Tour bus service

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Early tour bus in Salt Lake City, 1909 SLC bus,1909.jpg
Early tour bus in Salt Lake City, 1909
A colourful tour bus at Kuranda, Queensland, Australia A tour Bus at Rainforestation Cairns.JPG
A colourful tour bus at Kuranda, Queensland, Australia
Tourists taking photos from a ParisCityVision open-topped tour bus in Paris. Paris tourists.jpg
Tourists taking photos from a ParisCityVision open-topped tour bus in Paris.
Salvador Bahia Bus in Santo Antonio da Barra Lighthouse, in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Salvador Bus no Farol da Barra.jpg
Salvador Bahia Bus in Santo Antonio da Barra Lighthouse, in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

A tour bus service is an escorted tour (sometimes a package holiday) or bus service that takes visitors sightseeing, with routes around tourist attractions.

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Double-decker buses and open top buses are commonly used, for providing a good view. Large coaches are used internationally by tour operators, intercity bus lines and charters, for short and long distance destinations. These buses are larger than regular transit buses, with 2 to 4 axles (6 to 10 wheels).

The history of tour buses in North America began in the early 20th century, when trucks were converted to provide a means for sightseeing within large American cities. [1] Gray Line, the largest sightseeing operators, began operations in 1910. [2] Sightseeing was likely a side business for many intercity bus operators because the same types of buses were used (this remains true even today). World War II saw the industry decline, but it slowly re-emerged as an alternative to driving. [1]

Many musicians, entertainers, dancing crews and bands travel in sleeper buses, commonly referred to as "tour buses". While most if not all of the buses and coaches listed above are for commercial applications, there are many coaches manufactured for personal use as motorhomes. These bus based motorhomes are considered the top end of the RV market.

Common features

Tour coach manufacturers

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bus</span> Large road vehicle for transporting people

A bus is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but less than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for charter purposes, or through private ownership. Although the average bus carries between 30 and 100 passengers, some buses have a capacity of up to 300 passengers. The most common type is the single-deck rigid bus, with double-decker and articulated buses carrying larger loads, and midibuses and minibuses carrying smaller loads. Coaches are used for longer-distance services. Many types of buses, such as city transit buses and inter-city coaches, charge a fare. Other types, such as elementary or secondary school buses or shuttle buses within a post-secondary education campus, are free. In many jurisdictions, bus drivers require a special large vehicle licence above and beyond a regular driving licence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coach (bus)</span> Bus used for longer-distance service

A coach is a type of bus built for longer-distance service, in contrast to transit buses that are typically used within a single metropolitan region. Often used for touring, intercity, and international bus service, coaches are also used for private charter for various purposes. Coaches are also related and fall under a specific category/type of RVs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campsite</span> Place used for overnight stay in the outdoors

Campsite, campground, and camping pitch are all related terms regarding a place used for camping. The usage differs between British English and American English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recreational vehicle</span> Types of vehicles

A recreational vehicle, often abbreviated as RV, is a motor vehicle or trailer that includes living quarters designed for accommodation. Types of RVs include motorhomes, campervans, coaches, caravans, fifth-wheel trailers, popup campers, and truck campers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First class travel</span> Luxury seating and service on a passenger transport system

First class is the most luxurious and most expensive travel class of seats and service on a train, passenger ship, airplane, bus, or other system of transport. Compared to business class and economy class, it offers the best service and most comfortable accommodation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campervan</span> Type of vehicle

A campervan, also referred to as a camper, caravanette, motorhome or RV in North America, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term describes vans that have been fitted out, whereas a motorhome is one with a coachbuilt body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Double-decker bus</span> Bus with two levels or decks

A double-decker bus or double-deck bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. Double-deckers are primarily for commuter transport, but open-top models are used as sight-seeing buses for tourists, and there are coaches too for long-distance travel. They appear in many places around the world but are presently most commonly used as mass transport in cities of Britain and Ireland, in Hong Kong, and in Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorhome</span> Type of vehicle

A motorhome is a type of self-propelled recreational vehicle (RV) which is as the name suggests, like a home on wheels.

Prevost is a Canadian manufacturer of touring coaches and bus shells for high-end motorhomes and specialty conversions. The company is a subsidiary of the Volvo Buses division of the Volvo Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intercity bus service</span> Public transport service using coaches to carry passengers significant distances between locations

An intercity bus service or intercity coach service, also called a long-distance, express, over-the-road, commercial, long-haul, or highway bus or coach service, is a public transport service using coaches to carry passengers significant distances between different cities, towns, or other populated areas. Unlike a transit bus service, which has frequent stops throughout a city or town, an intercity bus service generally has a single stop at one location in or near a city, and travels long distances without stopping at all. Intercity bus services may be operated by government agencies or private industry, for profit and not for profit. Intercity coach travel can serve areas or countries with no train services, or may be set up to compete with trains by providing a more flexible or cheaper alternative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bus driver</span> Profession

A bus driver, bus operator, or bus captain is a person who drives buses for a living.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City Sightseeing</span> International sightseeing tour bus operator

City Sightseeing is an open-top, sightseeing tour bus operator. It provides tour bus services in more than 130 cities around the world. As City Sightseeing has grown and expanded, the company now also provides boat tours, sightseeing train tours, and guided walking tours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GM Buffalo bus</span> Motor vehicle

The GM "Buffalo" bus is a colloquial term referring to several models of intercity motorcoaches built by the GM Truck and Coach Division at Pontiac, Michigan, between 1966 and 1980. "Buffalo" coaches have a stepped roof in front, and the first three rows of seats are at different levels, mounted on stepped floors resembling some types of theater seating.

Open top buses are used in the United Kingdom for sightseeing and seasonal summer services.

MTR Western is an American motorcoach operator active in the western United States and Canada.

Bus companies in Ontario range in scale from small family-run businesses to subsidiaries of large international transportation groups. Many operate yellow school buses for student transportation on behalf of local school boards, while others concentrate on luxury coach charters and tours. Some municipalities use these private companies to run their public transit systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megabus (Europe)</span> Long distance coach operator

Megabus is a long-distance intercity coach service operator owned by Scottish Citylink and based in the United Kingdom. Founded by Stagecoach Group in August 2003, it operates using low-cost fares, formerly starting at £1, based on a yield management model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Bus Association</span> American trade association

The American Bus Association (ABA) serves as a trade association for motorcoach operators and tour companies operating in the United States and Canada. With its headquarters situated in Washington, D.C., the association has a membership comprising approximately 1,000 companies engaged in bus operations or bus-based tours, alongside around 2,800 organizations representing the broader travel and tourism industry. Additionally, several hundred suppliers of buses and related products and services are affiliated with the ABA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MCI D-Series</span> American motorcoach bus type

The MCI D-Series is a model of motorcoach bus produced by Motor Coach Industries (MCI). The bus is primarily used by private companies operating scheduled service or commuter buses, government agencies for the transport of prisoners, and in more recent years, public transit agencies who use them on express routes. It is sold alongside the MCI J-Series bus, primarily used by tour and charter operators.

References

  1. 1 2 "Driven John Mack Kept on Truckin', Helping Build Modern America". Investors.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  2. Risko, Karin (2018). A History Lover's Guide to Detroit. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4671-3567-2.
  3. "Bus Toilets / Toilets of the World". toilet-guru.com. Retrieved May 22, 2011.
  4. "New Prevost features to be showc". Prevost-stuff.com. December 22, 2006. Retrieved March 28, 2011.