Public transportation takes many forms, from passenger jumbo jets to high speed rail to steam boats. Today, there is a growing industry that makes tourism and group based transportation faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly than ever. It is the bus charter industry.
History of the Bus
Buses are not a new concept. As far back as the 1820s, horse drawn buses were in use for carrying many passengers, and in 1830s England, steam powered intercity buses were already on the road, taking people anywhere they needed to go. Technology advanced over time, and today’s buses, especially motorcoaches, are more powerful and efficient than ever. Now, motorcoaches can achieve 206.6 passenger miles per hour by gallon of fuel, an astounding rate of efficiency and power. It is clear that motorcoaches have come a long way since the primitive steam powered models of 19th century England, and they are big business, ensuring their place in the transit industry for years to come.
Should You Charter a Bus?
Any group of people on vacation, or on a business trip, or any other communal traveling can turn to motorcoach chartering. One can travel comfortably on a modern bus with their many amenities, from the smooth ride to plush seats and electronic entertainment systems on board. Traveling by bus is already big, and getting bigger; bus travel has increased 7.5 percent from 2011 to 2012, and senior citizens and younger adults alike have equal interest in these vehicles. In fact, 751 million passenger trips by motorcoach are taken every year in the United States. Any tour group will also protect the environment with a charter bus; they emit the lowest rates of carbon dioxide compared to any other form of transportation, and a full motorcoach effectively removes 55 cars from the road, easing congestion and lowering emissions.
Chartering a bus is not only popular and efficient for passengers, but a boon for any local economy, especially where tourism is concerned. The industry’s entire fleet numbers around 33,400 vehicles, and all these buses can boost spending in tourist areas. Once a group arrives at a local area by motorcoach, they will spend much more on lodging, eating out, and other services, it is believed that whenever $1 is spent on charter buses, $1.65 of spending is generated by other means in the local economy for various services. Buses pay for themselves, and that makes for good business. All these charter bus services, and the need for their purchase, construction, operation, and maintenance, employs some 792,700 people total.
Who Rides On Charter Bus Trips?
Many people of all kinds are boarding charter buses and rental buses across the nation. Women are particularly fond of these vehicles, making up 55% of all riders, with men at 45%. As stated earlier, seniors and younger adults alike enjoy traveling by bus. By the numbers, adults and young adults made up 49.9% of passengers, and students and senior citizens made up around 50.2% of passengers. What is more, roughly 14 million rural Americans rely on buses for transportation on a daily basis for short-term travel, going to work, or anything else.