If you’ve ever been on a school field trip, en route to a big sporting event with an organization, or on a tour, you may have used a charter bus to get there. There are multiple benefits to chartering a bus, both for the people organizing the trip and the passengers riding on the charter bus as well. Buses like these are designed for comfort — whether it’s a ten minute right or a much longer trip, spanning days or weeks. Most buses today include amenities such as cooling and light systems that are controllable from your seat, onboard WiFi, and ample room to store your luggage or bags. They’re often used for tours, due to the large windows that allow passengers to have a good, unobstructed view of what they’re passing. They’re also a very eco-friendly method of transportation and one that perhaps more companies, tour groups, and travelers in general should take note of.
Tell Me About Bus Services In General
Buses are responsible for over 750,000,000 trips taken every year and that number is increasing. Between 2011 and 2012, bus travel in the United States went up by almost 8%, which makes it the fastest growing way to travel in the country, says the American Bus Association. The industry is comprised of almost 3,400 mostly small businesses and in total, their fleet is a little over 33,000 vehicles, which offer charter, tour, sightseeing, airport shuttle, commuter, and other services.
Not only do buses support local businesses, they also provide tourism dollars to communities. If one motorcoach spends a night in a community, it can provide almost $12,000 to the local economy in terms of housing, meals, shopping, etc. For every dollar that’s invested in a new motorcoach, almost $2 is generated back in spending throughout other sectors of the economy. Additionally, it provides employment for almost 800,000 people!
Moreover, for over 14 million United States residents who live in rural airports, buses are the only type of transportation service for public intercity use; air and rail are often not able to cover those areas. There are five times the amount of bus terminals nationwide as compared to airports and six times as many terminals as there are intercity rail terminals. They also only require six cents for federal subsidies per passenger, while other public transit costs 77 cents, flying costs $4.32, and Amtrak is a whopping $46.06 in taxpayer subsidies per passenger.
Who’s Using Buses and Motorcoaches?
Although probably everyone has ridden a bus at some point, adults and young adults are a little under 50% of the trips taken in 2012. Unsurprisingly, students and seniors are a little more in the majority — bus fare is way cheaper than air and rail, and therefore more affordable for the sector of the population who views money as a bit more of a concern. Interestingly enough, women take over 50% of long-distance bus trips, while guys only take 45%, total.
Are They Really That Eco-Friendly?
It really is true: buses are one of the most eco-friendly ways to get around. One motorcoach takes 55 cars off the highway, which cuts down on traffic jams, energy, and carbon dioxide emissions. Motorcoaches are three times better at reducing emissions as compared to commuter rail and six times more efficent as compared to transit buses; in all, they emit the least amount per passenger miles as compared to other types of transportation. They get around 206.6 miles per gallon, as compared to 92.4 for commuter rail, 44 for domestic flights, 27.2 per car, and 46 for hybrid cars. There’s absolutely no question that motorcoaches are an incredibly eco-friendly way to travel, which accounts for the fact that they are responsible for over 750 million trips a year. That’s more people in some years than commercial airlines!
For your next long-distance trip or travel in a group, consider using motorcoaches or a charter bus to get around. You’ll be saving the environment, saving money, aiding small businesses, and so much more. The question really is: what’s not to love about taking a charter bus?
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