Re: [Philmont]: Bus from Denver to Philmont - Van or School Bus

Check with your insurance company before you jump into a 15-passenger van.
In 2003, when I checked with State Farm, I learned my personal insurance did
not cover me driving in a 15-passenger van. When we added in daily insurance
cost to a van rental for 14-or-so days, the cost really zoomed. We chose to
rent school bus from Durham School Services who had a contract at them time
in Woodland Park, Colorado.
 
See _http://www.durhamschoolservices.com/_
(http://www.durhamschoolservices.com/)
 
Another couple of crews from our district also used this option with very
good success. We had 11 in our crew, tons of space on the bus, and cost per
person was not unreasonable. The bigger the crew, the more heads you have to
spread the cost across. Remember, Durham charged per hour of bus use, not per
person. Clock starts when bus left the garage in Woodland Park, and stopped
when bus returned to garage in Woodland Park. That works better for
Colorado Springs airport arrivals/departures than Denver for sure.
 
Very reliable drivers, always showed up early, even at Philmont for return
trip to Denver. Basic transportation where someone else does the driving.
Not air conditioned, but with the windows down we had plenty of air -- except
in gully washer rainstorm leaving Denver for Colorado Springs the evening we
arrived in Denver. Rate in 2003 was about $30/hour. Expect it will be higher
this year, if available at all, due to higher fuel costs. Plan in a
contingency for delays (at $30/hour) at the airport on your arrival, due to weather
and due to construction along the highway. All affected our total cost which
was somewhere in the $1500 range, total including tips to drivers, even with
the buses' travel to/from Woodland Park factored in. We used our own
sightseeing transportation (rented 8-passenger van and auto) in Colorado Springs.
Durham dropped us at our motel on arrival in Colorado and picked us up bright
and early the day we drove to Philmont. Another nice thing about Durham was
that they billed us monthly. Our travel occurred in July and August, so
bills came in August and September. Nice for cash management.
 
Charlie Pineo
Woodstock, GA
Assoc. Crew Advisor, 2003
Troop 994 _www.troop994.org_ (http://www.troop994.org)
 

-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe at http://usscouts.org/lists/
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to: philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at: http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator: philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Fri Jan 27 08:15:19 2006