Passenger Bus

[perdidochas]

Our troop has "Scout Fun Trips" and this is one' date=' 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.[/quote']

 

Your "Scout Fun Trips" sounds like Cub Scouts. We do occasionally cook for the boys, and have special events (have shown movies at campouts), but honestly, I'm too lazy to set up the tents, etc. for a troop of boys.

 

We just had a fun campout. First, the scouts got to set up tents and lanterns, then they played some field game (maybe Manhunt). They cooked themselves breakfast in the morning, and cleaned up after themselves. Then we played in a small river/kayaked/ziplined/blobbed (inflatable thing that allows one person to propel another into the air into the water). Had lunch. Played some more. The boys made themselves dinner and cleaned up afterwards, then they made a small fire, played some "Capture the Flag" and went to bed. IN the morning they made breakfast, cleaned up. put their stuff up, packed the trailer and went home. Was a fun campout, but then again, all campouts are fun. The fun in camping is the cooking, and doing things around camp. I know that's why I do it.

[perdidochas]

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.)

How do you do the scalloped potatoes and ham? Sounds like a good one to add to our camp repertoire.

[Khaliela]

I'm voting crazy.

 

A passenger bus cannot ford a river of make it over "kelly-humps." In fact it can't go a lot of places. Do you really want to limit the boys scouting experience to places with pavement because that's only as far as the bus can go?

[5yearscouter]

That sounds like a really really BAD idea....be sure you check insurance costs, I don't think it's as low as you think it is to get the necessary coverage for a bus full of youth. And if you are renting this out to drive other people around, that means you are a commercial bus operator, which may require quite a few city or state permits, as well as storage facility for the thing.

[eaglewolfdad]

The nightmare would be a used bus breaking down in the middle of nowhere on a Friday night headed to an outing

[jpstodwftexas]

I actually looked into it a little..Texas Exempts some portions of CDL for NONprofits. It Can be registered as a Noncommercial Vehicle. No I won't be renting out the Bus for hire. Meaning I won't have to have registration and inspection fees for every state it would drive through. Progressive said it could be covered as An RV which means I can get the same Price for Roadside Coverage for the same price of my Roadside Coverage I currently have on my Dodge 1500 4x4 Quad Cab seating 5 max. I am giving 15,000 for My Pickup I have a seller willing to sale one for 8500 if I can get financing.

 

.. Fun as in Whatever the Boys Decide..No set Deadlines..No Patrols...No Mandatory Work on Merit Badges..No Mandatory You have to participate in a 20 mile 80 lb Backpack 6 am road march..No competition to pit Patrols against anyone to see who did what best.. I am going Up early Friday to help make sure we get a Campsite...I will set Up My Truck Tent and 3 Pop Up Canopies For kitchen Area..Taking Up Propane stove for kitchen..Area in Burn Ban, No Wood Fires Allowed. There goes the Trailer Mounted BBQ Trailer. Rest of Troop is caravaning up after 5:30 pm for almost 2 Hour Drive. Everyone sets up their own Tents...Boys decide if We explore one or all 3 caves at Turner Falls. How Long or If they Will Swim...how Long or if they will Hike...Or Explore the Castle...There will be No Campsite Inspections

 

I do have a CD of Bugle Calls..Not sure Everyone in Public Camp will appreciate First Call...Reville..Assembly...Mess Calls..Attention...Flourishes...to The Colors...retreat...tattoo and Taps but we will see.....

 

We will adhere to BSA safety Guidelines for activities. Everyone who is registered are required to Travel 2 and From in Class A. Parts A and B Physicals are required. Campground has lifeguards so we will not be requiring Boys to Be Lifeguards or Look Outs.

[jpstodwftexas]

The nightmare would be a used bus breaking down in the middle of nowhere on a Friday night headed to an outing

 

 

Same as Any Loaded Vehicle any Trip...Especially ones without Roadside assistance..Car with No Extra seating do not help if ones breaks down any ways

[jpstodwftexas]

I'm voting crazy.

 

A passenger bus cannot ford a river of make it over "kelly-humps." In fact it can't go a lot of places. Do you really want to limit the boys scouting experience to places with pavement because that's only as far as the bus can go?

Ummmmm... We don't off Road..Vehicles stop in Designated Parking Areas..off Roading is done by foot, by bike, by boat, by horse or by pack mule...If the Boys go hiking They go on Foot From Designated Drop off Points..If They want to do A River Crossing they do it on foot or by Boat..A Bus will get the Boys to any Camping Area we go to right Now. A Bus will not limit the places the Boys will go for Scouting Experiences. They want the Grand Canyon a Bus Will get them there. If They Want Yellowstone a Bus will get them to the Park. They want Northern Tier Bus will get them there..staff will get them everywhere while at Camp, same with Florida sea Base, or even Philmont

[frankpalazzi]

The nightmare would be a used bus breaking down in the middle of nowhere on a Friday night headed to an outing

 

 

Same as Any Loaded Vehicle any Trip...Especially ones without Roadside assistance..Car with No Extra seating do not help if ones breaks down any ways

Duplicate Post.

