13.000 Commercial Vehicle Definition. A commercial vehicle is a type of vehicle: 1  Used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit (for example, a taxi or limousine).2  Designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property. A bus is a commercial vehicle when: 2  Used to transport persons for hire, compensation, or profit. 3  Bus transportation is supplied by a profit-making entity and a customer ends up paying for the bus service as part of the overall consideration for the primary service.