Qualifications to be Div. I

[FlagForever]

Cadets, Cavies, Blue Knights, Cap. Reg., Glassmen, Colts, Blue Stars, Southwind are still own their own buses.

Magic also owns and operates Magical Charters, its bus company.

[raphael18]

I don't know of a single corps that uses volunteer BUS drivers.

I know Phantom Regiment's lead driver (Bob) is a volunteer, and has been doing it forever now (he's awesome by the way).

Also, as of at least 2002 Madison still had volunteers driving their busses.

Of course, they all need to have their CDLs.

[MsBusDriver]

I don't know of a single corps that uses volunteer BUS drivers. Even those that I know of that own their own bus companies still employ professional drivers (at least to my knowledge). My dad has come on tour with me as a driver in the past, but only for the volunteer van. I've heard of volunteers driving equipment and food trucks, volunteer vans, souvie wagons, and other corps vehicles, but never member/staff buses.

:OT: ...WARNING... :OT:

I would say that most Corps that own their own buses usually use School Bus drivers since they have the Summer off and can do most if not all of tour. They can suppliment with City Bus drivers or Truck drivers who can find the time to drive. You just can't come in off the street and hop into a bus and drive it. Ya gotta have your CDL. A Charter company may insist that their own drivers drive their equipment, but there can be exceptions.

I drove SCV full tour from '90 to '93, the years I drove a School Bus. When I went to a City bus, my vacation time was limited and I could only help drive SCV home from finals (double teams).

This past Summer, I got enough Vacation time from Spokane Transit and I was "hired" by the Charter Bus company that Spokane Thunder used. The rest of our drivers who were "hired" by the Company were also School Bus drivers. We were all trained on their equipment and had to submit to all CDL requirements.

I still think that when you compare the amount of miles that each Corps drive every Summer (SCV averaged 15,000 a Summer), to the amount of accidents that have unfortunately occured, you will find that we are the safest drivers out there. Everyone takes getting our "Precious Cargo" from one show to another and home again very, very seriously. They may be the "Staffs kids" on the field, but when they get on our bus, they turn into "Our Kids", and we're gonna take care of them as if each of them were one of our own.

Oh, and to clarify one thing. Some really do "Volunteer" and don't get paid. But, most I'm sure, do get some kind of payment from the Corps. Hey. Drivers gotta eat too ya know :P

Edited December 7, 2006 by MsBusDriver

[myname.com]

It's funny how a little side question in the original post can derail the topic.

The real question posed by the OP is should DCI continue to evaluate their member corps after they are accepted into Div I?

[drumcat]

It's funny how a little side question in the original post can derail the topic.

The real question posed by the OP is should DCI continue to evaluate their member corps after they are accepted into Div I?

Answer: Yes, ad hoc.

[More reps]

I don't know or care too much about busses, but what about an audition deadline??

How can a corps like Esperanza stay in Division 1 when they have not announced an audition date or a staff still? Seems very irrespponsible of them and DCI to ignore this.

Check it out for yourself. Nothing?

http://www.esperanzaarts.org/

[drumcat]

I don't know or care too much about busses, but what about an audition deadline??

How can a corps like Esperanza stay in Division 1 when they have not announced an audition date or a staff still? Seems very irrespponsible of them and DCI to ignore this.

Check it out for yourself. Nothing?

http://www.esperanzaarts.org/

Why is it irresponsible? For the most part, camps are an evaluative process. They could start in March and be just fine...

[Byron]

Why is it irresponsible? For the most part, camps are an evaluative process. They could start in March and be just fine...

while i agree with what you are saying, i think if that is their plan...they should say so. don't leave members out of loop, because now is the time to figure out where you are marching. if they aren't fielding a corps...say so. if they aren't having camps until march...say so. it's not fair to those planning on marching to just disappear and give no information.

[drumcat]

while i agree with what you are saying, i think if that is their plan...they should say so. don't leave members out of loop, because now is the time to figure out where you are marching. if they aren't fielding a corps...say so. if they aren't having camps until march...say so. it's not fair to those planning on marching to just disappear and give no information.

Walk in their shoes... what's more irresponsible, saying they're unprepared, or saying nothing? I have no idea what's there, but let's not go doom and gloom.

[Byron]

Walk in their shoes... what's more irresponsible, saying they're unprepared, or saying nothing? I have no idea what's there, but let's not go doom and gloom.

i bolded my answer. it's far more irresponsible to just keep your mouth shut while members sit around waiting for info.