27-56 passenger motorcoaches Free quotes! Call 1-866-Getabus
www.1866GetABus.com
Huge inventory of church, childcare and retirement home buses & vans.
www.BusGroup.com
Charter your bus from Silverado Stages. California's Premier Bus Co
www.SilveradoTours.com
New & used buses, vans, & coaches Delivered anywhere in the U.S.
www.nationsbus.com
Find a Dealer Near You, Get Quotes & More. Visit BMW's Official Site.
www.bmwusa.com
Heavy Duty Work Trucks, Utility Trucks, Cargo Vans and Sprinters
www.tuttleclickcommercial.com
All Makes & Models Of New & Used Buses. Coach, Transit, Shuttles.
www.A-ZBus.com
10 to 57-passengers, whlchr lifts Nationwide vehicle delivery
BestBusSales.com
Charter bus available for local & long distance. Call for free rates
www.daybreakcharter.com
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New and Used Buses for Sale with warranties. Online inventory with pictures and pricing. Delivered anywhere.
absolutebus.com
A unit of Laidlaw with thousands of pre-owned school buses of all makes and sizes.
www.alliedbussales.com
Dealer assists with the purchase and sale of used buses and coaches all over the world.
www.ambuses.com
Sells used and new buses, as well as provides service and parts; located in Phoenix, Arizona.
www.arizonabussales.com
Dealership selling new and used commercial buses, school buses and shuttles.
www.atelbus.com
Eastern and central Pennsylvania distributor of school buses for Blue Bird.
www.brightbill.com
Provides a selection of Eagle, Prevost, MCI conversion buses for sale. Located in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
www.busforsale.com
A state-certified school bus charter service that provides bus transportation throughout the northern California area.
www.bustransportation.com
Buses, coaches, and group travel startpage. Index of links to bus- and coach-related web sites.
www.busweb.com
New and used church buses for sale. Caters to all churches throughout the country with experience to their transportation needs.
www.churchbuses.biz
Classifieds for used buses, used coaches and used RVs. List your bus, coach or RV for sale or auction. School buses are also available.
www.crbuses.com
Used bus seller. Site offers information about services offered and pricing.
www.firststudentinc.com
Programs from vehicle remarketing services, lease disposal/termination solutions, title services, or personalized customer programs. Locations in Florida and California.
www.fleetlease.com
Dealership offering used buses and motor coaches in Maiden, NC.
goodsonbussales.com
Sells Blue Bird and mid-size buses, cutaways and trolleys. Located in Holland, Michigan.
www.hollandbuscompany.com
Provider of bus and coach transportation services for Wisconsin businesses, organizations and schools.
www.kobussen.com
Dallas-based bus dealership featuring tour buses, shuttle buses, school buses, and passenger vans.
www.lasseter.com
Distributor of Thomas Built buses, Goshen coach, Starcraft, Supreme, US bus, Rifled air conditioning and Braun lifts.
www.matthewsbuses.com
Dealer maintains a large inventory of new and used buses. Also provides service and parts for buses; locations in Illinois and Indiana.
www.midwesttransit.com
New and used commercial and school buses; located in Portland, Oregon.
www.schetkynw.com
Sells and leases commercial buses and shuttles; located in Riverside, California.
www.transitsales.com
Dealership specializing in used commercial trucks, tractors, trailers and buses.
www.vooruitgang-trucks.nl
Seller of school buses, commercial buses, ambulances, rescue vehicles, funeral cars and limousines. Three locations: Exton, Pennsylvania, New Buffalo, Pennsylvania, and Mount Holly, New Jersey.
www.wolfington.com
27-56 passenger motorcoaches Free quotes! Call 1-866-Getabus
www.1866GetABus.com
Huge inventory of church, childcare and retirement home buses & vans.
www.BusGroup.com
Charter your bus from Silverado Stages. California's Premier Bus Co
www.SilveradoTours.com
Buying any vehicle can be overwhelming, but when you consider that your choice of buses and bus dealers can greatly affect the profitability of your business and the safety of your employees or customers, the task can seem especially stressful. That's why it's important to understand bus and charter vehicle dealerships key terms.
Bus dealership and vehicle terms may be divided into three broad categories. Understanding the most common words in each of these categories can greatly smooth the process of buying new or used buses. These categories are:
1. Terms used by bus dealerships to define bus types,
2. Terms describing bus manufacture or mechanics, used by general and charter bus dealerships,
3. And terms bus dealers use during the actual buying process.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Understand terms used to describe bus types in new and used bus sales
When you're shopping for buses, you'll hear a variety of terms applied to bus vehicle types. Some may be confusing because they aren't always used in a specific way. Some of these terms include 'charter bus' (any bus used for a specific trip), 'conversion bus' (a bus that's been converted into an RV), 'shuttle bus' (any bus carrying passengers from one point to another), 'MFSB' ('Multi-Function School Bus,' or a bus that's built with school bus standards but does not look like a school bus) and 'mobility vans' (small buses with wheelchair access). Buses are often broken down into more general categories, too, like small, medium and large buses.
I recommend: For a helpful FAQ on MFSBs, check out Don Brown Bus Sales. For a look at what qualifies as a small, medium or large size bus, visit Commercial Bus Sales.
Learn the mechanical terms used by a bus dealer
Although no one expects buyers to know the lingo of mechanics, some mechanical and manufacturing terms are helpful to understand when buying buses. These include 'articulated bus' (a bus that has two passenger compartments that connect with a flexing middle), 'flat front' (a typical transit or shuttle bus that's 'flat-nosed') and 'type A,' 'B,' 'C' and 'D' school buses (each with a different mechanical configuration).
I recommend: The University of Michigan offers an excellent glossary of bus and truck terms, including definitions of the different types of school buses. Interaction Media Group provides a glossary of charter bus terms.
