WHAT IS INVOLVED WITH BUS SPECIFICATIONS?

Writing bus specifications is a unique and technical proposition. It is far more complicated than the average consumer realizes. Why? You may ask. The answer is simply because there is no such thing as an average or standard bus. They are all built individually; there are no standard models with buses as there are with cars because everything relates to the options you will receive on your bus. If a sales person tells you that they have a standard bus in-stock that will meet your need, they may be unintentionally misleading you and trying to sell what is easy for them and not what is best for you.

In order to spec’ a bus, questions need to be asked and answered before a spec’ can be written that will meet your specific needs. Often sales people are under pressure and commission motivated to sell what they have in stock rather than go through the time it takes to spec. a bus in detail for your needs. A quick decision can cost you thousands of dollars. It is always best to take the time to evaluate and know what you are buying and know what is right for you.

Bus Spedifications Consultants will help you develop a clear understanding of the many different and complex systems of a bus and know how to put them all together in a specification so that when you receive bids from dealers you are comparing an apple to an apple. Our specification writing process will also hlep you choose the perfect details of all the different kinds of chassis from manufacturers such as Ford, GM, International, Freightliner, and others. What kind of engine do you want? Will a dry sleeve engine give you the performance you are seeking or will a wet-sleeve engine do a better job? What is the difference between a dry and wet-sleeve engine? What size of front and rear axles do you need to get the best performance and price range from your bus? What size of alternator do you need to give your bus the power it will need to operate all of the electrical systems you want? Believe it or not this is where many churches, schools, private shuttle companies and many other types of businesses make crucial errors when purchasing their new buses. Many bus salesmen do not know the answers to these questions unless it is on the specifics of their particular bus. They may not know the details of competitor lines and secondary manufacturers used by their competitors. These are only a few of the chassis issues that need serious consideration when purchasing a bus.

Then there is the body. The options are endless and many that you may want will be left out of the decision making process if you do not specifically ask for them. When a bus dealer is trying to get your business and knows he is up against his competition, they will look at what they can do to be the lowest price and often this is where the end user gets shortchanged. Many of these items they decide to leave off, you will not even notice are missing. It is during the manufacturing process that these types of decisions may or may not be added, and once the bus is built it is too late to change it. The body specs’ can be more complicated than the chassis.

What size of air-conditioning system do you need? Do you want a half or three quarter inch plywood floor? Do you want cove molding? What type of seats do you need and what options do you want on them? There are numerous grades of fabric on bus seats so what grade do you need? What are the State and Federal regulations you need to be concerned about when buying a bus? This is definately a big factor for writing the specifications and is our largest area of expertise.

As you can see there are many issues one needs to know in order to write a bus specification that will meet your specific needs. Bus Specifications Consultants knows buses. We have the knowledge and experience necessary to write bus specifications that will meet your needs and give you dependable service. Since we are not a bus dealer but a consulting firm, we represent you the buyer and your best interest. We write specifications that can be submitted to several different bus dealers. This allows for a competitive bidding process. We will receive the bids and review each one to determine that they have met the specifications completely or give a good reason for why they have modified them. Sometimes this happens because of manufacturing changes made by the bus builder and not the dealer. If the change does not affect the safety, dependability, or service then it may be acceptable.

It takes someone with extensive knowledge of the different chassis manufacturers, body manufacturers, bus systems, secondary manufacturers, and State and Federal regulations to put customized specifications all together. Experience is required to review the bus bids that are received by the different bus dealers and give you a recommendation on which bus is best for you based on value, price, and dealer service location. This kind of experience takes years to develop.

The bus salesperson can provide specifications that meet their particular brand of bus. Bus Specifications Consultants will be working for you not the bus dealership. Therefore you will get sound advice on which bus best fits your need regardless of the brand name attached to it. We stay current with the ever changing market and product designs available, in order to provide you with sound purchasing advice. Our specifications will assure fair and equal opportunity for the bus bidders so that the competition will be fair and balanced. This gives you the best possible price and the best product based on your transportation needs.

Buses range in price from fifty thousand to several hundred thousand dollars depending on size and needs of the type of bus. Our consulting services provide great value for a small price. Let us do the research that works for you. Knowledge is power when making a purchase of this type. Our experience can provide you with the knowledge you need.

If you are purchasing a bus for a church, school district, private business, tour operator, shuttle business, city government, county government, or any other business, please call us for a free consultation on your transportation needs.