bus Archives - Starr Tours & Charters

Breaking Bus Records

Everyone knows that Starr buses are luxurious. Between comfortable seats, on board entertainment and wifi, they have all you need to make getting to each exciting destination enjoyable. Our buses, Drivers, and Tour Directors make noteworthy accomplishments every time they head out, but what about the other buses in the world? As it turns out, Guinness World Records has a whole list of the best world records involving buses! Some of them are unbelievable feats. So, sit back, relax and enjoy.

 

Longest career as a bus driver

Many things in our world have changed since 1946. One thing that hasn’t, however, is Carl Fisher’s career as a bus driver. Set in 2011, Fisher holds the world record for the longest career as a school bus driver. He started driving school buses at age 16, and found a job he loved and excelled at. Fisher estimates he has driven over two million miles, and has owned twelve different school buses. He finally retired at age 82, after spending 66 years driving Missouri’s children to and from school.

 

Furthest distance to pull a single decker bus with the ears

Famous strongman and grandfather Manjit Singh has been training as a strongman all his life, and he has broken over 55 world records. On March 31 2008, Singh pulled a single decker bus 20 ft in Loughborough, UK. Singh attached cables to his ears, and yanked the bus almost 6.1 meters. He did this to raise money for the Manjit Fitness Academy. Read about his other bus pulling record here.

 

Most people crammed into a single decker bus

According to Guinness, on June 1st, 2011, a group of people in Poland took a 57 second journey, but this one was no ordinary bus ride. Normal buses of this size can usually fit somewhere around 50 people. But this bus contained 229 people, most were faculty at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Krakow University of Technology.

 

Longest Journey by Bus

In 1988-1989, longtime friends Hughie Thompson, John Weston and Richard Steel took the world’s longest journey traveling by bus, as reported by Guinness. The group rode a red London Routemaster double-decker bus, which was their home for over a year. In the end, the boys traveled 54,289 miles and visited 18 countries, going all throughout Asia, Europe, Australia and the USA.

 

Our Cross Country Trip of a Lifetime

While they may not have broken any world records, our annual Cross Country trip accomplishes its own set of impressive stats!
June – July 2017, 34 passengers, 1 Tour Director, and 2 Drivers traveled across our great country and back in 26 days.
– They slept in 20 different cities, enjoyed 30 attractions, visited 5 National Parks, and gambled in 4+ casinos (with the possibility of many more on their free day in Las Vegas).
– They drove on 30 major routes and highways across 19 different states, passing through all 4 time zones for a total of 7,304 miles!
(You can set your own personal records on our Cross Country trip in 2018!)

 

So, the next time you’re relaxing on a bus trip on a Starr bus, think about all of the incredible things that were accomplished in buses just like these, and relax as you travel to your wonderful destination.

Top 5 Reasons to Attend an Industry Convention

ABA Marketplace Business Floor
This is the entrance to the business floor where literally millions of dollars of travel business is booked through 1 on 1 meetings with travel buyers and sellers

I just returned from the American Bus Association Annual Marketplace #ABACleveland and although it started on a Saturday morning and lasted 4 full days, it was worth it and here’s why:

 

  1. It’s all about networking.
    Meeting people in your industry is very valuable. Sharing “war” stories and successes is a wonderful thing because you may adopt an idea to your business that works! Or, you might have been thinking of an idea that didn’t work for someone else – this is a way to avoid making mistakes! Building a network also helps increase your business. Industry friends are more likely to refer your company. Worse case scenario: you build friendships to last a lifetime. Case in point I sat next to someone on a FAM tour many years ago and not only do we both use the other’s company (his a tour planning company and mine a charter bus tour company), now we call ourselves friends and will always have a special connection.
  2. Get away from your office and think big.
    Being stuck at our desk day after day sending and responding to emails and managing the day-to-day grind often doesn’t allow us to “step outside” and generate business building ideas. Being away from your desk on a business trip allows you to be creative and brainstorm (with yourself or others) ways to improve your business. On this last trip, I developed two new bus tours that I am very excited about sharing with my customers.
  3. Visit a destination you may not have otherwise visited.
    Who knew I would love Cleveland as much as I did! The people were friendly, the city was clean, and the food was phenomenal. My hotel and the Convention Center were brand new, built for the 2016 Republican National Convention. Some surprise destinations I have visited and enjoyed were Branson, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Colorado Springs and so many more. After visiting new destinations, I use the information I learned to help me plan future bus trips.
  4. Learn the newest developments in your industry.
    Here I am attending a "Women In Buses" seminar. Another great avenue to network and learn at the same time.
    Here I am attending a “Women In Buses” seminar. Another great avenue to network and learn at the same time.

