Many small businesses need a mobile business vehicle especially if they have to meet clients in person. They can easily carry tools of their trade and other equipment along with them as they make their rounds. Some of the trades that frequently purchase buses to convert to business use are Barbers, Beauticians, Dog Groomers, Personal Trainers, Attorneys, Architects, Shoemakers, Construction Foreman, Florists, Beauty Salons, Physical Therapy, Massage and Spa Service, Manicure and Pedicure, Animal Rescue, and Transportation, etc. Minibuses can be the new backbone of these businesses without which survival can be difficult. For example, imagine a plumber who gets a call from a new client, the plumber visits the clients home with his backpack loaded with tools in a public transit bus, train or on his own motorbike only to realize the task requires bigger tools and equipment which he had left behind in his office, he then goes back to his office and does this up and down several times until the task is complete. Though he gets paid for a job well done, he has lost several hours traveling between his office and the client’s home which he could have potentially used to attend other clients, thus making more revenue for his plumbing business. This is the same story with every small business out there. The purpose of buying working vans is to reduce the time spent on commuting and carrying heavy tools and equipment on-site which otherwise would be impossible to carry or would have required the hiring of 3rd party vehicles and following their schedules to complete the client’s task. Neither does it look professional, nor its the efficient way to conduct business operations. It also wastes a lot of time that could have been utilized to attend other clients. Just like people have their own cars for personal transportation, every enterprise needs a dedicated vehicle for the smooth operation of daily business.

To fill in this demand, automobile manufacturers started producing large and compact size cargo vans to help businesses with their transportation needs. The primary concerns of people buying these cargo vehicles are price, space, fuel economy(miles per gallon), maintenance cost, safety features, and resale value. There is a huge variety of these vehicles present in the market today and each has its own pros and cons. Some are budget-friendly but offer less space, while others offer a better fuel economy than most others. There are always some features that need to be compromised with and sacrificed in every vehicle. However, the most basic concern of first-time buyers is the price and space that a cargo van has to offer. A new compact van can cost $21,000 whereas its larger counterpart can cost up to $35,000 and if well maintained, their life can span up to 250,000 miles. Moreover, the cargo space that they offer is not much either, 130 cubic feet for small vans and 580 for larger vans. The high top version of these vans will allow a 6'5" tall man to stand inside the vehicle but it will not be able to carry several team members and equipment at the same time. So if your business requires several employees to work in teams at client sites, then these vans are at a disadvantage. In order to compensate for the lack of space in these vehicles, successful small businesses have purchased more than one van just to carry everything they need to get the job done at the cost of several thousand $$$.

Many startup entrepreneurs would ask themself, is there a better solution? Is there a way to spend less money upfront, yet get more cargo space in the vehicle to fit everything and everybody. Is there a better vehicle out there that can fulfill all the shortcomings of cargo vans? The answer is YES, there is a better vehicle and it’s a 14 passenger bus also called a shuttle bus, minibus, small bus, a short bus, or even a tiny bus.

Buses are primarily of 3 categories depending on their size, mini, medium, and full size. A minibus for sale can accommodate up to 14 passengers and is bigger than a cargo van. It has a storage capacity of a whopping 1,500 cubic feet, which is 3 times more space than the largest cargo van ever manufactured. The 14 seats can either be removed to get the empty space one needs to fill in goods, tools, equipment, etc. Alternatively, the 14 fixed seats can be replaced with 7 double flip seats that can be folded and tucked to the sidewalls of the bus. So, if you have to carry several employees and equipment at the same time, then this one bus will do it all. Cargo vans also have a towing capacity of up to 10,000 pounds. A shuttle bus for sale has the same towing capacity but why does one need to tow anything when there is so much cargo space within the bus? These buses have a front door near the driver’s cabin and a rear door too. They have high top roofs so people can stand inside the passenger cabin to move around with ease and comfort. They have dual rear wheels which makes them safe and more stable than a cargo van. Overloading a cargo van is a safety hazard and can cause accidents like tire blowouts or rollovers while taking sharp turns whereas overloading a minibus will only slow it down. The bus is also equipped with a heavy-duty front and rear air conditioning and a heating unit for the colder months at the rear end. This makes sure, climate inside the passenger cabin is always friendly to the travelers, their goods, and also the business enterprise. For example, if the bus were to be used as an animal transportation vehicle, then the climate control system would play a vital role in keeping the animals cool and comfortable inside the passenger cabin. Similarly, it’s also good for transporting equipment, chemical substances, biodegradable food items, etc that require cooler temperatures for preservation over long distances.