[frankpalazzi]

The nightmare would be a used bus breaking down in the middle of nowhere on a Friday night headed to an outing

 

 

Same as Any Loaded Vehicle any Trip...Especially ones without Roadside assistance..Car with No Extra seating do not help if ones breaks down any ways

Sounds like we can't convince you that this isn't a good idea. You will need a MINIMUM of $1 million liability, and your roadside assistance is only as good as what the tow truck can fix on the spot. It's not easy to get a vehicle that can tow a bus. Your group will be standing at the side of the road for hours--they can't be in the bus while it's being towed. ONE tire will cost you around $300--flat tire is automatic tow---that runs into the hundreds.---don't try to save money by putting recaps on the front, it is against Federal and all State law. (because it's DANGEROUS!) You won't be able to get parts at Pep Boys or Autozone, and " Be Prepared" to pay 2-3X what you thought the parts would cost when you do locate them.

 

Again, I work in the School Bus industry, so I know these facts all too well. Plus, over the last 42 years, our Troop has owned 2 School Buses--wasn't so bad when the SM was a mechanic, but after that, you're stuck. Try getting RID of a bus when you decide you no longer want it, or it's beyond repair---lots of fun there too! 1-877-Kars-4-Kids WON'T take it!

 

 

Do you really still want to do this? It's not a question of "if" you have problems, it's a question of "WHEN" you have problems!

[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.)

Ingredients

 

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon butter

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

4 large russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

12 ounces 1/4 inch sliced baked ham

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Do in a Dutch Oven) Butter a baking dish. Make sure your DO is well seasoned, add a bit of oil to make sure. In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium high heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in milk. Return pan to heat and bring to a simmer while stirring. When sauce has thickened remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a skillet, cook onions in melted butter until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 1/3 of the white sauce in bottom of baking dish and top with half of the potatoes. Spread out half of the onions, ham, cheese And another third of the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Continue layering ingredients, ending with the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

 

You can also use SPAM instead of ham.

[Khaliela]

I'm voting crazy.

 

A passenger bus cannot ford a river of make it over "kelly-humps." In fact it can't go a lot of places. Do you really want to limit the boys scouting experience to places with pavement because that's only as far as the bus can go?

The same cannot be said for this area. Most camping is done on State Lands or in National Forest, which means logging roads. The engineers don't use a lot of culverts here, so logging roads mean Kelly-humps and fording creeks and rivers. We also have good mix of snow and mud on the roads well into June; I don't expect your bus will handle well in wet, sloppy snow. We don't "off-road" either, but a bus wouldn't be able to get you to a camping spot given the condition of the roads and if you could get to a spot you wouldn't have room to turn that bad boy around!

 

If you want to do your camping on pavement so be it; but just because it's dirt doesn't mean it isn't a road.

[Eliza]

As a parent, I would be extremely hesitant about putting my son on bus that was not owned and run by a professional bus company. I would make up some excuse, like being in the area, no trouble to drop son off, etc. Or skip the trip entirely. Have you got a sense of whether people in your troop would actually want to use your bus?

 

Also, I noticed you mentioned a CPAP. If this were an indication of medical issues that might impact driving, I would run, not walk, away. I am sorry if this sounds harsh.

 

It sounds as though you have a lot of energy and commitment. Are there merit badges that you could be a counselor for, instead of doing the bus thing?

[King Ding Dong]

As a parent, I would be extremely hesitant about putting my son on bus that was not owned and run by a professional bus company. I would make up some excuse, like being in the area, no trouble to drop son off, etc. Or skip the trip entirely. Have you got a sense of whether people in your troop would actually want to use your bus?

 

Also, I noticed you mentioned a CPAP. If this were an indication of medical issues that might impact driving, I would run, not walk, away. I am sorry if this sounds harsh.

 

It sounds as though you have a lot of energy and commitment. Are there merit badges that you could be a counselor for, instead of doing the bus thing?

I would be much more concerned if he didn't use his CPAP. Apnea is only a problem when you sleep.

[Bookemdano]

I live in a smaller area and thankfully our local school lets us use a bus for our Cub Scout trip every year. We have to provide a licensed driver (thankfully my dad is a teacher AND a bus driver for the school) and pay for fuel.