Traveling to Summer Camp

[penst8]

We typically have the same crew of drivers that drive to every outdoor function. It's all of our leaders and a few parents that chip in. I was with a new ASM last weekend at the Outdoor Leader Training and he mentioned that he's spent $200 on gas driving to our campouts since his son crossed over in April. For some that may not be a big deal but his wife is laid off and he just went to one week on and one week off so I understand his concern.

 

We're signed up to go to Blue Ridge Scout Reservation next summer. Roundtrip mileage will be close to 700 miles or in the average pickup about 35-40 gallons of gas. Do any of you add a small fee to the camp cost to help pay reimburse the drivers? They're already giving a week of their time, do they have to pay for all of the gas too?

 

I'm also concerned about having enough drivers to get 35 people to the camp. We're borderline on the transportation right now. All I need is for one of the committed leaders to back out and we're in serious trouble. Last year camp was 2 1/2 hours away and some parents did help out. They drove out with a full car and then came back at the end of camp to bring kids home. I doubt I'll get too many offers like that this year. I looked at 12-15 passenger vans but that will likely run around $600 for the week which would have to be paid for somehow.

 

Any suggestions would be apprecited. Thanks

[Mike F]

penst8,

 

Welcome to the campfire!

 

For longer trips, like your 700-mile trip to summer camp, I think transportation costs should be shared.

 

Those far-off summer camps are tempting, but we've found the extra cost prohibits some from attending.

[BrentAllen]

We add a transportation cost to every one of our trips, with the drivers being reimbursed. I calculate the cost at .20 per mile. For instance, if camp is 100 miles away, cost per vehicle will be $40. With 4 vehilces going, that equals $160. With 20 Scouts travelling, that equals $8 per Scout in travel cost. We build that expense into the cost of the trip.

[Mike F]

We only consider cost sharing for the big trips, like summer camp or high adventure.

 

For monthly campouts, any extra costs (gas, rentals, camp fees, etc.) come out of troop funds. Philosophy is that the monthly campout is troop program. Everyone in troop is invited and all members support it through dues. If some decide not to go, that's their choice. Active members get more bang for their buck.

[Nachamawat]

I would like to offer a point. Our troop traveled to summer camp out of council this year and we were lucky enough to have two more registered adults than needed to drive the vehicles. I only point that out because we ran into a medical emergency with an adult leader who needed to remain hospitalized at the end of the week. Thankfully we had the manpower to return home with all our Scouts, equipment, and vehicles in one convoy because we had extra drivers along. This became really apparent after another recent camping trip where a Scout was injured and a late night hospital run caused a delay for all because we only had two drivers and two vehicles.

 

So perhaps some planning should be considered for a long trip like penst8 is talking about including a contingency plan for illness or other emergency involving a driver or requiring the driver to remain awake too long to be alert for a return trip on the scheduled day.

[boomerscout]

am I correct in understanding that $600 for a 12 passenger van includes it just sitting at Blue Ridge most of the week?

You are looking for drop-off and (later) return. Have you contacted various bus companies for a quote? In the Yellow Pages look under Motor Coaches. Don't know if it will be cheaper, but won't cost much to find out.

[kbandit]

We build the travel cost into the campout/summer camp. If it relativley close campout then no we do not add the travel.

 

For summer camp this year our troop was $10/person under gas budget. So new scout books were purchased. Troop ate some gas for the year before at $4.00 + /gal.

 

Had an unemployed scouter pulling trailer to camp and did help him with gas w/CC's blessing.

[eagle90]

For Summer Camp and High Adventure activities (Our summer camp is 350 miles away, one way) we charge the scouts a transportation fee, normally $25.00. In years when the gas prices soared above what we had anticipated, we added an additional $20 surcharge and received absolutely no complaints.

 

We do not reimburse drivers for weekend campouts.

[packsaddle]

For the long trips we split the fuel costs and reimburse the drivers. If possible we use the church bus and split the fuel costs for that thing. It actually costs less to use than covering the fuel for a fleet of private vehicles. But we have to compete with other users to get it.

