Re: Roundtable help & Troop Bus
Marie E. Lackore (mlackore@ATHENET.NET)
Fri, 27 Sep 1996 17:37:37 +0000
Cliff Keese wrote:
>
> 2. troop bus - Our troop has been offered the title to a 66-passenger
> school bus that had been previously used by another church's urban
> ministry program ( they just recently obtained a couple of 14 - passenger
> vans and don't need the big bus). The bus won't cost the troop anything,
> it's being offered to us free of charge. We could use the room,
> transportation for any troop activity involves Desert Storm like preplanning
> ( as I said above we're a large troop, we rechartered with 60 boys and
> had 36 Webelos scouts bridge over into the New Scout patrols in the
> spring and expect a few more from this falls School Night for Scouting.)
> My question(s) are these: Has anyone had any experience with having a
> troop bus, what are the insurance problems, what is the annual cost of
> maintaining a vehicle of this type, what do you do for drivers, etc. Our
> chartering organization is a church and the troop is an official ministry of
> the church, which means that if we get the bus the actual owner ( I
> suppose ) would be the church and the Board of Trustees has some
> concerns about the whole project.
Troop busses are great! However, they are expensive. We have had
ours since March and I can't tell you annual costs. However, the
insurance is $800.00 a year. It gets about six to eight miles to the
gallon. So...depending on your mileage....you can figure the
approximate cost in gasoline.
It's an 1984, and we've done quite a bit of replacing of parts
already. New battery, new starter, just to name a few.
We are fortunate in that my husband is an Engineer and works for
Pierce Manufacturing (heavy trucks). He is in the cab and chassis
division. So...we have yet to pay any labor charges. The troop has
only absorbed the cost of parts. We have probably invested about
$500.00 in parts.
Keep in mind that the only people who can drive the bus are those who
hold a CDL (Commercial Driver's License) with a passenger
endoresement. Again, we are lucky, my husband has such a license.
We are working on getting several other parents licensed, however,
the insurance company is very strict. They want an experienced
driver (someone with at least two years experience), so it will be a
couple of years before my husband can get off the hook. Meanwhile,
once we have parents with the proper license, they will be able to
drive the bus in good conditions under his direction to get the
experience they need.
Other things - if the bus is yellow, you will have to have it painted
(that cost about $2,000.00). You have to have even further
endoresements to drive a yellow school bus.
Also, you must have it inspected annually to be sure that it is safe.
This also costs money. Fortunately, again, with my husband's
connections, we did not incur the full costs of doing this.
All in all, it has been a great piece of inventory for the troop. We
can all drive in one vehicle, and the boys have become closer as a
result. We can do all kinds of silly games, songs, etc. on the bus.
They really do have fun.
My husband has also taken the back three seats on each side out and
put in shelves, so that we can travel with our gear and not worry
about it sliding around. You must be very careful when travelling to
always adhere to the safety rules, one of which is to make sure that
the aisle is kept clear at all times.
What else can I tell you that would be of benefit to you? Let me
know!
YiS,
Marie E. Lackore
A loyal Green Bay Packer Fan
Family Camping Group Coordinator
(among other things)
Gathering Waters District, Bay-Lakes Council
Appleton, WI 54914
I used to be a BEAR, a good old BEAR too...
(C-17-94)
Super Bowl XXXI...here we come!
mlackore@athenet.net
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
