Taking a bus into Canada

[busnut104]

I had a party call about my bus that I have for sale, and the main concern is trying to get a converted coach into Canada, They said that they though it had to be a professionally converted. My coach was so I was told, converted by Vulcan coach. But I have know way of proving it, only what the man told me which I bought it from, and he is not longer with us. At one time I did contact Vulcan but got know where. The coach has since been done over. The org. conversion was done around 84-85. Does any one have any input on the Canada deal. Thanks.

[jackhartjr]

Hi busnut, if you go into the archives you will find several articles on this subject.  It came up about 4 or 5 months ago. 
As I remember there is a list of them that can be brought in as a purchase, if you aint on the list...you don't get to sell it to a Canadian.  I think I said that right.
One of the posts had the list.
Good luck!
Jack

[ghanson]

It's kind of a sticky point, and I know this isn't going to help your situation....but when I was converting my bus, I read in a book somewhere, probably George Myers, that there is no such thing as a professional bus converter, as there is no standard license or certificate that exists. 

You pass the bar exam, you're a professional lawyer, right?  How does one become a "Professional" bus converter?  Granted there are good people that do a great job, but "Professional?" 

Maybe I'm off on this, and I mean no offense to those who can command high dollar by doing so, God bless em',  but if there's no certification, there's no profession.  "Expert" might be a better word. 

So, with the bus I converted myself I'm sometimes asked if it was professionally done.  Since I am  a "Professional" (but not at converting busses), I just smile and say "Yep."  javascript:void(0);

YMMV........g

[Jeremy]

Being a professional simply means that you get paid for doing something - it actually has nothing to do with your level of skill, expertise or qualifications. I guess proving a professional bus conversion would be done by producing an invoice or paperwork for the bus that indicates that it was converted by a recognised company - or, if all that has been lost, getting the company to write a letter of confirmation. I don't know if this is of any help with the Canada thing though

Jeremy

[ghanson]

I guess it's semantics, but would you go to a doctor that wasn't licensed?  Auto mechanics have patches indicating that they have been certified in some area or another.  A professional barber has certification.  I could call myself a barber, but without a license, it doesn't mean that I am one.......well, whatever.....g

[wrench]

Here all the infos to import in canada: http://www.riv.ca/english/html/how_to_import.html#numbers
         wrench

[Paso One]

There is a lot of " trick Questions "  The  tough one to get around is "What year was the conversion done?"

If the answer is 2002 then you have to meet the 2002 "standards" for a bus.

Looking at something before 1971 you can bring it into Canada sideways and they won't notice.

[HighTechRedneck]

I guess it's semantics, but would you go to a doctor that wasn't licensed?  Auto mechanics have patches indicating that they have been certified in some area or another.  A professional barber has certification.  I could call myself a barber, but without a license, it doesn't mean that I am one.......well, whatever.....g

You are right about semantics and your point about certifications is a good point from a consumer point of view.  But in talking to insurance companies when I was looking to insure my bus, their definition of a "Professional Conversion" is simply one done by a shop whose main business funciton is converting buses.  I expect that is the same definition a govt. agency would use.

[bobofthenorth]

This one gets thrashed regularly.  In a nutshell, you can bring a seated coach into Canada as long as it is on the famous list and as long as you can get this letter from the manufacturer:

http://www.riv.ca/english/html/recall_clearance.html

For Transport Canada's purposes a "professional" converter is one who can sign the above letter.  Its a short list - essentially the converters who buy new shells and convert them.  That means, if it wasn't converted from new then it isn't going to come into Canada.

BTW, plenty of people have told me that there are other ways to get coaches into Canada but so far I have seen exactly zero that came in outside of how I just described.  When we were looking for our bus the first one we found was in Fort Collins, CO.  We tried VERY hard to figure out how to bring that coach into Canada and ended up not doing it.  Maybe its possible but maybe we would have ended up with a coach in the customs impound yard.  I'm not prepared to gamble large sums of money on that.

[Paso One]

I thought he was trying to get a converted bus into Canada.  My answer was for a converted bus not a seated bus. I got a converted bus in without problems. But as stated it was built pre 1971  What year is your bus busnut104 ?

[Paso One]

This might be easier to read. 

[skipn]

Paso,

    Oh my so you bought your bus from B spaceship.............

  Small world even in canada

Skip

[Paso One]

Paso,

    Oh my so you bought your bus from B spaceship.............

  Small world even in canada

Skip

Yep good guy Brian wonder what he's busy at he's been MIA for awhile now.

Had I known you were in Helena. I've fueled up there many times.

You could have been a witness me crossing the border with a converted coach.

Paul

[skipn]

Paul,

   That wouldn't have been one of those farm field access crossings now would it? 

   The truck stop you probably feuled up at is closed now. Their feul delivery contract was
so goofed up they couldn't get feul....imagine that a truck stop with no feul

  The closest real truck stop is now about 75 miles away the rest are convienent marts some
are easy to get a bus in and out of most are not

  I see Brian finally updated his web site so at least he is alive and kicking.

Skip