Let’s look at the top five benefits of buying a used bus!
- Cost Efficient
Purchasing a new bus may be more exciting…after all, who doesn’t love that new car smell? However, excitement may not be what helps your bottom line the most.
Cost
A used bus could cost just one-third of what a new bus would cost. If money is tight, but you need a bus to move your congregants around, a preowned bus is ideal.
Depreciation
Remember, the moment you drive that new bus off the parking lot, it immediately begins to depreciate, usually by as much as 11%. After the first year of owning that new bus, it could be worth 25% less. After three years, it will only be worth half as much as you paid for it.
Used buses, on the other hand, won’t depreciate anywhere near as rapidly as new buses. So, if you ever need to resell your used bus, you’ll probably be able to recoup much more of your initial investment.
- Quick Delivery
Since many new buses require custom specifications, it may be anywhere between 9 and 12 months before a new bus arrives. That’s fine if you have the time to wait around for your new bus. If this timeline seems too long, you are much better off purchasing a refurbished used bus.
Depending on your needs, you may be able to find a preowned bus for sale immediately and drive your bus off the lot the same day you purchase it. Even if you need it to be refurbished in some special way, you probably won’t have to wait any longer than two months before your bus is ready to use.
- Economical
When you consider what your needs are today and what they might be in the future — increased ridership, for example — you also need to consider your available budget. If you invest in refurbished used buses, you can stretch your budget and manage the age and size of your fleet as well as meet your riders’ expectations quickly and efficiently.
On the other hand, preowned buses also make sense if you won’t need the vehicle every day. Why purchase a new bus if it’s only going to be used for a group which meets once a week, or perhaps even less?
If the bus is not going to be traveling far or accumulating a lot of mileage, buying a used bus is a much better way to use your available dollars. What you save on purchasing a used bus can be invested into other parts of your church operation.
- More Variety
Since you would pay so much less for a used bus than a new bus, this enables you to consider buying more than one bus depending on your needs.
For instance, you may need a shuttle bus to move smaller groups of people between buildings or from one location to another. You may also need a larger bus, however, like a charter bus or a school bus to take larger groups of people on longer trips.
It could be financially very difficult to buy two new buses for these different purposes. However, because of the savings that are available with used charter buses for sale or a used school bus for sale, you can accomplish both goals and maybe even save some cash in the long run.
As with every make of car, you can purchase a variety of buses. A used school bus, a used charter bus, a used coach bus, a used shuttle, a used mini-school bus — you have a lot of options from which to make a choice. When you answer the questions listed above, that will help you narrow down your choice.
- Environmentally Friendly
There is no more environmentally friendly mode of transportation than a bus. While it’s true that most buses don’t get the greatest gas mileage, whether they are new or used, what makes them so environmentally friendly is that they can carry so many people.
A coach bus or a school bus can carry 30 to 40 passengers. Even a shuttle bus can often accommodate up to 20 people. This means that a motor-coach bus gets about 239 miles per gallon per passenger, making it the most environmentally friendly and gas efficient mode of transportation.
Regardless of the kind of bus you purchase, you’re going to get similar results in terms of miles per gallon per passenger. By purchasing a used bus, you are contributing environmentally to your community.
For example, if you run a shuttle bus to pick up people in regular spots throughout your community and then return them there in the evening, you’re taking a lot of automobiles off the roads.
In addition, by choosing a preowned bus over a new one, you won’t be contributing to the demand of new vehicles, and you’ll be reducing production waste.
When you purchase a used bus, it’s proof that you can be smart both financially and environmentally.
This information is courtesy of Rohrer Bus, a full-service Pennsylvania bus sales and transportation company offering a wide selection of new and preowned buses, vans, and transportation services, www.rohrerbus.com.
