traviscarr

Hello Everyone, We have attorneys in Austin looking into this new law further. The good news is that, to our knowledge, no one has been unable to register to vote using their Escapees Mail Service address to date. It is extremely important, however, that full-time RVers who choose Texas as their domicile, carefully set up their domicile records to prove that they do indeed have a “physical presence” in the state, showing their intent to call Texas their home. Having doctors, banks, storage, fitness club, and so on in the vicinity helps prove their intent. We’ll be working closely with our attorneys on any issues that arise, but we believe that full-time RVers, who are legally domiciled in Polk County, Texas, and use Escapees Mail Service/Rainbow’s End as their mailing/residence address, will continue to be allowed to register to vote, just as they have over the past 35 years. Escapees, as always, will share information with the membership through our regular communications channels, such as club newsletters, social media, and website. Know that Escapees will continue to do everything within our power to protect the constitutional rights of full-time RVers. Sincerely, Travis Carr President | Escapees RV Club

You must be and active Escapees member to post a "Looking for Work" ad in the Job Board. Being a forum member does not give you access to Escapees benefits. The two sites are independent from one another.

Yes, you must associate your skp # with you account. You can do this by going to "My Account". Click your name in the top right and then my account. This will unlock all the menus under the Job Board and also the the "Looking for Work" when creating a new listing.

You must have a registered account to create a "looking to hire" ad and you will have to be a member to post a "looking for work" ad. The view candidates page is open to the public which probably what you were looking at. Business and individuals can create "looking to hire" ads and view potential candidates for free but only members have access to create "looking for work" ads and resumes.

Want to work while you travel? Want to hire RVers looking for work? We can connect you! The Job Board matches job opportunities with traveling contract workers who want full or part-time work. The mobile workforce is a powerful one! The RV community offers both mobility and flexibility that are hard to find elsewhere. Today's technology grants RVers the freedom to work effectively as they travel. Mobile workers have the ability to fulfill unique jobs that are not practical for the conventional workforce. Post a "Job" or "Help Wanted" Ad for FREE! Choose the category that best suits your needs and post your job opportunity that is easily viewed by over 50,000 members! Simply fill out the submission form that details whether the job is full-time, part-time, or short-term work and provide a short description of the tasks. Then wait for the responses to roll in! Remember, the job options can range from volunteer positions to highly compensated positions and everything in between. If you just need someone to house-sit or tend to the dogs while you are away, feel free to make a post! https://www.escapees...reate-a-listing Search for Potential Candidates The Job Board provides businesses and individuals the ability to search for potential candidates looking for work. Employers may view candidates’ skills, read resumes, review work experience, and check references. https://www.escapees.com/job-board/view-candidates Looking for work? Escapees and Xscapers members can search posted jobs by job category, type of work, and location. You will find job opportunties ranging from short-term to long-term and incompassing all types of categories. Job options can range from volunteer positions to highly compensated positions and everything in between. Find a job that fits your needs and lifestyle. https://www.escapees...board/view-jobs Get Hired Let us help you continue to make the RV lifestyle a successful one, and create a profile today! Members can fill out our quick questionnaire and let employers or individuals seeking your skills and interests find you. From big to small, there are jobs opportunities available to meet your needs and your nomadic lifestyle. https://www.escapees...reate-a-listing

All ads are moderated and must be approved before the are posted live.

No, your website account give you full access just log in at www.escapees.com and go to the Job Board menu in the top menu bar.

Want to work while you travel? Want to hire RVers looking for work? We can connect you! The Job Board matches job opportunities with traveling contract workers who want full or part-time work. The mobile workforce is a powerful one! The RV community offers both mobility and flexibility that are hard to find elsewhere. Today's technology grants RVers the freedom to work effectively as they travel. Mobile workers have the ability to fulfill unique jobs that are not practical for the conventional workforce. Post a "Job" or "Help Wanted" Ad for FREE! Choose the category that best suits your needs and post your job opportunity that is easily viewed by over 50,000 members! Simply fill out the submission form that details whether the job is full-time, part-time, or short-term work and provide a short description of the tasks. Then wait for the responses to roll in! Remember, the job options can range from volunteer positions to highly compensated positions and everything in between. If you just need someone to house-sit or tend to the dogs while you are away, feel free to make a post! https://www.escapees.com/job-board/create-a-listing Search for Potential Candidates The Job Board provides businesses and individuals the ability to search for potential candidates looking for work. Employers may view candidates’ skills, read resumes, review work experience, and check references. https://www.escapees.com/job-board/view-candidates Looking for work? Escapees and Xscapers members can search posted jobs by job category, type of work, and location. You will find job opportunties ranging from short-term to long-term and incompassing all types of categories. Job options can range from volunteer positions to highly compensated positions and everything in between. Find a job that fits your needs and lifestyle. https://www.escapees.com/job-board/view-jobs Get Hired Let us help you continue to make the RV lifestyle a successful one, and create a profile today! Members can fill out our quick questionnaire and let employers or individuals seeking your skills and interests find you. From big to small, there are jobs opportunities available to meet your needs and your nomadic lifestyle. https://www.escapees.com/job-board/create-a-listing

