How to Start a Charter Bus Business

You could start a business that lets you go on vacation every day when you open a charter bus company. You will have to tote some strangers along with you on your travels, but that's a small price to pay for enjoying the freedom of the road.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Save your money. You'll need enought to make a down payment on a bus so that you don't have to pay a rental fee every time you take a tour group out. Of course, if your credit is good you may be able to buy a bus without a down payment.
2. Gain experience. Learning how other tour companies work will give you inside information when you start your own charter bus business. Take a job with another company, build up a clientele and save money to buy your own bus.
3. Determine your monthly expenses. These include the payments for the bus, insurance, a license, gas, parking, maintenance and accounting.
4. Check out the market to learn how much you can charge. See what other companies are charging to travel the same routes as you and determine whether you can undercut them and still make a profit.
5. Advertise your bus charter business. Post fliers in places where people will use your services, such as schools, senior centers and churches. Provide good service because word-of-mouth is the best advertisement you can have.
6. Know your subject. If you want people to tell their friends, come back, and use you again, you need a gimmick to make your bus service distinctive. People remember personality and story telling, therefore these are two areas that you can focus on to get your customers to return.

Tips & Warnings

• One of the biggest things to remember is not to set your fees too high or too low. You definitely need to check out the competition to see the going rate before setting your rates.
• Always put together a checklist for the expenses you will incur verses the income you expect to make before starting any business.