Have you ever been in a situation where you had to transport a group of people with you to a special event, party, social get together, meeting or a religious congregation? If yes, then you might have to hire several taxis or cars to transport the group of people to their destination. The problem is cars are not a good option for group traveling. They can accommodate a maximum of 4 passengers including the driver. If you have to transport 20 people then you will have to hire 5 cars. And not all cars will reach its destination on time, which will cause the event to be delayed. Moreover, your passengers will miss the fun of traveling together in a group. And hiring several cars is not an economically good option. If you come across this situation once in a while then it might be okay to hire several cars and get the job done. But if this situation arises frequently then you need a better mode of transportation.
A minibus will always be a better option to transport groups of 20 to 25 passengers. This is because a minibus can accommodate more passengers than a car or a taxi but less than a regular full-sized bus. If you are the manager of a business, organization, school, college, sports team, casino, hotel, retirement home, nursing home, church, etc then you will face the above situation frequently. Hiring a bus is not an economically good option just like hiring a car. If you think buses are expensive and beyond your budget, then that's true but only for a regular full-sized coach bus. A minibus or a small bus is way cheaper compared to bigger buses. The demand of short buses has increased dramatically in the last decade in the United States due to their easy availability and affordability. A brand new minibus for sale can cost you up to $50,000 and a used minibus for sale can cost up to $20,000 depending on its age and mileage. You might be thinking wow but should we go for a new bus or a used bus for sale. The answer lies in the frequency of usage. If you want to use the bus on a weekly or bi-weekly basis then you need a used bus. But if you want to use it daily and for a long time like 5 years or more then you need a brand new bus. Alternatively, think in terms of mileage. If you want to use the bus for more than 5,000 miles a year then you need a new bus. If you want to use it for less than 5,000 miles then you need to buy a preowned bus for sale. Bus owners always operate their bus on a fixed route. So it will be better to calculate the distance between the start point and endpoint in miles including the return journey. And then multiply it with the number of times you want to run the bus in a year. If the total is more than 5,000 miles then you need a new bus for sale or else you will need a second-hand bus for sale. Most churches put maximum up to 5,000 miles in a year hence they will always need a 2nd hand bus for sale. Commercial transportation companies who run their buses daily on a fixed route put up to 25,000 miles a year on their buses.
You will have to make a comprehensive plan before buying a used bus for sale. I say used buses because they are cheaper and affordable than new buses. Most individuals, businesses and organizations do not have the budget to buy a new bus that's why there is a thriving market for used buses for sale in the United States today. and the demand keeps increasing every year.
First think about parking. Where will you park the bus when it's not in use?? After buying the bus and getting it delivered to your doorstep, where will you park it ??? This is the immediate requirement after getting possession of the bus. If you don't know where to park it after purchase then you are immediately in trouble and will be stressed out finding the solution.......hahahaha!!! Don't even think of parking your bus on the roadside. It will be exposed to the elements and affect its appearance and serviceable life. If you want to expose your bus to the elements day-in and day-out then expect a shorter life for your vehicle. The ideal place to park a bus will be an oversized garage, barn or a shed. This will improve its appearance, trade-in value down the road and serviceable life.
Next, you will have to think about the climate in which the bus will be operating. Depending on the climate you will need the necessary internal climate control system. Most preowned buses for sale are equipped with front and rear air conditioning for the warmer months and a rear heating unit for the colder months. You need to have this creature friendly equipment on your bus. It will increase the comfort of your passengers which will encourage them to ride in your bus frequently.
Then comes safety. Your bus should be equipped with the Department Of Transportation (DOT) safety equipment like backup cameras, seat belts, armrests, hand grabs, wheelchair restraints, stainless steel entrance rails, overhead handrails, mirrors, front and rear heavy-duty bumpers, fire extinguisher, and first aid kit.
If you are a business or a religious organization like a church then you can freely advertise your products and services by painting your bus with graphics and logos accordingly. This will create awareness and a favorable image in your community.