For short trips (50 miles or so, we don't have guidelines) we just eat the costs personally. We should probably go to a system such as mentioned by Brent but so far I guess no one has made the suggestion.

[Eamonn]

" A Scout is thrifty".

I don't think anyone should pay their own way and pay for the cost of whatever it costs.

The cost of gas for a short trip is only a few extra dollars per head. Having a couple of people pay the full cost? Just isn't fair.

I don't know of any Scout group that offers to pay for the wear and tear of a vehicle. Towing a good sized boat takes its toll on any vehicle.

I'd much rather rent a couple of vans and have everyone share the cost than see a couple of people end up out of pocket.

Eamonn

[Gunny2862]

Not just for summer camp but for any outing, we added a flat fuel surcharge to the camping fee last year when gas spiked.

Before that we simply reimbursed any driver who asked and presented a fuel receipt (Driver fuels before trip - fuels after trip - the after trip receipt is reimbursed)from the Troop general fund.

 

The fuel surcharge was the first increase in any Troop level fee in more than 15 years - now fuel receipts are charged to the camping fee first and then any remaining unpaid receipts reimbursed from the general Troop fund. Any unused camping fee/fuel surcharge is held over for longer trips.(This message has been edited by Gunny2862)

[Eagle92]

As you can see there are many ways of doing it. In my old troop, leaders who drove on the monthly campout had their way paid for them, no reinbursement for gas EXCEPT the guy towing the trailer.

 

Summer camp was a littel different, you got part of the way paid for.

 

Now the one summer they did an out of council and out of state summer camp, I beleive everyone was reinbursed for gas.

 

[DeanRx]

I've never asked for reimbursement for driving to a campout / scout function, as I figure I would most likely be attending myself anyways, if I take more than just me and the son - then good, others get to come along.

 

One thing I do, however, is keep a small notebook in my glovebox and write down EVERY scout related trip I take (to the scout shop, to the uniform exchange, to trainings, to campouts, etc....)

 

Then those pages get copied at the end of the year to my accountant and I take them as a mileage tax write off (as I was never reimbursed for the cost incured) on my personal tax return. Start writing it down and deduct it - you'd be surprised how much it adds up. Not sure, but I think you can get a rate of $0.48 / mile now. Take that times 2000 miles in a year and I get nearly a $1000 write-off, thats worth the price of gas.

 

That and running purchases through my personal credit card (i.e. foods / materials for unit functions), so that I may get the airline miles before being reimbursed are really the only "pay" I get for my hours of service to the unit. Like I stated before - you'd be surprised how much it adds up when you track the total miles driven for scout functions in a single year.

 

High adventure or far away campout - yes, I'd say build travel expenses into the cost. I myself would feel funny asking a scout or parent to share the "gas money" when its something I would be driving myself and son to anyways with or without the additional unit members along for the ride.

 

That being said - most of the time when I drive and another adult rides in my car (with several scouts), I seldom have to pay for a meal when we stop en route, as the "passenger" usually offers to buy me lunch as a token way of showing appreciation for my driving for the event

[mbrownkc7]

I understand you point Deanrx but if I wasn't driving a car load of boys and thier gear, I would be driving a more econonical car versus a full size SUV.

 

Each time when we get back from a trip my son and I also stop at the car wash and vacum out the car and wash it. I am always suprised how much dirt we bring back from a trip.

 

I am in no way complaining because I love going on trips with the scout troop and I love providing a ride to those who don't have one. But I don't have any problem charging everyone who goes a few dollars for gas. And we do charge everyone including drivers and then we try to divide it up fairly with the the person pulling the trailer getting a double share. I also must say that as a driver you never come out ahead. The amount we charge is never enough to cover the full cost of gas let alone wear and tear on your vehicle.

[nolesrule]

I am not an accountant, but my dad is. I am also a small business owner, so I'm familiar with the mileage rules.

 

1) the deduction for charitable work, in which scouting would qualify is 14 cents per mile. Only business use of a personal vehicle qualifies for such a high rate (55 cents).

 

2) If you don't itemize, you're not getting a deduction. And even if you do take the deduction, your tax savings is only equal to your tax rate anyway, so a direct reimbusement is a "better deal".