Top Tips for Acquiring a Great Minibus for Your School

School minibuses are a wonderful asset to have for any educational establishment. They open the door for school trips, and the world of extra-curricular off campus activities for pupils. Some schools even use them to transport students to and from transport spots like train stations, which is extremely helpful for parents and students alike. For any school looking for a minibus, these top tips will help the search process go as smoothly as possible.

Always Purchase from a Reputable Source

Student safety (and staff) is the primary concern when it comes to using a minibus to transport them around. Therefore, it has to be purchased and sourced from a reputable company that keeps safe vehicles a top priority as well. Used vehicles are fine if they have been properly looked after and maintained, but there are ones out there that won’t live up to the task and heighten the associated risks, and drain the budget with breakdowns or fix-up jobs. Make sure you:

• Check the reviews
• Verify the source
• Conduct independent research prior to vehicle purchase
• Trust your instincts
• Don’t compromise on safety

Budget Factors: Leasing vs. Buying

The budget for a school minibus will be different for every school. While buying one outright might be an option for one place, another may need to look at leasing options. If it is just for the occasional trip out, for example, an isolated field trip, temporary hire might be the best option. It all depends on how much you intend to use it, how much money you can dedicate to the cause, and whether or not your school requires a permanent bus on the premises. The most simple route in is to enquire online about a school minibus to thoroughly explore all the potential access routes.

Main Benefits of Leasing

Here are the key benefits of leasing to consider vs. other buying models.

1. A lower initial cost is further boosted by a low monthly payment as well. Unlike buying upfront, the initial cost will be a deposit of some variety followed by the first monthly installment.
2. A newer vehicle with optimum features and better value for safety.
3. All the maintenance is usually included in the lease agreement.
4. The vehicle can be upgraded and replaced at the end of every fixed agreement period, which means you don’t have to worry about it becoming out of date or malfunctioning.
5. It widens the scope of what’s available to you because you have access to a higher price of vehicle with preferable features and styles.
6. There is a minimal hassle when it’s time to move on or end the contract, and you get to remain more flexible overall.

Think About Key Features

Any vehicle used for children based transport has to be a part of the wider safeguarding policy. That essentially implies it will have to live up to expectations in that respect. However, what other features are important for field trips and similar activities? Well, there are a few that will be useful.

Wipeable Seats

Even if you ban food and drink in the back, children still get travel sick. There is always a mess to be made when kids are about, it is just a natural part of growing up. Crumbs from their bags, or pens falling out of pockets, you name it and it will happen. So, wipeable seats sound like a great idea. Wipeable material includes soft leather and certain types of fabric too. There are special spray products to treat seats that are not completely childproof as well which are more than worth the investment if you want the minibus to stay clean and smell fresh.

Safety Focussed Belts

Standard fit seat belts are a non-compromisable item on the agenda. There have to be belts on every seat where someone might travel, and they all have to be fully functional as well. This is a big one to check before you buy a vehicle, because seatbelt replacement does not cost massive amounts of money, but it is a major inconvenience and will cause significant delays in actually getting out on the road and traveling about.

How Many Seats?

Minibuses are ideal for smaller groups of students. They are more sustainable than bigger coaches, and arguably safer while also being easy to manage in terms of both behaviour and organisation. The biggest variety typically has space for up to 17 people, which is more than enough for a class in secondary. Plus, acquiring two is always an option as well if necessary. There are smaller vehicles too with anything from eight seats upwards.

The Tech

Modern vehicles can be ready-made with a whole innovative scope of technology, and the minibus is not exempt from this. There are navigational aids, Bluetooth radios, chargers, heated seats, traffic updates, and helpful maintenance alerts in-built. Naturally, the more advanced the product is, the bigger the price tag will be. However, if your budget can stretch to something with a map screen this is arguably the most useful feature to have for any school outing. There is nothing more stressful than becoming lost with a bus filled with excited kids. Fancier perks like heated seats might not be anywhere near your agenda, but they are fun for those cold winter mornings to give everyone a motivational boost nonetheless!

Mobility Access

Being inclusive and considerate concerning children with disabilities is a thing that schools have definitely got better at in the last few decades. Accommodations are expected and granted, as they should be, and it should be no different with the minibus mode of transport. If you are going to buy one, or even hire one, it has to account for any students with mobility issues that may demand wheelchair access. Thankfully, these are highly wheelchair friendly vehicles for the most part, so they shouldn’t be too difficult to find.

Safe Storage

The last thing to consider is where the bus will be stored. Usually, schools opt for storing the bus on site overnight, or when not in use for convenience factors. However, this leaves it extremely vulnerable to theft or vandalism. You might be thinking, who would steal a school minibus?! Despite it being a devastating action, it does happen. These are vehicles just like any other and they can be stripped down or even joy-rided and they become particularly at risk if someone notices the pattern of unattendance.

So, if you’re going to own a minibus that is kept on-site permanently, you need somewhere safe to put it. The only real solution in this context is to have a dedicated parking garage with a sophisticated entry system and, preferably, constant camera surveillance as a further deterrent. If you are unable to establish this setup, at the very least opt for surveillance products so that there is a continuous eye kept on the vehicle when it is sat still and alone.

A good minibus is one that keeps the kids safe, doesn’t cost the earth to run, is fit for purpose, and fits the need profile. Schools can benefit a lot from having a permanent access channel to transport and it serves to enrichen the lives of their students. Whether you buy, lease or hire, exploring minibus options is a great thing to do for the general educational value being offered.