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5 seater campervan
I have a Ford Transit MWB panelvan which I converted into a campervan. I’ve installed 2 additional seats with seatbelts (certified seats and seatbelts) in the back and a window on the sliding door to use it as a 5-door. However, it is only registered as a 3-seater panel van. I’ve applied to convert it to a campervan (self-propelled caravan) with 5 seats. Normally, this is done to avoid the need to have a license for vehicles over 3500kg - however, the Transit comes in below that weight and can be driven with a normal license. The only reason for the application to relicense as a campervan is to have it registered as a 5-seater.
I know of few selfbuilds who did this successfully in the Sprinters, which now states “5-seater campervan.” There were no special requirements for them to submit seat certifications or anchorage pull test certifications. However, I have been struggling non-stop to make progress on this. I just received the notice from NRCS that a certificate can be issued for the relicensing to campervan, but they need anchorage pull tests for the additional seats. The seats are bolted through the floor and to the chassis structure of the van. A pull test is not an option as they need to remove front seats, front window and subflloor to do the put test and see if there is any damage to the floor as a result.
I’m currently using it as a panel van with the additional seats at the back under road traffic regulation 247 (see below extraction) which allows for passengers to be transported in the back of a goods vehicle with conditions which i obvious over comply by far.
This is not ideal, and I would prefer to have the van registered as a 5-seater.
Some other advice I received was that if the seats are rear-facing, you don’t need the anchorage certificates. This subject is a grey area, and no one really gives you clear guidance on this subject. So, I want to know if anyone has advise on this matter or if anyone else is doing something similar (use it as a panel van for 5 seats under reg 247) and who else had success in getting the license disk re-registered as a 5-seater or that can advise on the backwards facing seats matter.
Regulation 247. Circumstances under which persons may be carried on a goods vehicle:
No person shall operate on a public road a goods vehicle conveying persons unless that portion of the vehicle in which such persons are being conveyed is enclosed to a height of:
(a) at least 350 millimeters above the surface upon which such person is seated; or
(b) at least 900 millimeters above the surface on which such person is standing,
in a manner and with a material of sufficient strength to prevent such person from falling from such vehicle when it is in motion.
Provided that no person shall be conveyed in the goods compartment together with any tools or goods, except their personal effects, unless that portion in which such persons are being conveyed is separated by means of a partition, from the portion in which such goods are being conveyed.
I guess the owners of panel vans converting it into taxis and finding it to be illegal faces exactly the same challenges. Perhaps the legislators view those vehicles not being suitable to carry passengers - being two or fifteen, same rules apply.
It is not how old one is that matters, it is how one is old that matters. One do not stop playing because one is old, one is old because one stopped playing.
Only the taxi owners don't give a continental about the regulations or the safety of their passengers.
Second thoughts - if regulation 247 were to be applied strictly to SUV's, station wagons and VW microbuses or kombis, surely no camping equipment, gas bottles, cast iron cooking utensils, tent poles or fridges should be allowed to be carried in the luggage compartment of these vehicles whilst carrying passengers.
It is not how old one is that matters, it is how one is old that matters. One do not stop playing because one is old, one is old because one stopped playing.
The back seat would act as the required barrier in SUV and combis.
good practice is obviously to not have loose items packed at the top that can injure passengers when sharp braking is done.
I gave cabinets in my van where everything is packed into. The seats forms a barirer between the “garage” section and them for other items packed there and does not exceed the seat height.
hence I said in my post im completely compliant with this rule.
IrEddie, I guess you are fighting a losing battle. Vehicles carrying passengers must surely have their seats anchored onto chassis members, and secondly, the same applies to seat belt anchorage points. These are factory designed and built in structural features.
Delivery vans simply do not come with those features, and to have those added as an after-market facility will probably simply not be worth the cost. I guess it will be cheaper to buy a proper taxi and convert that to a passenger carrying camper van.
It is not how old one is that matters, it is how one is old that matters. One do not stop playing because one is old, one is old because one stopped playing.
Panelvans are converted to people carrier's. They dont come out as such. All sprinter crafter and transit people carriers (small busses) are converted vans.
I use the same seats and seatbelts- both pull tested and carry a SABS certificate. The only issue is that die to the illegal taxis they introduced the seat anchorage test requirements. But this is not done for each conversion. Certified builders het a certificate for their anchorage method which they use for all conversions. They are however re certified under a deferent class and certified as such. Also deferent classification if it will be used to transport people for reward.
anchorage is simply a plate at the bottom where seats bolt into to create a more even spread of the load. My installation is exactly the same but I used angled steel plates to also bolt it onto the chassis cross beams.
I know of a few conversions that did exactly the same and followed the same process as I did to recertify as a 5 seater campervan with success
Lees vandag 'n berig in Maroela Media waar drie skoolseuns gesterf het nadat 'n Land Cruiser wat deur 'n handelaar omskep is in 'n sogenaamde "trooper carrier" gerol het.
Die eienaar en ook die bestuurder gaan nou vervolg word.
Moeg geploeg.
Dink maar net aan hoeveel passasiers wat agter op oorlaaide bakkies vervoer was al gesterf het.
Kinders word skool toe vervoer in bakkies waarvan die kappies met toue aan die bakwerk geheg word, en in die meeste gevalle word die getal passasiers nie deur die getal sitplekke beperk nie, maar deur die volume wat gevul kan word soos om plastiese sakkies met wors in 'n plastiek krat in te druk. Die ding is vol wanneer daar niks meer in gedruk kan word nie.
Totdat wetgewing nie konsekwent toegepas word nie sal mense steeds dit doen wat die grootste wins afgee, ongeag wat die vrag ookal mag behels. Op die oomblik geld die elfde gebod mos - Thou shalt not be found out!
It is not how old one is that matters, it is how one is old that matters. One do not stop playing because one is old, one is old because one stopped playing.