Dear SKPs, The procedures for "self certify" are to be state wide. All Tax Offices in the state go to the same meetings as the Polk Countyofficials. As soon as I get more information, section numbers, page numbers or a copy of the procedures, I will pass them on to you. As far as the state charging their part of the inspection sticker, it is my understanding that it will be charged when you get the vehicle inspected, then get the vehicle re-registered. If the tax office over rides the system, it will not charge the state's part of the inspection fee. The charge will only occur when it has been inspected before registration. Sometime in late October, the State will bring on line a web site that will explain the single sticker procedures. It may or may not explain the out of state over ride. As soon as the site is available, I will post it on the forum. Jim Koca RV Advocacy Director

To All SKPs, I want to bring you the latest information about the single sticker issue. I recently met with the Polk County Tax Office and received some new information. RVers, military, truckers, college students, and contractors will be able to renew the registration of their vehicles without having to return to the state. The process will be available online or by mail. When renewing the registration, the owners will “self certify” that they are out of state. For the “self certify” by mail, it can be a simple note that you are out of state. For the online registrations, the process hasn’t been worked out yet. The clerks will then override the system to allow the renewal to take place. Once the vehicle re-enters the state, the vehicle will need to be inspected within 72 hours or face the possibility of receiving a citation. Many DPS driver license offices and motor vehicle inspection sticker stations are not aware of this allowance and are telling motorists that they will have to return to the state for inspection before renewal. They haven’t gotten the word yet, but will in the future. Another interesting point to the new procedure is that the inspection stations will only collect their fee for the cost of the inspection. The state’s portion of the fee will be collected at the time of registration. In the next several months, Polk County officials will be attending more meetings on this subject. As I receive any information, I will pass it along to you. Jim Koca RV Advocacy Director

Hi All, I want to update everyone on the issue of the registration/MVIS law that will be enacted on March 1, 2015, for the SKPs who register their vehicles in Texas. I have continued to monitor the situation and am pleased to pass on that a solution will be in place to allow RVers and others who are of the state to be able to re-register their vehicles without having to drive back to the state for the MVIS sticker. During a Senate Transportation Committee meeting chaired by Senator Nichols, Whitney Brewster, the Director of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, publicly stated in the Transportation meeting that residents who are out of state at the time of re-registration will be allowed to complete the process without the need to return to the state for the new inspection sticker. When the vehicle has returned to the state, then the owner will have 72 hours to get the required inspection. All Texas county registration offices will have the ability to override the inspection requirement during the re-registration request. I have talked to the Polk County registration office, and they confirmed that this process will be available. I would like to thank you for your patience while the wheels were grinding out a favorable solution for us who register our vehicles in Texas. I will continue to monitor this issue and will report back to you when needed. Jim Koca Advocacy Director

We are still in the process of setting everything up, but yes, members of Escapees Mail Service, who are full-time RVers and would like to use Sumter Oaks RV Park as their legal address, will be allowed to do so using Escapees “Home Base” option plan. We are putting the final pieces in place and expect to share all the details with you in the near future. It is important to point out that the new “Home Base” option plan is something we’ve wanted to offer for a long time. We continue to believe Texas is also an ideal state for many full-time RVers, but giving members additional choices, just makes good sense.

Escapees Mail Service—New Home Base Option Plans We appreciate all the comments, suggestions, and information that have been shared on this thread over the past weeks and we want you to know that your concerns have not gone unnoticed. You will soon see an article in Escapees magazine (May/June) that talks about our new “Home Base” option plans, but we wanted to share it with you first! Escapees Mail Service in Livingston, Texas will continue to be the main processing center, but we will offer additional “Home Base” services in several other states for full-time RVers who prefer a legal domicile elsewhere. We expect to bring our first Home Base service online in Florida (Sumter Oaks, Bushnell, FL) in just a few months. Once that is up and operational, we anticipate branching out to other states and will be looking seriously at South Dakota. Establishing and/or maintaining a legal domicile is a challenge that many full-time RVers face. We have had a long association with Loring & Associates, PLLC, and we’re working on even more convenient ways to make domicile consulting and estate planning easily available for those who need it. We are still working out the details, but welcome your comments. Feel free to contact me at homebase@escapees.com. SKP Hugs, Cathie Carr, President Escapees RV Club

