When was the last time you took a chartered bus? Was it when you chaperoned your middle school daughter on a five day trip to Colorado with her class? Maybe it was a church youth trip to a national youth gathering in Detroit? No matter when it was, hopefully you remember it as a pleasant experience. Chartered bus travel is a convenient, economical and environmentally-friendly way to travel.
Motorcoaches account for 751,000,000 passenger trips taken annually and bus charter trips allow you to travel without the hassle of driving and route planning. If you are planning to travel with friends or family members, the comfort on board a bus gives you the perfect opportunity to both visit and relax. Students and seniors accounted for 50.2% of the passenger trips provided by the motorcoach industry in the year 2012. Adults and young adults accounted for the other 49.9% of the passenger trips provided by the motorcoach industry in the same year. As indicated by these statistics, both large motorcoach companies and small charter buses are a convenient way for people of all ages to travel.
In addition to being convenient, chartered bus travel is also economical. If you are planning to travel with a large group, chartering a bus can allow you to present a fixed budget to everyone in your group. In the case of large church or school groups, for example, a chartered bus is often far less expensive than flying and, with two driver hired drivers, it can also take less time. Long security lines and the requirement for early check-ins can make airline travel twice as long as it once once. Bus travel, however, provides a timely mode of transportation, while saving you money at the same time.
Charter buses are also environmentally friendly. In the first place, motor coach travel is a wise use of gasoline. Motorcoaches currently provide over 206 passenger miles per gallon of fuel. This compares to 92 passenger MPG for commuter rail, 44 passenger MPG for domestic air carrier, and 27 MPG for single passenger automobiles. Additionally, motor coach travel leaves a smaller carbon footprint. Motorcoaches are three times more efficient in reducing CO2 output than commuter rail, and six times more efficient when compared to transit buses.
American passenger bus travel increased by 7.5% between the years 2011 and 2012, making it the fastest growing form of travel in the U.S., according to a study by the American Bus Association. It is an increasingly popular form of travel because it is convenient, efficient and environmentally friendly. The next time you are planning a trip as an individual, a small family group, or a large school or church group, consider charter bus options when you are making your plans.