    Even though I get emails (and snail mail) from lots of organizations and Travel Partners, I am not always “in the know” about the latest innovations and trends. Attending an industry convention allows me to learn the latest and greatest things I need to know to improve my business and make it run efficiently. I can’t always assume that I know what’s going on in and around the charter bus and tour industry but attending conventions and industry events keeps me abreast and “in the know.”

  5. Take the opportunity to thank your Travel Partners.
    We do lots for our Travel Partners but there are so many out there that are doing wonderful things for our company and our guests. Thanking someone over email is one thing but thanking them in person brings it to a completely different level. I like the personal interaction and being able to put a smile on someone’s face.

 

So next time a convention alert pops up and you are thinking you’re too busy or don’t have the budget to attend, think about those benefits and maybe, just maybe, you’ll change your mind.

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Sandy Borowsky, VP Marketing

Preparing Tiny Travelers For Big Adventures

Preparing Tiny Travelers For Big Adventures

It’s always exciting planning the perfect summer trip with your little ones. You found the best deal, maybe bought some snazzy new clothes for your getaway, and now it’s time to prepare the kids for the adventure! You can tell them all about your bus trip: your chosen destination, the fantastic sites you plan to visit and new cuisine you plan to try, but be sure to let them know what they can expect during travel too.

When you start packing for your bus trip, don’t forget to pack for the bus ride! If you keep your child entertained with an iPad or phone, always make sure that it is charged and ready for a long drive. Some stores even sell iPhone cases that charge themselves when the battery dies. Other options to keep your children entertained are workbooks with word games, coloring books, or something fun to read. Personally, I remember having a ball with disposable cameras when I was little! It’s a great idea to purchase a few for your kids to capture their own memories. Packing some healthy, non-perishable snacks like nuts or dried fruit can help when those little tummies start getting hungry too! It’s also a good idea to bring plenty of water and a change of clothes (for the wee ones) in case an accident happens while on board.

Another idea, either before the bus trip or on-board the bus, would be to get your kids excited about the destination by showing them pictures, brushing up on history, or exploring websites. Many websites and attractions have a kid’s section with things to know or check out. Showing this to your children on the way to your destination could spark an immediate interest and build their excitement before your arrival.

The night before you depart, you’ll want to make sure your family gets plenty of sleep. Traveling can really take a toll on your body – little ones, especially! – so it’s important to start your trip well-rested.

kids-smiling-bus
Pre-trip prep is key for a happy, relaxing ride.

Make sure that your children know what they can expect when traveling via motorcoach. Take a potty-break before arriving to the pick-up point. Let them know that there will be lots of other people on the coach so it’s polite to use inside voices, remain quiet when announcements come on from the Tour Director and/or driver, and stay seated for safety. Safety is our top priority at Starr and we wouldn’t want any of our tiny travelers to get hurt!

You can always count on our destinations to be fun and thrilling, but the adventure starts before the bus even departs. Kids thrive on the excitement of their parents and traveling companions, so the more you know and prepare them, and the more excited you are, the better the trip will be for everyone! Planning and preparing early makes for less stress leading up to the trip and it’s sure to give your kids something to look forward to. We can’t wait to have you on board!