Working With Bus and Charter Vehicle Dealerships

Guidelines for finding and working effectively with bus dealers
By Kristina Seleshanko 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.

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.
Try:  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.
Try:  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.
Try:  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.

• 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.