Passenger Bus

[jpstodwftexas]

Okay Okay I know some of ya will think it is Crazy..

I have been eyeing Passenger buses on Ebay..

I think it would be a great Idea.

Would consolidate number of Vehicles needed..possibly even the Trailer..plenty of Cargo space in Most..I have been looking at 48+ passenger buses

Make long Trips easier...especially if Bus has Restroom.

More Fun...DVD and Music equipment.

 

As Owner I could also rent out the Bus.

Would allow me to decorate with graphics

 

[Basementdweller]

Can you afford the insurance policy for a 48 passenger bus.........not to mention the maintenance and DOT inspections.

 

Then think about an accident and medical bills for your personally owned Bus.

 

the level of personal liability is more than what I can stomach or afford.

 

[Twocubdad]

You're right. It's crazy.

[Stosh]

With the cost of insurance, maintenance and gas for the typical bus, it would be far easier and cheaper to charter on an as needed basis. If one were "donating" the bus, it would be easier, cheaper, and safer to donate the cost of the charter. Don't forget with a 48 passenger bus, you will need a commercial license as well.

 

I would never do this.

[frankpalazzi]

Take it from one who works in the industry---it IS crazy. The insurance, maintenance, fuel, and repairs (and they are constant!) will kill your troop budget! My advice, if you're licensed to drive a "Class B" bus, you're better off renting as needed from a local school bus company! Also, buying any kind of vehicle on Ebay is NEVER a wise idea! In my troop, when the need arises, the boss donates the bus, the driver (me) works for free, and the Troop pays for the fuel used. And my daily driver(which is an '08) gets a whopping 8MPG!

[packsaddle]

My old church tried that approach. They saw charters and rentals as money down a rat hole so they bought a bus. When the costs of maintaining it, insurance, finding a driver with a commercial license, etc. all started to roost on their budget, they began to see charters and rentals in a brighter light. The bus eventually was used for Sunday-school classes and later it was sold for whatever they could get for it. That was quite a while ago. Many years later, the idea came up again to 'save' money by owning instead of renting a bus. LOL, they almost did it again!

[jpstodwftexas]

My Dodge 1500 4x4 Quad Cab get 10.5 Miles per Gallon. been looking around at other places Besides Ebay for a Bus. The Buses I have been looking at have passed Inspections. Several Groups have asked about charters if I do get one..so could pick up a few dollars here and there to cover some of the Costs. Been looking at several Conversions also. A Converted Charter is Cheaper than some many used RVs..added benefits no more Tent. haha. Still depending on How Many times it can be used it might be okay. I agree if it is used 1 or 2 times to Travel it wouldn't be worth it.

[Twocubdad]

Years ago, the first time gas spiked to $4, there was a thread here about a unit that bought a fleet of gas guzzlin' SUVs (Suburbans, Expeditions, etc.) on the cheap. wOnly driving them once a month or so, gas economy wasn't a big deal, but the initial investment was relative low, insurance (especially compared to anything more than 14 passengers) wasn't crazy, normal drivers' license was good enough and one vehicle generally equaled on patrol. I didn't run the numbers myself, but it was an interesting idea.

[King Ding Dong]

My Dodge 1500 4x4 Quad Cab get 10.5 Miles per Gallon. been looking around at other places Besides Ebay for a Bus. The Buses I have been looking at have passed Inspections. Several Groups have asked about charters if I do get one..so could pick up a few dollars here and there to cover some of the Costs. Been looking at several Conversions also. A Converted Charter is Cheaper than some many used RVs..added benefits no more Tent. haha. Still depending on How Many times it can be used it might be okay. I agree if it is used 1 or 2 times to Travel it wouldn't be worth it.

Ad a kegorator and some removable brass poles and you could make some good coin on bachelor parties. Just sayin.

[jpstodwftexas]

Well I will say that a Single bus would come in Handy this Weekend..Close to 30 Scouters Going to Turner Falls Ok... 206 mile Round Trip..& 7 Vehicles Total.. 12.50 Per Night Vehicle Charge.plus 12.00 Per Night Per Scouter.. Luckily Half the Scouts are not going..If We had the Bus we would Be out just about the same Amount of Gas I will use on my Pick up based on the Estimated MPG given Earlier. We would be down to one Vehicle. We could run the Theater and My CPAP off the Bus..Have not decided if I will pony up the 25.00 per night additional if I can get an RV spot with Water and Electricity..Otherwise I will just run it off the Pick up power converter.. 7x12.5x2=175. New Troop so No Idea how Gas Mileage is Paid..But I figure around another 175 if troop reimburses everyone.. So 300...granted this is just one trip Even if 1 More Scouter would have gone we would have had to have 1 more Vehicle.

