BG984 Posted March 5 Posted March 5 So, I had a rather enlightening experience yesterday afternoon. There is a business highway that I am on (in Fla.) from time to time. A few years ago, I noticed a HUGE bus operation, with a ton of nice-looking tour buses in there....many, many buses. I finally stopped. The place does not lease buses; just sales. New and used. So, I inquired as to what the brand new 60 seater goes for these days.....just over $600,000!! They also sell an 81 seater......if you had just 2 more seats, you could get a full corps onto 2 buses (yes, you would still need something more for staff/volunteers, but that has always been the case. However, they also sell used, the oldest being 2009....the cheapest I saw was 59K for what looked to be a well-kept vehicle but high miles. Warrantees only on new buses, though I think he said something about transferring warranties still in place on very late models . You can road test and bring in mechanics to check them out as well. I could be wrong, but I think every major competitor that I have seen in recent years use bus companies. I believe that is because insurance is on the company and not the corps, and that's a biggie. The other biggie is that if/when a breakdown occurs, the company either has to get a very quick repair, or send out a replacement vehicle. I do know that how drivers are handled varies. I doubt that corps will ever return to their own fleets of buses, but never say never. I do know that bus company costs have skyrocketed in recent years for the corps'....especially since covid. The one honcho overheard me talking about corps, and I did get to ask him some questions....he did indicate that there were a "few corps" down here that they dealt with years ago....he didn't remember names, but I would bet on Suncoast Sound and Magic. He told me that the industry is hurting and bus sales have been down, with everyone treading water. Sad. The name of the company is ABC, and they have 10 locations nationwide. So, if you have 1.8 million in extra cash laying around , you can send a corps down the road in brand new rides (but you'll have to provide the drivers and all of the insurance as well).....lol,,, 2 1 Quote
copyright Posted March 5 Posted March 5 I appreciate the research. It seems some corps still one or two of their own coaches just to get them down the road in case of emergencies and for the occasional camp. Just because corps did at one time own busses doesn’t mean that it was the smartest thing to do from a liability perspective. 3 Quote
flugelswerebugels Posted March 5 Posted March 5 It was always cool to see corps busses pull into the lot with their names and logos on the side. WIth rentals that doesn't happen. Or could someone make magnetic stickers so we could temporarily have our nostalgia! 2 Quote
craiga Posted March 5 Posted March 5 Agreed. But it has to be said that back when corps is owned their own buses many were actual deathtraps limping their way across the country with someone's Uncle Bob in a dirty tee shirt at the wheel. SCV's buses being the exception in those days. Many had no AC, windows which didn't open, and offered a plethora of nauseating odors. Also, it should be said that in the current era of rented buses, if there is a breakdown the corps tour director calls the bus company and they send a new replacement asap. I personally slept on the side of the road twice in the 1980s, so I have no nostalgia for those days. If you haven't been on a 55 passenger lately, they look and feel like a small commuter jet, complete with personalized ac controls, Wi-Fi, and hi def screens. Also, no more sleeping on the overhead racks! 2 1 Quote
Sh0uldN0t Posted March 6 Posted March 6 It's been one of the fastest-rising costs for corps recently. I've heard figures like an extra $100,000 year to year for some corps. That's a busload of member fees and a fleet's worth of t-shirts. One reason why is drivers. They're in short supply and can afford to be pickier than ever. Why choose air mattresses and chuck wagon food when other tours are offering four-star hotels and restaurants? Bus companies are having to pay up for drivers. It's one of the many details afflicting the budgets of corps. Quote
BG984 Posted March 6 Author Posted March 6 5 hours ago, craiga said: Agreed. But it has to be said that back when corps is owned their own buses many were actual deathtraps limping their way across the country with someone's Uncle Bob in a dirty tee shirt at the wheel. SCV's buses being the exception in those days. Many had no AC, windows which didn't open, and offered a plethora of nauseating odors. Also, it should be said that in the current era of rented buses, if there is a breakdown the corps tour director calls the bus company and they send a new replacement asap. I personally slept on the side of the road twice in the 1980s, so I have no nostalgia for those days. If you haven't been on a 55 passenger lately, they look and feel like a small commuter jet, complete with personalized ac controls, Wi-Fi, and hi def screens. Also, no more sleeping on the overhead racks! Only twice along the side of the road?? You did good!! 1 Quote
BG984 Posted March 6 Author Posted March 6 1 hour ago, Sh0uldN0t said: It's been one of the fastest-rising costs for corps recently. I've heard figures like an extra $100,000 year to year for some corps. That's a busload of member fees and a fleet's worth of t-shirts. One reason why is drivers. They're in short supply and can afford to be pickier than ever. Why choose air mattresses and chuck wagon food when other tours are offering four-star hotels and restaurants? Bus companies are having to pay up for drivers. It's one of the many details afflicting the budgets of corps. Insurance is huge, too. As premiums skyrocket, those increases are passed on to the consumer. 1 Quote
cixelsyd Posted March 6 Posted March 6 On 3/5/2026 at 1:04 AM, BG984 said: I could be wrong, but I think every major competitor that I have seen in recent years use bus companies. I believe that is because insurance is on the company and not the corps, and that's a biggie. It is tempting to think that, but you end up paying either way. Honestly, the real reason leasing makes more sense today is because the typical corps only uses buses at most 80 days out of 365. Drum corps is no longer the year-round activity it was 60 or more years ago. 2 1 Quote
IllianaLancerContra Posted March 6 Posted March 6 11 hours ago, BG984 said: Insurance is huge, too. As premiums skyrocket, those increases are passed on to the consumer. Imagine trying to get insurance for a 30-yr old bus driven by the 22-yr old assistant tenor tech who doesn’t have a CDL. 1 3 Quote
MikeN Posted March 6 Posted March 6 14 hours ago, Sh0uldN0t said: It's been one of the fastest-rising costs for corps recently. I've heard figures like an extra $100,000 year to year for some corps. That's a busload of member fees and a fleet's worth of t-shirts. One reason why is drivers. They're in short supply and can afford to be pickier than ever. Why choose air mattresses and chuck wagon food when other tours are offering four-star hotels and restaurants? Bus companies are having to pay up for drivers. It's one of the many details afflicting the budgets of corps. We ran into that issue back in my last year with Guardians. Our saving grace was the company we ended up using was run by an ex-corps guy, so he was able to convince the drivers on our behalf. Mike Quote
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