Fuel efficiency is an important factor to consider when buying used buses for sale. The amount of fuel your bus will consume depends on several factors for example:
a. Is your bus large or small?
b. Is it a gas engine or a diesel engine?
c. Will it be driven in a flat or hilly region?
d. Will it be driven locally around town or will it be driven on longer trips over highways?
e. Is the bus being driven with few passengers or many passengers?
A good estimate on the fuel consumption of a mid-sized bus is 10 mpg (miles per gallon) for gas engines and 12 mpg for diesel engines.
When researching second-hand buses for sale you should not only check its mileage but also the mileage on its engine. A diesel engine can run up to 500,000 miles whereas a gas engine runs up to 300,000 miles. That means the life span of a diesel engine is almost 40% more than a gas engine. A diesel engine bus will cost you more initially up to $4000 to $8000 but will give you better fuel economy in the long run. The downside is if your bus breaks down then finding a technician to repair your diesel engine will be difficult since most technicians in the USA are qualified to fix gas engines. Diesel engines roughly give 2 mpg higher fuel economy than gasoline engines and log up to 100,000 miles before needing any major mechanical repairs. No matter what engine you get, always buy a bus with the biggest engine you can afford. The more people you transport and the heavier your bus the more engine power you will need. There is no substitute for a powerful engine.
Buses have two types of transmissions, manual and automatic. Unless you have a personal preference for the manual transmission you should always opt for automatic. A bus with an automatic transmission will make the life of your driver easy when going out on long trips. And its easier to sell a bus with automatic transmission since most people in the used bus market want to buy buses with automatic transmission.
Most buses need a commercial driver's license to operate them. The good thing about minibusses for sale is that you don't need a commercial license. That means you can drive the bus with your regular license. So if your driver falls sick, then you can ask other staff members to drive the bus or maybe you can take his seat for a day or two if need be.
Used buses for sale are of two types. One is with a wheelchair lift and the other is without. Think about your passengers when making this decision. Will the elderly and handicapped people be riding on your bus. If your answer is yes then you need a bus that is equipped with an electronic wheelchair lift. Most buses have interior flip seats, so the number of wheelchairs can be increased or decreased depending on the requirement. But a wheelchair lift need not be used just to load and unload wheelchairs. Senior citizens who have difficulty in climbing the stairs of a bus can simply stand on the deployed wheelchair lift and easily get transported inside the bus at the press of a button. When buying a used bus for sale, make sure its electronic and mechanical functions work properly especially the wheelchair equipment since you don't want any elderly or handicapped person to be stuck several feet high above the ground. Remember that a bus with a wheelchair lift will cost you $5,000 more than a bus without a lift.
The good news about preowned buses for sale is that they are easily customizable. Every individual, business and organization has a different requirement. You can customize your bus according to your requirements, whims, and fantasies so you get a bus that's built 100% just for you. This is a luxury that you do not get with new buses for sale. Such custom made buses can be easily used as mobile offices, classrooms, showrooms, mobile shops etc. Before buying a bus make sure to make a contract with a repair shop that will maintain and repair your bus regularly and at an affordable price. This saves you headaches and downtime in case the bus breaks down. It is also a good option to get a warranty on your used bus. When you buy the bus from a reputed, licensed and bonded dealership like Major Vehicle Exchange then you will always get warranties and even extended warranties on your bus. There are separate warranties on the bus and its parts, so check the details with your dealership for what you will get in the warranty.
Financing might be the last stage in the bus buying process. A short bus for sale is expensive than a car but cheaper than a full-sized bus. You can get 2 used buses for sale for the price of one new bus. The cost of your used bus can range from $15,0000 to $25,000 depending on its age, mileage, size, engine type, transmission type, wheelchair equipment etc. Most businesses can afford to pay $25,000 in cash to buy their bus. This payment can be done via PayPal or bank wire. However if one can not pay cash upfront then the dealership can help you get financed at attractive interest rates. This financing option can be availed in-house or thru third party banks and financial institutions. The dealership will always be able to help you with this option.
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