Buying a small bus for sale that has never been used before can be expensive and prices start from $50,000 for one with basic features. Compare that to a new cargo van that will cost merely $21,000 but its features and capabilities will be severely compromised and buyers may have to buy more than one to fulfill the transportation demands of their business. However, there is a catch. There is a way to own the short bus for less than the price of a new cargo van. The catch is to buy them pre owned. A shuttle bus has a lifespan of up to 15 years or up to 300,000 miles. Most owners don’t need them that long and list them up for resale after a few years. By now the bus has depleted up to 100,000 miles and maybe 5 to 7 years. That means the next owner can use them for another 200,000 miles and for another 5 years. How cool is that? The price of a used bus for sale is almost 60% less than a new bus. Now, it becomes affordable for millions of small business owners across the United States.

A used bus converted into a cargo vehicle will give small businesses everything they require for daily operations. Whether they want to move employees around or their goods and equipment. Owners can even start a home pickup and drop facility to make sure every employee reaches office on time every day. Because the minibus is small in size compared to other buses, it has a small turning radius making it the perfect vehicle to move around town and through the busy city streets, lanes and bylanes. If buyers want a vehicle that is easy to maneuver and navigate through busy traffic and densely populated areas, then the minibus is perfect for them.

Many startups and small business owners are anxious when buying their first cargo vehicle. They don’t know where to get started and price plays a very important role in their buying decision. Used buses for sale offer great financial relief to these budget-conscious buyers. They can easily own a used bus that is fully reconditioned from bumper to bumper, has a like-new appearance and is certified ready to hit the road, between $10,000 to $15,000. There are no fixed rates because the price depends on several factors like the vehicle’s age, mileage, transmission type, engine type, engine size, etc. But one can get hold of a fully functional cargo bus well within the above price range. There are other buses sold by private individuals that cost less than $5,000 but these used buses are being sold as-is, the owners do not have the budget nor the expertise to fully recondition them, hence the buyer will end up spending thousands of additional dollars to fix them before they start using them. Most small business owners don’t want to go through this hassle, hence it’s better to purchase these used buses from licensed and bonded used bus dealerships because they inspect more than 300 parts and components on the bus before selling them to the next buyer. Any part that fails inspection is either repaired or replaced, as a result, the second hand bus gets a new breath of life and lives with its new owners for a lifetime. Moreover, the dealers are ready to buy back their buses when the owners no longer need them at a reasonable price. This is the quickest and easiest way to get rid of a bus that is no longer needed. Instead of buying 3 new vans and maintaining them on a regular basis, it’s better to buy one preowned bus.

So buying a used bus and converting it into a cargo vehicle has several benefits like 3 times bigger cargo space which is more than the biggest cargo van, high durability, easy maneuverability, high top roof that gives a lot of standing space, sitting space for employees with flip seats, front and rear air conditioning, rear heating units, dual rear wheels for greater safety and stability, rear door, 5-speed automatic transmission, rubber transit floor, large tinted windows, stainless steel entry rails and overhead handrails, wide doors. What else can a buyer ask for? All they have to do is remove the seats or flip them over to the sidewalls and start driving right away.

However, there is one and only major disadvantage with a used bus when compared with cargo vans. That is fuel economy. A large van gives 21 miles per gallon at highway speeds, whereas a compact van gives up to 29 miles per gallon due to its small size. But the maximum performance a used bus can give is 13 miles per gallon. That is almost half than that offered by large purpose-built cargo vans. This is the only disadvantage with used buses. A diesel engine bus will give better performance at around 17 miles per gallon but will cost up to $8,000 more than gasoline engine buses. As we discussed earlier, the purchase of any vehicle involves compromising and sacrificing some of the features. Though a 15 passenger shuttle bus for sale is cheaper than the smallest new work van, it gives less performance per gallon because of its bigger size, loading capacity, and additional safety features.

If buyers can ignore this one drawback, then they have everything they need on the used shuttle bus for sale. The bus ownership process is fairly simple:

1. Buy the fully reconditioned used bus between $10,000 to $15,000.

2. Get it insured;

3. Get it registered;

4. Remove the fixed seats or replace them with flip seats to get an empty space of up to 1500 cubic feet.

5. Get it delivered to your site;

6. Convert the bus into a cargo vehicle by Installing any furniture, frames or racks to make it suitable to the business;

7. Start driving right away with a regular license;

8. Run it through regular maintenance every 6 months, just to make sure everything is fine even if it looks and operates fine.

9. Operate the bus up to 300,000 miles. It can take up to a decade or more to reach that mark if the bus is not used frequently. Church buses add only 5,000 miles to their odometers annually.

10. When the bus is no longer needed, resell it to the dealership from where it was purchased initially at a reasonable price.

11. Buy another used bus, convert it into a cargo vehicle, and get your business back on track.

That is how simple it is to buy, own, and dispose of a used bus.

Major Vehicle Exchange has been selling used buses for various purposes to clients across the United States for more than 35 years. At any given time, we stock more than 45 vehicles that are fully reconditioned from bumper to bumper and ready for immediate delivery across the USA. For more information visit our website and call the owner Mr. Charles Kaufman at 516-333-7483 today!

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