When you fully register your converted bus as a skoolie it is registered as an RV (recreational vehicle). You do not need additional upgrades on your license to drive an RV as it isn’t listed as a different class of vehicle. It is wise to learn how to drive the bus (and even a general RV) as they both have very different dimensions from your average car or van. Yet legally you don’t need a different type of license. Ironically to drive a school bus you need to have a CDL license which is a commercial drivers license. It just isn’t for being registered to drive a vehicle of those dimensions. It is also to take into account that one will e be driving the vehicle commercial transporting people. Now the above is an ideal situation. The fact of the matter is that it doesn’t usually translate like that in practice.
Anyone who has traveled on the road realizes that a cop isn’t a lawyer. Though a cop may have a general understanding of the law the reality is that they don’t know every point. If they did they would be a lawyer. Driving while Black I always learned the unwritten rule though….save it for the courts. Even if I knew that the cop was wrong my goal was always to get out of the altercation alive.
I say all of this to say that….I’m going to go ahead and get that CDL. I wasn’t at first. I didn’t need anything else on my schedule of things to do. My infamous 1001 things to do list. Deep reflection on the subject led me to change my initial thought.
One thing is that I could always use more practice driving a vehicle of those dimensions though I have driven many types of vehicles my whole life. Also this will be the first time that I will be using a vehicle that has air brakes. Plus it will be good to tighten up on using mirrors for big vehicles,
The most resonating reason though is to create for myself another level of insulation against driving while Black. Reality is that driving a skoolie without a CDL may work for some. I just want that extra insurance while driving a converted school bus through certain parts of this country. So a CDL will work well with my melanin splashed skin. I have two friends who are already enrolled in this course so it looks like Ill be next up to bat.
Old Skoolie 1863 