No guns on the bus in Oklahoma...

[richyoung]

I have to take a bus next monday from SW Oklahoma to Kansas. Even though I'm a licensed CCW, no guns allowed on the bus or bus stop grounds, or in the checked luggage. What the heck??? You can take them on the AIRLINES in checked luggage, why not a bus? CCW only applies if you can drive your own car, or what?

 

[DerringerUser]

Hey, you cant blame them! I mean, obviously anyone who is riding on a bus with a concealed firearm, liscenced or not, is surely gonna commit a crime right?

 

[Aguila Blanca]

What bus company?

I recently dropped off my wife to take a Greyhound to visit a friend. Having seen some discussions like this, I wandered into the ticket office and looked for anything about guns. The greyhound "station" in our town is one room in a corner of the train station. There are no signs on the building prohibiting firearms. There are no signs on the door to the Greyhound office prohibiting firearms. I read every word of every document they had taped on the wall. I did find the previously mentioned notice (buried in fine print) that Greyhound does not accept firearms in checked baggage. There was NO MENTION of firearms in carry-on baggage, or on your person.

And there was not a metal detector to be seen.

 

[EOD Guy]

What bus company?

I recently dropped off my wife to take a Greyhound to visit a friend. Having seen some discussions like this, I wandered into the ticket office and looked for anything about guns. The greyhound "station" in our town is one room in a corner of the train station. There are no signs on the building prohibiting firearms. There are no signs on the door to the Greyhound office prohibiting firearms. I read every word of every document they had taped on the wall. I did find the previously mentioned notice (buried in fine print) that Greyhound does not accept firearms in checked baggage. There was NO MENTION of firearms in carry-on baggage, or on your person.

And there was not a metal detector to be seen.

There might not be any signs, but it is illegal to carry a firearm on a common carrier, such as Greyhound, without notifying the carrier and delivering custody of the firearm to the operator. If they won't allow the firearm, legally you are out of luck. See 27 CFR §478.31(a).

TITLE 27--ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS, AND FIREARMS

CHAPTER II--BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, AND EXPLOSIVES,
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

PART 478_COMMERCE IN FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION--Table of Contents

Subpart C_Administrative and Miscellaneous Provisions

Sec. 478.31 Delivery by common or contract carrier.

(a) No person shall knowingly deliver or cause to be delivered to
any common or contract carrier for transportation or shipment in
interstate or foreign commerce to any person other than a licensed
importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector,
any package or other container in which there is any firearm or
ammunition without written notice to the carrier that such firearm or
ammunition is being transported or shipped: Provided, That any passenger
who owns or legally possesses a firearm or ammunition being transported
aboard any common or contract carrier for movement with the passenger in
interstate or foreign commerce may deliver said firearm or ammunition
into the custody of the pilot, captain, conductor or operator of such
common or contract carrier for the duration of that trip without
violating any provision of this part.

I'm not sure this would apply to a trip that is entirely within one state since Greyhound is an interstate carrier and the bus route may cover more than one state.

 

[wdlsguy]

There might not be any signs, but it is illegal to carry a firearm on a common carrier, such as Greyhound, without notifying the carrier and delivering custody of the firearm to the operator.

The CFR you are quoting is a restatement of 18 USC 922(e):

It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to deliver or cause to be delivered to any common or contract carrier for transportation or shipment in interstate or foreign commerce, to persons other than licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors, any package or other container in which there is any firearm or ammunition without written notice to the carrier that such firearm or ammunition is being transported or shipped; except that any passenger who owns or legally possesses a firearm or ammunition being transported aboard any common or contract carrier for movement with the passenger in interstate or foreign commerce may deliver said firearm or ammunition into the custody of the pilot, captain, conductor or operator of such common or contract carrier for the duration of the trip without violating any of the provisions of this chapter. No common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag, or other written notice to be placed on the outside of any package, luggage, or other container that such package, luggage, or other container contains a firearm.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000922----000-.html

Because of this law, it is unlawful to check a firearm or ammunition without notifying Greyhound on an interstate bus trip. The problem is they will refuse to transport you if you do notify them.

