread out with several companies. No more. Farm Bureau wrote bus and everything I own. Install "private coach" signs on the bus and make sure no permit numbers or signage is visible. Roll cheap latex over any signs and numbers. Whoever has your automotive insurance will write liability allowing you to transport the coach home. May even get the dealer (if a dealer is selling same) to give you a temp transport tag. If buying from an individual, you'll have to buy a tag or get your DMV to issue a temp tag (they do't like to do this typically) to get the bus..make that "RV"..(don't mention the word "bus" at DMV) home legally. As already described, don't over-explain the situation. License as a conversion coach. You don't want to license as a "bus"....burn you a new one with that. Just don't get caught riding the church or neighborhood around. Or anyone else until the seats are out. The "Private Coach" signs will keep you out of weigh stations. Most states don't want buses on scales anyway. However, you don't want to test that. Have you driven a truck or bus before? Be careful if not. May want to get some help if you've got to navigate major city traffic. The beauty of these old used coaches is that you can spend a million bucks on them and the property tax will still be a pittance! I got stopped by NCDMV while driving the bus back from having windows skinned, and once they looked inside and saw no passengers, I was thanked for stopping and out of there. No problem. Enjoy your new "life style!" JR | ||
| morgan Clough (Mclough777)
Rating: N/A |
guys i cant recall the last time i saw a bus in a weight station. i dont beleive that they pull in. the dot may check them at rest areas for log book etc. | ||
| David (Davidinwilmnc)
Rating: N/A |
If you qualify for USAA insurance, they're really good to deal with. I insured mine before delivery with collision, comp, and liability for around $90 / 6 months. It was only about $20 less for liability only. I told them it's a '78 MCI RV and promptly took the seats out and the decals off once it was here. Good luck! | ||
| Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A |
Morgan you don't get around Misery (I mean Missouri) do ya? Yes folks there are just a few places where buses are required to stop at the scales, MO, CO, and WY are the only ones that come to mind at the moment and I think i saw a buses weigh sign once in Texas at the scale (I don't recall) Also I think OR too! But anyway There are ways around these obsticals as some of you have already come up with creative solutions and ideas! Brian like I said before where to and where from, and the type, size & who ya buy'n from make a differance! I've dealt with most of the issues at 1 time or another! Need more help call, advice is free, and my labor rates ain't a whole lot more LOL! Good Luck! Bryce aka Busted Knuckle | ||
| Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A |
Oh yeah Brian one more idea on the seats is to unbolt and if ya can't get rid of them turn them upside down! Pretty obvious that unless yer "Mork from Ork" you won't be sitting in them! FWIW Bryce aka Busted Knuckle | ||
| Brian Elfert
Rating: N/A |
If I buy the coach, I will be traveling from Ohio through Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin to Minnesota. This is a Neoplan coach I would be buying from a church. Right now, everything looks good to go to leave at 2 PM today to drive down to look at the coach. I won't be driving it back this trip if I do buy it. The good news is that the owner will deliver for cost of fuel, hotel, and a ticket home. I'll probably do this since the coach would be insured by them and remain under their ownership until it hits my house. They have drivers with CDL. Brian Elfert | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
"This is a Neoplan coach I would be buying from a church." Oooh-Oh... A church? You're looking at a church bus? Most all buses owned and used by churches (and private organizations, etc), do not get preventive maintenance (if they get maintained at all). I bought a "church bus". Their idea of preventive maintenance was a prayer before each trip. Unless you have some special cellphone that allows you to talk to God directly, I'd look someplace else for a bus. | ||
| Stan Rating: N/A |
JohnMC9 snip Most all buses owned and used by churches (and private organizations, etc), do not get preventive maintenance (if they get maintained at all).snip That is a very broad statement to make. I know several sevice clubs that do excellent maintenance on their buses. Regardless of where you buy a bus it is 'caveat emptor' and must be inspected by a knowlegeable person. This could be the buyer himself or someone hired by the buyer. Early reports about NJT were that they had tons of government money and their maintenance was top of the line. Look back through the threads on all the horror stories re NJT buses. IIRC you had some sad story when you got your MC-9. | ||
| Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Rating: N/A |
Aghh Brian, well it all sounded great with yer plan of them delivering it, insured and all! But do check this thing out goood, as bad as I hate to knock on anybodys dream. What John says about church buses is pretty much correct! However there are RARE differences and an occassion church bus that was maintained! Just be sure and really go over it and if you don't know that much about them, I'd hire a "bus mechanic" to look it over for you! I know of the Neoplan yer looking at it's Silver and they claim it has a "newly rebuilt engine" ask for invoices! I'm not saying it's misrepresented, or junk, just becareful! I know this is like about at least the 3rd time it's been listed on EBAY which raises suspsion in my mind why didn't it sell b4? I was told way back when we got stared foolin' with buses "there are two kinds of buses to avoid! That's church buses and repos" reason being most church buses are donated for tax purposes by someone looking to dump a worn out lemon, or if the church did buy it they buy the cheapest thing they can find! Then as said above most of them put fuel in them and drive 'm until they won't go then patch the problem, and keep on using it! (to cheap to fix things right). The other is a repo bus, because if the operator can not afford to make the payments they sure ain't keep'n up with the maintenance! Most of the time they're running the wheels off 'm (some time literally!) and "just try'n to get some good runs in so they can get caught up" which translates to I gotta make as much $ as I can before they take away my way of making a living! Now don't take this as gosspel as I have seen exceptions! I have 2 churches that we maintain buses for and they are great they call , schedule an appointment, drop it of with a list and as they are leaving they tell me ya find anything else go ahead and fix it, call us when yer done! Well I always call before fixing anything not on the list, and it's always the same if it needs it do it! Tehn when they pick it up they bring a check! And on the other hand I had a bsu company that I do maintenance for call me and tell me they were on the way in with a bus they'd just bought, and were having battery trouble so stand by the phone just in case! When they showed up it was a church bus that they had just purchased at a repo auction! OH yeah still had the name of the church it was repo'd from down both sides! 3 months and $30,000 later it was road worthy! So just be careful. I don't have his # any more but you might try calling Crosswell Tours in Columbus, OH and see if John Price is still a mechanic for them if so he might be able to check it out or recommend someone for ya! FWIW Bryce aka Busted Knuckle | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
Boy, if they will deliver it for fuel, hotel and a ticket home GO FOR THAT... and listen to Bryce, he has it pretty well nailed... Anyway, if they deliver, a few nice things can happen: (1) If it busts on the way, it's their problem not yours (make sure you specify that they get final payment ONLY when it's delivered, and runs the same when delivered as when you looked at it) (2) No insurance hassles (3) No fear of the CDL blues (4) You'll get to see how it handles a long trip and not have to be the sphincter-clenching dude doing it! Take it from a guy who has now had THREE engines blow in the last two months, trying to get a decent bus home from a long way away, each bus checked prior to leaving and theoretically in good enough shape to easily handle the trip. LET THEM DELIVER... you can't spend money any better than that!!!! |