 

King Ding Dong.. I am looking Around 10,000 for the Buses I have My Eye on, Saw several Converted Party buses they start around 45,000.. but only carry about 25 Comfortably. I am sure Alcohol consumption would run up Insurance cost more than a troop of Scouts

 

I have Manged to get the Meals down to $10.00 per person but we still need Ice and a few More Essentials

 

Ewww just had an after thought...Could eliminate the 7 Ice Chests and coolers with a Refrigerated unit in one of the Holds

[Basementdweller]

Well I will say that a Single bus would come in Handy this Weekend..Close to 30 Scouters Going to Turner Falls Ok... 206 mile Round Trip..& 7 Vehicles Total.. 12.50 Per Night Vehicle Charge.plus 12.00 Per Night Per Scouter.. Luckily Half the Scouts are not going..If We had the Bus we would Be out just about the same Amount of Gas I will use on my Pick up based on the Estimated MPG given Earlier. We would be down to one Vehicle. We could run the Theater and My CPAP off the Bus..Have not decided if I will pony up the 25.00 per night additional if I can get an RV spot with Water and Electricity..Otherwise I will just run it off the Pick up power converter.. 7x12.5x2=175. New Troop so No Idea how Gas Mileage is Paid..But I figure around another 175 if troop reimburses everyone.. So 300...granted this is just one trip Even if 1 More Scouter would have gone we would have had to have 1 more Vehicle.

 

King Ding Dong.. I am looking Around 10,000 for the Buses I have My Eye on, Saw several Converted Party buses they start around 45,000.. but only carry about 25 Comfortably. I am sure Alcohol consumption would run up Insurance cost more than a troop of Scouts

 

I have Manged to get the Meals down to $10.00 per person but we still need Ice and a few More Essentials

 

Ewww just had an after thought...Could eliminate the 7 Ice Chests and coolers with a Refrigerated unit in one of the Holds

You didn't actually say theater did you?????

[Basementdweller]

Well I will say that a Single bus would come in Handy this Weekend..Close to 30 Scouters Going to Turner Falls Ok... 206 mile Round Trip..& 7 Vehicles Total.. 12.50 Per Night Vehicle Charge.plus 12.00 Per Night Per Scouter.. Luckily Half the Scouts are not going..If We had the Bus we would Be out just about the same Amount of Gas I will use on my Pick up based on the Estimated MPG given Earlier. We would be down to one Vehicle. We could run the Theater and My CPAP off the Bus..Have not decided if I will pony up the 25.00 per night additional if I can get an RV spot with Water and Electricity..Otherwise I will just run it off the Pick up power converter.. 7x12.5x2=175. New Troop so No Idea how Gas Mileage is Paid..But I figure around another 175 if troop reimburses everyone.. So 300...granted this is just one trip Even if 1 More Scouter would have gone we would have had to have 1 more Vehicle.

 

King Ding Dong.. I am looking Around 10,000 for the Buses I have My Eye on, Saw several Converted Party buses they start around 45,000.. but only carry about 25 Comfortably. I am sure Alcohol consumption would run up Insurance cost more than a troop of Scouts

 

I have Manged to get the Meals down to $10.00 per person but we still need Ice and a few More Essentials

 

Ewww just had an after thought...Could eliminate the 7 Ice Chests and coolers with a Refrigerated unit in one of the Holds

So are you scout master?????

 

Why are you planning the menu?

[jpstodwftexas]

Our troop has "Scout Fun Trips" and this is one, this Camp out The Adults do all the Work and we treat the Boys to special events. Instead of Individual patrols we are just camping as one.. And Yes I said Theater. I have a Projector, Laptop and sound systems I use. We will be showing a Movie on Friday and Saturday Night. I also set the system up in the front yard and show neighborhood movies. Right now I project on a White King sized sheet. Eventually I want a Blow up screen. It Can do a 27 wide x 15 high projection. We may be showing a movie at Cub-N-Pal to The Boys . I am the Troop Adult Quartermaster and a Committee Member. I love to cook so instead of parents doing the buying and cooking I volunteered.

[Twocubdad]

So the "fun trips" are the ones where you abandon the BSA program? What does that say about the trips where the Scouts plan things, cook for themselves, build fires, go climbing, hiking, canoeing, etc.?

 

Yeah, absolutely spend the extra money to get the party bus.

 

(Sorry, labeling the anti-Scouting activities as the "fun stuff" is a pet peeve of mine.)

[Stosh]

So the "fun trips" are the ones where you abandon the BSA program? What does that say about the trips where the Scouts plan things, cook for themselves, build fires, go climbing, hiking, canoeing, etc.?

 

Yeah, absolutely spend the extra money to get the party bus.

 

(Sorry, labeling the anti-Scouting activities as the "fun stuff" is a pet peeve of mine.)

I guess the not fun stuff means the scout program.

 

I love to cook, but I don't, not because I can't, but because it is more important for the boys to have the opportunity than it is for me to take it away from them.

 

The only time I cook on an outing is when I do it as a teaching opportunity. When the boys get into a rut about their menus, I take an event, drop out of the food option and cook for myself, making sure the boys all get an opportunity to see what some of the other alternatives are out there that they may wish to consider for future outings. Scalloped potatoes and ham is a mega easy recipe, but one never sees it on the standard scout outing menu. There are a ton of things out there that the boys aren't exposed to, and to do it for them isn't the way to go about it in my book. Mentor the GrubMaster, don't cook for him.