The Flexibility, Advantages and Solutions of Leasing School Buses

As school districts and corporations face tighter finances, delays in replacing used school buses and other transit vehicles have become common as the costs related to buying a new bus or a new fleet of buses simply don’t fit into their shrinking budgets. One option that is particularly effective, especially in situations where being able to provide transit is a necessity, is to procure buses using lease financing.

One of the many advantages of leasing is that it can help to maintain the overall age and quality of the fleet while staying within a smaller budget. This enables organizations to purchase the vehicles they need rather than buying less than optimal buses due to budgetary constraints. It also allows for payments over time, which allows for better budget management and the ability to cover other capital requirements.

Financing through leasing can deliver flexibility, advantages and solutions that otherwise are not available for school districts, businesses, contractors, etc. through the outright purchase of used school buses, vans, etc.

Flexibility in Lease Financing

• The option to set a timeframe for a lease – The standard lease typically runs for 5 years but leases can have timeframes ranging from 3 to 10 years.
• A variety of financing scenarios – Leases can be structured with no down payment, the option to pay yearly, grace periods, and other financing options.
• Lease to purchase options – In this form of financing, lease payments reduce the amount owed on the purchase, much like buying on credit.

Advantages

• With a lease, payments are made for a set period of time and then the vehicle can be returned as per the contract. This eliminates resale and other issues associated with ownership.
• Leased vehicles typically require less maintenance, saving on expenses and down time.

Solutions

• As mentioned, tight budgets may preclude the outright purchase of new or used school buses. Lease financing can provide organizations with the ability to get the bus or buses that they want without having to come up with a large payment.
• For school districts that have government regulations regarding lease specifics, the lower amount of funds that must be appropriated for school buses means that money can be directed to the classroom.

Lease financing enables access for organizations to the transportation options that best suit their needs while working within the tightening budgets of school districts, businesses, and contractors. For more information, visit: http://www.busmartinc.com/

Yes or No for Seat Belts on School Buses

25 million students ride the largest form of mass transit in the country each day when they board new or used school buses to get to and from school. The vast majority of them make these trips without the use of seats belts, a fact that has been hotly debated for years. The question surrounding the issue is, “Why is it illegal in 49 out of 50 states (New Hampshire being the exception) to not wear a seat belt in a car while it is acceptable in a school bus?”

The arguments against the installation of seat belts in new and used school buses focus primarily on two factors; the expense of installation and the safety features that are already designed into school buses. In terms of the expense of installation, an Alabama State Department of Education report revealed that installing seat beats on every bus in the state would incur a cost ranging from a minimum of $32 million to a top end cost of $38 million.

The second factor in the argument against seat belts on school buses is that the safety design implemented in buses, known as “compartmentalization” is sufficient. In a compartmentalized bus, high backed seats are engineered to absorb the energy and impact of an accident with cushions and/or padding. The seats are also set up in a tight configuration to minimize movement.

Additional arguments against seat belts include:

• The concern that seat belts would be used improperly or not at all, increasing the danger to all passengers
• That seat belts could be used as weapons
• That money spent on seat belts would save more lives if it was put toward safety measures related to getting to and leaving the bus, where more fatalities occur than in bus-related accidents

Arguments for the installation of seat belts focus on:

• The additional safety provided by seat belts in side impact crashes
• Increased safety in rollover accidents

The final factor in the argument for and against installing seat belts on new and used school buses may be found in the safety records related to bus transportation to and from school, where only buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds are required to have seat belts. Depending on the study, statistics show that between 6 and 11 school bus related fatalities occur each year, making school buses one of the safest forms of transportation available. For more information, visit: http://www.busmartinc.com/

How Schools Buses Save Time and Money while Reducing Pollution

Whether you are looking to buy a new or used school bus, the vehicle will deliver numerous benefits related to safety, the environment, and the busy schedules of families with school-age children. According to statistics, approximately half of the children who attend school are carried from home to school and back on a school bus. With just under half a million school buses ferrying 25 million students on a daily basis, new and used school buses represent the largest type of mass transit in the country.

The benefits of this form of mass transit include:

• Taking cars off of the road – Each school bus carrying students to school takes approximately 35 cars off of the road each day. Fewer cars on streets and highways results in less traffic congestion, fewer emissions put into the atmosphere, and lower gas usage. Despite the claim of critics that cite pollution issues from buses, the amount of emissions coming from a single bus equals a small fraction of the emissions generated by the 35 cars that a single bus replaces on a daily basis.
• A much safer mode of transportation – It is a sad fact that, on average, over 40,000 people across the country lose their lives in car accidents each year. At the other end of the spectrum, fatalities related to school bus accidents average six per year. This amazing safety record is due to several factors including mandates for regular maintenance of school buses, the certification/driver’s training process for school bus drivers, and drug and alcohol testing for drivers. Additional safety factors found in new and used school buses relate to the design and engineering of the interior of the buses, which are compartmentalized with seats that cushion the potential impact that can occur in an accident.
• Savings of time and money for the families of students – Having their students take the bus to school can save parents and siblings hours of driving time per week. Additionally, keeping the family car off of the road saves money spent on gas and reduces wear and tear on the vehicle.      

New and used school buses, while often taken for granted, deliver the benefits of a cleaner environment, less traffic, a high level of safety and savings on gas, all while providing more time in the schedules of busy families. How many vehicles can make that boast? For more information on the additional advantages of used school buses, visit: http://www.busmartinc.com/

Maintenance and Moving Parts on Used School Buses

If you’re looking for used school buses for sale, one of the issues you will run into almost immediately is how to discern the quality of one school bus from another, especially when similar models are being considered. First, one of the advantages of buying a used school bus versus other types of buses from private parties is that the vast majority of school districts follow regular maintenance programs for their vehicles with documentation on everything ranging from oil changes to engine repairs. One of the primary reasons for this regular maintenance is that school districts have a fiduciary duty that requires safe transportation for students, an obligation that is documented in detail should that information ever be requested.  

These maintenance and repair logs can help you eliminate the lemons without even looking at a school bus with disclosures on the frequency of breakdowns, repairs, and down time. Another essential piece of information that can be found in these logs is the total mileage and service dates, details that will reveal the consistency of the maintenance schedule and the type of work that was performed with each service.

Be wary of mileage counts that are in excess of 250,000 miles as buses with even the most durable engines can break down due to other problems that come along with high mileage. A couple of mitigating factors for a high mileage used school bus would be the presence of a diesel engine and a high frequency of regular maintenance work.

Next, insist on having the engine run from a cold start to gauge for trouble signs such as smoke, rattling, and other unusual noises. Cold engines, especially diesels, can have a bit of a rough start that will ease as the engine warms up. Assess the ease at which the transmission shifts gears, listen for grinding and check for other potential issues. Be sure to check brakes and look for any problems that may exist in the electrical system.

With a full assessment of maintenance/repair records and a visual inspection of how your prospective pre-owned school bus runs, you’ll be able to choose the best school bus for your needs with confidence. For more information, visit: http://www.busmartinc.com/