Getting A Tour Bus!

[flyinguitars]

well we finally made it to tour bus status...haha.

Not really..lol...just for a few days, but we are considering renting a tour bus for a 4 day/3 show trip that will take us about a thousand miles away from our home area. The money is good and we will all come back with a few grand each, so we are considering trying a bus. There are 6 guys in the band and 3 crew so it may work out to be more cost effective as opposed to flying to the first show, renting a van, staying in hotels then driving the van to the closest airport after the last show and flying home.

Have any of you guys been in this situation and done the cost comparison and other pros and cons?

 

[SonVolt]

How much will the tour bus cost per person?

 

[flyinguitars]

How much will the tour bus cost per person?

I don’t know yet...I’m guessing around 1000 per day so roughly $111 per person per day?? We are shopping buses this week. I’m not too thrilled about the the idea of living on the bus without a hotel. If we find that the venues have decent dressing rooms with showers, I will be better with it.

 

[BanditPanda]

well we finally made it to tour bus status...haha.

Not really..lol...just for a few days, but we are considering renting a tour bus for a 4 day/3 show trip that will take us about a thousand miles away from our home area. The money is good and we will all come back with a few grand each, so we are considering trying a bus. There are 6 guys in the band and 3 crew so it may work out to be more cost effective as opposed to flying to the first show, renting a van, staying in hotels then driving the van to the closest airport after the last show and flying home.

Have any of you guys been in this situation and done the cost comparison and other pros and cons?

I'm no numbers cruncher but in this scenario I'm thinking the bus is the best bet for a number of reasons.
Flying + other rentals has got to be more expensive than renting a bus and certainly is more of a hassle.
Even more helpful and economical if one of your guys has a license to operate a bus.
Your equipment stays in your hands and control. ( presuming you're hauling a trailer?)
You can do what you want in your bus.( Like have a hootenanny for example )
Tour busses are cool Gotta have Land Of Ozz on the sides though.
There's always the old axiom: What happens on the bus stays on the bus

Better minds than mind will get you further!
BP

 

[SonVolt]

Will you have a no shitting in the tour bus bathroom rule? I'd rather walk then share a toilet with 5 grown ass men.

 

[flyinguitars]

Will you have a no shitting in the tour bus bathroom rule? I'd rather walk then share a toilet with 5 grown ass men.

9 grown ass men. That probably puts the average number of poops per day to over 11. That’s a dangerously high number to toilet ratio and if we stop at Taco Bell that could easily double or triple. Scary thought for sure.....maybe I’ll just follow them in my car

 

[SonVolt]

 

[BanditPanda]

As long as it's not a school bus you're renting it should have air con and the shitter should be well ventilated no? Can't say for sure though 'cause I've never been on a long distance bus.

 

[axe4me]

My wife and I vacation in a 40 ft motor home.



It may not be the optimum tour bus for a band.........we drove to Orlando, FL. from Howell, NJ with it.

I had 6 guitars and 3 amps in it and jammed with Brian (Krashpad) in his office in Jacksonville.

This was about 10 years ago.

We'll own it in 6 years.

It was only listed for $299k

Down payment and $756.00+ a month for 20 years.

When things were good financially, I paid off the last 10 years of our mortgage and bought the Mandalay.

It's our land yacht.

 

[chiliphil1]

Don’t forget the cost of fuel, that’s the killer on big vehicles. You can probably add another $50-$100 per person on that part.

As for me though, if the cash isn’t an issue bus all the way, screw commercial air travel.

 

[flyinguitars]

My wife and I vacation in a 40 ft motor home.



It may not be the optimum tour bus for a band.........we drove to Orlando, FL. from Howell, NJ with it.

I had 6 guitars and 3 amps in it and jammed with Brian (Krashpad) in his office in Jacksonville.

This was about 10 years ago.

We'll own it in 6 years.

It was only listed for $299k

Down payment and $756.00+ a month for 20 years.

When things were good financially, I paid off the last 10 years of our mortgage and bought the Mandalay.

It's our land yacht.

That’s awesome! We were talking about renting a RV this afternoon!

We are playing in Tennessee and we are based in Philadelphia. Our main show is confirmed and our agent is currently trying to route us to a couple shows before and after so we can maybe do one on the way down and back or even go a little farther like Florida to do one and then another on the way back. Flights into and back from Memphis are around 200 per person so for 9 of us, it’s about 2k ish then probably another 800 in rooms and 400 for a rental van....prob 3500ish when it all done that way, so that’s why we considered a bus.

Maybe a rv would be cheaper?

 

[MarshallDog]

The only thing to be aware of is that the RV coaches will be real tight inside especially with 9 guys if it has slide outs. Slide outs are great when slide out but when traveling and they are pushed in the room can get rather tight depending on the configuration of the RV bus.

 

[Vinsanitizer]

Will you have a no shitting in the tour bus bathroom rule? I'd rather walk then share a toilet with 5 grown ass men.

LOL!! SV knows life on a tour bus? Yes, there's no shibbitting. And yet, someone on the bus always manages to shibbit. Tour bussing has its glories and its nightmares. Rule #1: Always check your bed before you climb into it.

Sounds like flyinguitars is climbing the music ladder. I wish you's guys the best.

 

[axe4me]

Here's the skinny..............

With an RV, figure about 7 to 10 miles per gallon.

Our RV has a 100 gallon fuel tank.

It sleeps 4 comfortably.

Any more will sleep on the floor.

It has 2 zone heating/air conditioning.

It has 4 slide outs and 3 flat screen TV's with Cable; Satellite and CD movies.

The basement storage will be tight for a band.

For 2 of us + a 114 lb. Alaskan Malamute (and large dog cage/crate in the living room), it's very spacious.

