USA Bus Lines

Working with a charter bus company? Lower Prices vs. Newer Fleet?

I've done one charter on a 47 seat coach. Cost me $90 per hour for four hours driving and $30 per hour for six hours waiting, for a total of $540. I sold 46 seats for $30 each on this trip, that's $1380. I ran an ad in a local weekly paper for two weeks and that cost about $100. I put an ad on a local radio station that cost $150 for 15 times played. I made nearly $600 for about 20 hours work. The bus was old but rebuilt (1984). It was OK, but nothing to brag about. This company has two similar buses. Another company I contacted has somewhat newer buses, most 1988-93. They also have a few 45' buses, which seat 55, vs. 40' buses which seat only 47. Some of their buses are 8' wide and some are 8'6" wide.The company I used only has 8' wide buses. The costs with the other company are about 25% higher. The buses are still pretty old, but again rebuilt and look OK. For future trips, what would you choose? Would slightly newer be worth slightly more money?

Public Comments

1. what does your gut tell you that is the real answer to this question.