This law doesn't seem to address carry on your person or in carryon luggage though. If they catch you they will kick you off the bus.

You also need to obey the firearm laws of each state you pass through, and some states do prohibit firearms on buses.

 

[Dolomite]

I just took the Lake-Express ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon this weekend to compete in the MI-IDPA Championship (a mind-bendingly tough, but fun, match).

As I was pulling in to their parking lot, there were huge signs at the entrances stating the "firearms were not allowed on the premises unless specifically authorized". "Oops", I thought.

I knew I should have called ahead, but ya know, I forgot. Anyway I walked up to the Wackenhut Security Professional and set my Glock shooting bag on the table and said, "Hi. I've got a firearm to declare. It's unloaded and in a locked case." She said, "Oh! Hold on a second." and took off inside the building. She came out with a rep from the ferry who was carrying a big black brief case. She took my DL, copied all the info, and informed that the gun would ride in a secured area controlled by the bridge and that I'd have to contact a customer service rep on the other side to retrieve it. All in all, it was not a big deal.

 

[atlctyslkr]

We have a nice set of state laws to deal with here on that subject. But I'm sure there are quite a few people who ride the buses and trains packing. I don't know any but I'm sure they are out there

 

[Aguila Blanca]

EOD guy --

Wdlsguy is correct. If you read that CFR citation carefully, it is expressly talking about "shipping" and "transporting," it does not address carrying a firearm yourself in your hand luggage, nor does it pertain to wearing a pistol on your person. The law you cite would make it illegal to have a firearm in your checked baggage without notifying the carrier.

I agree that if you were found out by Greyhound they would probably put you off the bus, and I don't pretend to know that CCW on an interstate bus might not violate some other Federal statute ... but it doesn't violate this one. My only point in my previous post in this thread, however, was to confirm that Greyhound's posted rules do not appear to even mention CCW; they only address firearms in checked baggage.

And there may be some lack of clarity in what constitutes "checked" baggage. Although my wife's suitcase went under the bus, in the "hold," rather than into the "cabin" with her, our station is denoted by Greyhound as one from and to which "checked" baggage service is not available. This may mean that if Greyhound doesn't take custody of your luggage and guarantee that they will shepherd it through transfers until you reach your final destination, it is "carry-on" luggage rather than checked baggage even when it rides in the bottom of the bus.

 

[EOD Guy]

EOD guy --

Wdlsguy is correct. If you read that CFR citation carefully, it is expressly talking about "shipping" and "transporting," it does not address carrying a firearm yourself in your hand luggage, nor does it pertain to wearing a pistol on your person. The law you cite would make it illegal to have a firearm in your checked baggage without notifying the carrier.

I agree that if you were found out by Greyhound they would probably put you off the bus, and I don't pretend to know that CCW on an interstate bus might not violate some other Federal statute ... but it doesn't violate this one. My only point in my previous post in this thread, however, was to confirm that Greyhound's posted rules do not appear to even mention CCW; they only address firearms in checked baggage.

And there may be some lack of clarity in what constitutes "checked" baggage. Although my wife's suitcase went under the bus, in the "hold," rather than into the "cabin" with her, our station is denoted by Greyhound as one from and to which "checked" baggage service is not available. This may mean that if Greyhound doesn't take custody of your luggage and guarantee that they will shepherd it through transfers until you reach your final destination, it is "carry-on" luggage rather than checked baggage even when it rides in the bottom of the bus.

I'm sorry, but I disagree. If you are carrying a firearm on a bus, you are transporting that firearm and notification to the carrier is required. Whether that carrier will accept custody of the firearm is up to them.

 

[gunsmith]

I called

greyhound a few years ago and asked if it was ok to bring my gun.
I was told that "it's not legal but you won't be searched, you know what I mean"

I replied, yes sir, loud and clear.

besides everyone knows that bus stations are seedy, dangerous and in the wrong part of town.

Why would you need a gun?

 

[richyoung]

Have been told by customer service rep of Jefferson Bus Lines that its ok so long as the pistol is disassembled, in a locked container, inside my luggage that goes in the bottom of the bus. Since its a 1911, no problem.