It has a 30 amp and 50 amp section.

50 Amp is best so that you can run both a/c's, hot water heater; 3 TV's and hair dryer.

You may want to fill the fresh water holding tank BEFORE you depart.

With all fluids and freight, figure the RV entire weight to be around 35,000 lbs. + people.

USE the proper surge protector with ALL power cables to the RV.

RV height needs to be paid attention to.

Make sure you use your leveling jacks BEFORE putting the slide outs out.

The unit will probably have awnings.

READ the instruction manual.

IT'S IMPORTANT.

IF you use an RV, get a van to transport your gear.

Have fun.

 

[axe4me]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Additionally...............

Make sure you have an ample supply of basic tools (like screw drivers/phillips and flat head); wrenches and hammer (rubber head too); plumbers tape and electrical tape.

Traveling with an RV can get pricey......so make sure you have plenty of fluids (milk; bottled spring water; juices and booze); canned veggies/soups and snacks.

You'll have a fridge so make good use of it.

Uh, there's an issue of plumbing.......make sure you have a separate hose for fresh water; separate hose for a flush and a large main hose for black water (the shit and piss) and grey water (shower and used sink water).

Some people want the candy on the pillow.....some want to have a studio apartment on wheels.

I like the idea of bringing stuff that doesn't have to be checked in like at airports.

There's loads of cool camp grounds in the US and some provide cable (TV hook-ups) and indoor pools and game rooms.

We once went to a campground that had a gym; movie theatre and bowling alley.

Having a comfy RV and cool campground makes a trip worth while.

We once stayed by the campfire where.....some drank Jack.....some drank beer......and some drank juice........there's more of a community vibe at these things that's not found in a hotel.

Sounds involved....and it is but playing an instrument is involved too.

Get into it and have fun.

I dig it.

My wife digs it.

My dog digs it.

 

[blues_n_cues]

living near Nashtown & knowing this industry I could help you but I'm sure it's WAYYY more than you want to spend.
if you want to get serious & go down that road these people are the best in the business-
http://www.hemphillbrothers.com/
click on coaches & clients.

 

[flyinguitars]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Additionally...............

Make sure you have an ample supply of basic tools (like screw drivers/phillips and flat head); wrenches and hammer (rubber head too); plumbers tape and electrical tape.

Traveling with an RV can get pricey......so make sure you have plenty of fluids (milk; bottled spring water; juices and booze); canned veggies/soups and snacks.

You'll have a fridge so make good use of it.

Uh, there's an issue of plumbing.......make sure you have a separate hose for fresh water; separate hose for a flush and a large main hose for black water (the shit and piss) and grey water (shower and used sink water).

Some people want the candy on the pillow.....some want to have a studio apartment on wheels.

I like the idea of bringing stuff that doesn't have to be checked in like at airports.

There's loads of cool camp grounds in the US and some provide cable (TV hook-ups) and indoor pools and game rooms.

We once went to a campground that had a gym; movie theatre and bowling alley.

Having a comfy RV and cool campground makes a trip worth while.

We once stayed by the campfire where.....some drank Jack.....some drank beer......and some drank juice........there's more of a community vibe at these things that's not found in a hotel.

Sounds involved....and it is but playing an instrument is involved too.

Get into it and have fun.

I dig it.

My wife digs it.

My dog digs it.

That sounds awesome but I think we need a bus with a driver and a flat rate. Our band members are cool but there are a few who are out there and when we are all together trying to get everyone on the same page can be like herding cats. I think I will try the RV experience with my family for a vacation. Having to do all of that with these guys would be a recipe for disaster...lol. I want to write a check and have someone pick us up and get us there with no additional thinking on our part..haha. The goal is to get to the shows refreshed so we can bring our A game and hopefully build a following and expand our footprint....I am going to rent an RV in the near future and take it to see some of our national parks.

living near Nashtown & knowing this industry I could help you but I'm sure it's WAYYY more than you want to spend.
if you want to get serious & go down that road these people are the best in the business-
http://www.hemphillbrothers.com/
click on coaches & clients.

Thanks Blues!....we have a couple local contacts that rent tour buses and it looks like we may have something in the works that will hold all of us with driver for about 1300 per day. Also looking at ride sharing a corporate aircraft for the ride down and back and renting a van in Tennessee to go between the shows. Our main gig and one of the route gigs are supplying backline, so if that happens, I’m taking 2 guitars and my kemper!

 

[blues_n_cues]

you can always PM me for my private # & insider better deals on transpo.
like I said-Nashtown is right here.covered.

 

[axe4me]

I'd love a Prevost chassis on a motor home.

Prevost is the best in the RV world.

Last I heard, a Prevost chassis alone is $650K.......then you add the rest.

Good luck with the tour.

I'm taking a 4 day weekend with the wife and the Malamute at the end of the upcoming week.

It'll be in the 60's and sunny in southern NJ.

An RV vacation is very cool.

 

[flyinguitars]

you can always PM me for my private # & insider better deals on transpo.
like I said-Nashtown is right here.covered.

Thanks I will be in contact! I think we are going to have to get a bus locally because if we get something from the Tenn area we would have to pay a couple extra days for pickup and return to Phila. I will contact you though and see what’s up. We will be doing a show in Chattanooga. Is that near you?

I'd love a Prevost chassis on a motor home.

Prevost is the best in the RV world.

Last I heard, a Prevost chassis alone is $650K.......then you add the rest.

Good luck with the tour.

I'm taking a 4 day weekend with the wife and the Malamute at the end of the upcoming week.

It'll be in the 60's and sunny in southern NJ.

An RV vacation is very cool.

Sounds awesome! Where in south NJ? I live in south NJ near Moorestown. I’m taking my little guy fishing today near Toms River.