Bus company?

i think the buses will be more stress, with buses your dealing with people, i would be more worried about a bus full of kids than 42,000 pounds of produce. all i takes is for one small mishap and your bus business is over. and a bus company is still a motor carrier and still has all the paper work a trucking company does plus some.

 

I would have to disagree with you.

First off, the DOT is going to be watching you much closer since your cargo is MUCH more valuable. Every regulation that applies to trucking companies (plus a few more) apply to motor coach companies as well. CSA 2010 applies to bus companies, not just trucking companies. The HOS regs are stricter, as well as some mechanical and insurance requirements. Busses break down just like trucks, and they don't find their own freight, just like trucks. In fact, the freight that busses transport is much quicker to exhibit signs of discomfort. Get a load of toilet paper to the dock half a day late, and you might have to knock a little off the rate to keep the shippers return business. Get a bunch of retireees to the casino a half a day late, and you're going to be refunding all their tickets - plus they'll tell all their friends of their negative experience and not to step foot on your bus ever again.

Also take into consideration the market. I live in a midsize metro area (about 400,000 population). There are well over a hundered trucking companies in my immediate area. There are only 3 bus companies, and only one of them appear to be making any money at all. There just isn't that big of a market for the services of a bus.

I'm going to have to agree with previous posters...you really need to work for a company not unlike the one you'd like to be running someday to get a working knowledge of the business. Look at it this way: Would you buy a restaurant without knowing how to cook, or a plumbing company without having ever unclogged a toilet? I know you have a binder full of information, but the knowledge it takes to be successful in the trucking game takes many years to aquire. Those of us who have been doing ot for some time will readily admit we still learn something new on an almost daily basis. This is why some of the most successful trucking companies are being run by 2nd and 3rd generation decendants of the company's founder...it takes that long to get it down to a science sometimes.

At the end of the day, if you can get $700,000.00 you'd be better off buying a McDonalds franchise. All you need is a good business sense, and be willing to oversee your operation almost daily, and you'll do much better than $700,000 worth of trucks could do for you. Plus, you'll actually have the time to enjoy your profits.

 

I'm just curious as I have not seen it posted yet. Have you ever driven a truck or worked in the trucking business at all yet? You say you have passion and motivation for it, where does that come from? I'm a 3rd generation trucker and I'll tell you flat out that I wish I could do something different. I'm currently enrolled in college full time since I was laid off in June of 2010. I was am going to school to be an RN nurse, but I just can't make that happen in the time frame I have due to my unemployment running out in another year or so.

Not to toot my own horn but I feel I'm a very good driver. Even as a company driver I try to treat my equipment like it's my own. I offer suggestions on how I think the company can save money or how to be more efficient while spending the money they do spend. I don't cry and complain when things don't go in my favor all the time. I even grew up around a family full of O/O's and I won't lie to you I'm scared to death about possibly buying a truck of my own and I know the business pretty good.

So having said all of that, I can't help but feel that you are getting into things that are quite a bit over your head. I don't want to sound like a jerk but you need to take a long hard look at the economy as a whole here and abroad then find a niche you could possibly fill then get into that business as an employee for a few years before ever considering owning your own company.

 

Most of the fleet owners I've known who have been at it 20 years+ can't stand trucks anymore. I knew one that wouldn't even come around (trucks weren't parked at the office), he didn't want to see the trucks or the drivers. If you needed something you had to get it relayed to him. Man didn't want anything to do with trucks anymore. Said it used to be fun but now it is just a headache.

 

LOL two threads of this?!? I love it!

Maybe an airline biz instead of the trucking/bussing? Those airline tickets (and the baggage fees!) would be HUUUGGGGEE profits. It would be awesome!

 

Less regulation?!? Maybe you have not seen the news lately. Two accidents with fatalities in three days. They have as much regulation as trucking but now they are going to have a lot of focus.

In terms of how easy it is to run. What internet site do you go to when you have an empty bus that you want to get loaded so that it can be making money?

 

And that is 'key'...what do you have a passion for...
Follow that, and it will lead to success...you will have struggles with either buses or trucks...

Struggles will come with both...but when you struggle with that which you have a passion for, it's more of a 'challenge' than a 'pain'...

I have experience in both fields...so in the future...(assuming you haven't been discouraged from coming around here) if you need some positive suggestive input...look me up...