Research buying terms used by a general or charter bus dealership
When it comes to the nitty-gritty of buying, many terms may be unfamiliar to you. These include 'contract hire' (when you lease a vehicle), 'grey import' (a vehicle that's been imported to the United States without permission from the manufacturer and may not meet U.S. safety and emission standards), 'certified pre-owned vehicle' (used vehicles meeting certain high standards set by the manufacturer) and 'gross polluter' (a vehicle that fails emissions inspection).
I recommend: Read "Glossary of Auto Dealer Terms" at LemonLawOffice.com for a glossary of terms you'll commonly hear at a dealership. See "Glossary of Terms" for information about jargon you might see on a bus's Carfax report.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • When working with a general or charter bus dealer, always ask to see the Carfax report yourself; if you have any questions about the terms used on the report, look for definitions on Carfax's website.
While there are many bus dealers around the country, they are not as common as standard automotive dealerships. The largest bus dealerships maintain websites with information about purchasing, available models and financing. These dealers can sell any sort of charter vehicles, including buses, minibuses, school buses, double-deckers, trolleys, and vans. With so many options available from a charter bus dealer, you must shop around. Online charter bus dealerships offer many advantages such as customization, delivery of vehicles and financing.
It's additionally important to make sure that the bus and charter vehicle dealerships provide you with the right sort of information. A good bus dealer can advise what regulations are required to run your bus.
Keep the following points in mind when looking for a bus dealership:
1. Research the specific buses you want ahead of time. Many charter bus dealerships sell only certain buses.
2. Consider both new and used buses — some used bus dealers will refurbish and customize buses to meet your company’s needs.
3. Shop both bus dealerships and bus manufacturers to get the best prices.
4. Make sure you know the government regulations concerning your buses before you invest.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Compare vehicles by using the websites of large bus and charter vehicle dealerships
With an interest in selling their products nationally as well as locally, most larger bus dealerships advertise their stock online and offer shipping to any location.
I recommend: Bus Group offers both new and used buses for sale. They also provide specific information on purchasing buses for churches, child-care uses and assisted-living facilities.
Consider purchasing directly from bus manufacturers
Many of the largest manufacturers of charter vehicles make their products available for direct purchase. You can often get better pricing this way, cutting out the middle-man.
I recommend: Daimler and Champion are two of the largest manufacturers of charter vehicles. Both companies offer direct sales.
Lease charter buses if you are not prepared to buy them
Most larger dealerships have leasing options and information.
I recommend: Bus Group and Nations Bus offer financing for leasing buses and purchasing loans.
Decide if used buses and charter vehicles can meet your needs as well as new vehicles
The cost of new buses and other charter vehicles make it difficult for many businesses to afford such a large investment. Some of the costs can, however, be reduced by purchasing used and refurbished vehicles. Keep in mind that many companies offer either no warranty or only limited warranties on such purchases.
I recommend: CR Buses is a charter bus dealer that specializes in refurbishing used buses to meet the customer’s specific needs. They also offer a three month warranty on all sales.
Educate yourself about regulations before making a purchase from a charter bus dealer.
The government has detailed regulations about purchasing and operating charter buses, and it is the responsibility of the purchaser to know these regulations
I recommend: The Federal Highway Administration's Office of Motor Carriers lists information about regulations, licensing and safety on their website.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • Shop several bus dealerships before you make a charter vehicle purchase and evaluate all your options before committing to such a major expense.
There are many important considerations when you're working with bus and charter vehicle dealerships. First and foremost, you need a dealership willing to help you discover which new or used buses truly fit your business' needs. For this and other reasons, this means you need bus and charter vehicle dealerships you can trust.
To find charter bus dealerships (or other commercial bus dealerships) that will serve you well, there are several areas you'll want to research. These include:
1. Finding a reliable, customer-oriented bus dealership.
2. Working with a bus dealership to find the right new vehicle for your needs.
3. Working with a charter bus dealer to find the right used bus for your business' needs.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Discover the best bus dealerships
Look for a bus dealer who has been in business for many years; this indicates they understand what they are selling -- and treat their customers well. Long-established dealers also tend to have better mechanics on staff and better, more reliable dealer warranties.
I recommend: Bus for Sale Guide is a treasure trove of articles about bus buying; be sure to read their article "Bus Dealers" for tips on finding the right dealer for your business' needs. Nearly every commercial bus manufacturer has a website with information about finding authorized dealers in your area; see, for example, MFSAB's interactive map of dealers in the U.S.
Look into new bus dealership sales
When buying a commercial bus, it's vital to not only know the reputation of the manufacturer and the features of the buses you are considering, but also to consider such things as whether or not replacement parts are readily available and affordable, whether the vehicle is difficult to work on (resulting in higher shop costs), and what exactly is covered in the warranty.
I recommend: American Chronicle offers a good article on bus buying; it's targeted to churches, but has information equally useful for buses for commercial purposes. For tips about extended warranties, read CarBuyingTips.com's "How To Buy An Auto Extended Warranty & Avoid Scams."
Research used bus sales
When buying used buses, all the same guidelines apply. However, extra care must be taken to have your own, qualified bus mechanic examine any bus you're considering buying. Also pay extra attention to the cost and availability of replacement parts. For older buses, parts may be difficult -- or impossible -- to acquire.
I recommend: Be sure to read "How to Buy a Used Bus" at HowToDoThings.com. Safety can be a particularly important issue when looking at used buses; read "15 Passenger Van Safety Hazard Information" at Carpenter Bus for a run-down of this issue.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • When looking at used charter buses for sale, your mechanic should conduct an oil analysis (even if the dealer provides records they've done this themselves), check for rust and study the service records, in addition to looking for mechanical problems.