Several months ago, I contacted Senator Nichols’ office about the new registration law that takes effect in March 1, 2015. Tuesday, I received a call from the Senate Committee on Transportation who is working on the new law. Senator Nichols is the chairman of the Committee. The Committee is aware of the problem and is working on solutions to address this issue. Not only does this issue affect us, but also the trucking industry, contractors and the military personnel who keep Texas as their residence while deployed to another state. The Committee has asked me for suggestions for what would work for RVer’s. This is a chance for us, as a group, to have input into the procedures for implementation of this new law that will affect us. I suggested to the Committee that a waiver request form be developed that can be sent in with the registration renewal form. What I would like from you, are suggestions on what you think would work for us that will address this issue. I will then send them on to the Committee. There is no guarantee that any of our suggestions will be adopted, but I feel that it is a great step that they have reached out and asked. Please send your suggestions directly to me at jimkoca@escapees.com If I have questions or need follow up information, I will contact you directly through email. Sorry, there will not be a prize for the best suggestion. Jim Koca Escapees RV Advocacy Director jimkoca@escapees.com

We realize that members are disappointed that Escapees RV Club did not catch the legislative change involving Texas inspection stickers. The Club makes a point of remaining watchful of potentially harmful laws, practices and policies that could be detrimental to the members and RVers in general. Cathie Carr personally went to Austin to meet with Representative White’s office in January 2012, and reminded him and his staff of the special needs of full-time RVers. But, despite everyone’s attempt to monitor bills that might have a negative impact, this one got past us. As I posted previously, we are working closely with a variety of representatives and remain confident that procedures will be modified so that they will not unfairly hinder travelers. We will stay on top of this issue and will share any significant news we have with you. There have also been some posts questioning why this subject was not discussed at the educational forum that took place at Rainbow’s End. I, along with several other Escapees staff, were present, but the logistics and time schedule did not allow for questions from the floor. The CARE Volunteers who were hosting this particular forum, unfortunately were not aware of the issue; however, one-on-one meetings were already taking place with the Representatives and positive action was (and is) in the works. Jim Koca Escapees RV Advocacy Director

Dear Members, I wanted to share some more information with you on the new registration law that will be enacted on March 1, 2015. I have contacted another State Representative’s office for more information on the new law and received a reply that I would like to share. They reached out to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and the Texas Department of Public Safety on the behalf of RVers. Both of these agencies are aware of the problems of the RV owners with the new law and are working on a solution. DMV’s vehicle titling and registration division has identified RV owners as one of the groups that they will need to carefully consider during implementation and they are prepared to evaluate options that may reduce the impact the single-sticker program has on RVers. There is not a specific timeline for a solution, but it must be done before the bill goes into effect in March 2015. DMV is having meetings with DPS and the bill authors to make sure everyone is on the same page as they move forward. Since this a work in progress, DMV will keep in contact with the State Representative’s Office, who in turn, will keep me informed on the progress. As more information becomes available to me, I will let you, the members, know what the progress is on this major concern. James Koca Escapees RV Advocacy Director

Good Day to All SKP’s This is an update to the new registration law that will be enacted on March 1, 2015. Escapees have been in contact with the Polk County Registration office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, several State Representatives, and the State Senator for Polk County. People with recreational vehicles are not the only ones that are affected by this new law. The trucking industry and general contractors who operate out of state are asking the same questions that we are about the new law. They are also contacting the above agencies looking for answers and voicing their concerns about the registration law. What I have learned while researching this topic and asking the pointed questions, is that DPS and DMV are currently working on the data base for the inspection process. The policies and procedures are on the drafting table and they are aware of the issues that Escapees, the trucking industry and contractors have brought to their attention. There is a law that will also take effect on March 1, 2015, Transportation Code Section 548.103 – Extended Inspection Period for Certain Vehicles - which states that “The department may extend the time within which the resident owner of a vehicle that is not in this state when an inspection is required must obtain a vehicle inspection report in this state.” The department is the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. A version of this law has been in place since September 1, 1995. Escapees are very actively working on this new law and we are looking for answers from the State of Texas about the new procedures for renewal of our vehicles while traveling out of state. As information is developed, I will post it on the forum, in order to keep you, the members, informed. James Koca Escapees RV Advocacy Director Good Day to All SKP’s

Hello, We have talked to Representative White's office and they were aware of the law. We will be forwarding them more information about the issue. They are concerned about the issue also. We also asked his office to see if Rep White could have input into the procedures to ensure that members are protected. Everyone that we have talked to feels that there will be procedures to ensure that RVers out of state will be able to register their vehicles. At this point there is no need to panic. Happy Travels, Escapees RV Club

Hello All, The Polk County Tax Office is taking a proactive stance on the new law that will take effect in 2015. They are concerned about meeting the needs of Escapees members as we are. Procedures are being developed by the state for the new procedures on registration of vehicles. It has been brought to the attention of the state by Polk County the problem of members being out of state at the time the registration is due. This is also a concern for the trucking industry and they are asking the same questions that we are about the registration of their vehicles when they are out of state. As information is received, we will keep you informed. This is a major concern for Escapees and we are actively working toward a solution that will benefit you, the members. Jim Koca