Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
Q - What are
some of the differences between vans & buses?
A - Below is our comparison table:
|
Bus |
Van |
Capacity |
10 - 30 |
15 |
Designed to transport children |
YES |
NO |
School bus rollover protection |
YES |
NO |
Padded school bus seats |
YES |
NO |
Fuel tank integrity |
YES |
NO |
Aisle down center |
YES |
NO |
Rear emergency door |
YES |
NO |
School bus entrance door |
YES |
NO |
Joint strength construction |
YES |
NO |
School bus windows |
YES |
NO |
Front crossover mirrors |
YES |
NO |
Steel cage construction |
YES |
NO |
Side crash rails |
YES |
NO |
Rear heat |
50,000 BTU |
15,000 BTU |
Rear A/C (Optional) |
40,000 BTU |
15,000 BTU |
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Q - Why are your prices
so much lower than other bus companies?
A - Churchbus.com is the "ministry
arm" of the largest distributor of buses in the
country, Midwest Transit Equipment. This Christian-owned business sells more than 3,000 school/commercial
buses each year. It is our desire to save your church
or faith-based organization money that you can use
toward other ministry purposes.
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Q - Aren't school buses significantly
more expensive than vans?
A - The initial cost of a 15 passenger
school bus is approximately $3,000 to $5,000 greater
than a comparable sized van. However, the school
bus has a significantly longer road life and is
less expensive to maintain. Recent calculations
have determined that the per road mile cost of
a 15 passenger school bus is actually cheaper than a
comparable sized van. Also more passengers can
ride in buses; therefore, the per passenger and per
mile transportation cost is much less for small
buses.
Most have discovered that the cost of leasing a school
bus is equal to or less costly than existing van leases.
Your program cannot afford not to comply - both for the
safety of your students and for your liability exposure.
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Q - What exactly are the CDL
(commercial driver's license) requirements?
A - In most states, if the vehicle seats
15 or fewer people (including the driver) and weighs
less than 16,000 lbs., the driver is not required to have
a special CDL license.
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Q - What does "school bus constructed" mean?
A - The federal government has adopted
a very strict set of safety guidelines for vehicles
that are used to transport students to and from school
and/or school activities. Vehicles that meet these
standards are identified as "school bus constructed."
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Q - What can I do with the vans my
church is currently using?
A - We accept trade-ins. We will appraise your vehicles and give you
the option to trade them in toward the purchase of new activity safety vehicles.
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Q - When can I take delivery of my
new church bus?
A - Churchbus.com carries
a large selection of new church buses. In stock
vehicles can be picked up within 1-2 weeks of your
order.
Churchbus.com can
also arrange delivery for an additional cost. Contact your
sales representative for details.
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Q - Are 15 passenger vans really that
unsafe?
A - Here are some facts that will
help you decide for yourself:
a. The National Transportation Safety
Board has taken a strong stance against the use of
these vehicles.
b. It is actually "illegal" for
a dealership to sell a new 15 passenger van to any
school (public or private) or church for the purpose
of transporting students.
c. Hundreds of people have died in
the past 10 years in van roll-over accidents.
d. There is no structural support
in the roof of a van. In the event of a roll-over accident,
these vehicles will "cave in," crushing
the passenger.
e. Many insurance companies will no
longer insure these vans.
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Q
- How are your buses safer than 15 passenger vans?
A-
a. Each vehicle has dual rear wheels
for stability on the road.
b. Steel cage construction (offered
on all of our buses) means that there are steel supports
in each of the side walls and ceiling. Passengers are
actually sitting in a steel roll cage.
c. Rigorous testing indicates that
they meet or exceed a long list of federal safety standards.
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Q
- Do you offer assistance with financing our purchase?
A- Yes,
we have a number of partners who are available to help
you with either purchase or leasing options. Each of
these companies offers competitive rates and some offer
terms as long as 7 years.
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Q
- What type of warranty is offered on your buses?
A- Ford offers a 5 year/60,000 mile power train warranty and a 3 year/36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. Chevy offers a 5 year/100,000 power train warranty and a 3 year/36,000 bumper to bumper warranty. The warranty on the "body" of
the bus varies with the manufacturer. A detailed list
of specific manufacturer warranties can be obtained
upon request.
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Q
- Where do we get warranty work done?
A- Chassis work
can be done at any dealership (of that manufacturer)
in the country. If you have a problem with something
other than the chassis you simply contact us or call our toll-free
number (866) 4-BUS-DOC and speak to someone in our warranty or service
department. We will refer you to the nearest shop that
specializes in that type of repair. (Example: We want
glass to be repaired by someone who specializes in
glass repair.)
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