Planning is the key to success, especially when it comes to long bus trips. For your ride to be as comfortable and pleasant as possible, you have to pick the modern charter bus that will satisfy all of your requirements. Most of the time, you have to choose from the specific vehicles provided by the charter bus company. But what if you could choose your bus features like picking from a restaurant menu?
In a 2017 survey, busbud.com asked over 2000 participants about their preferences in bus features to determine what amenities are of utmost importance for travelers. In this article, we will cover the results and figure out which bus features are must-haves and which are usually optional.
What Features Should Be Included
The survey participants were asked to rate the importance of bus amenities on a scale from 1 to 7. Air conditioning was a top pick, with a whopping score of 6.12. For a long bus ride, having a fresh air supply is crucial, while the absence of it can turn even a premium quality bus into a torture device. The silver and bronze in this competition went to having comfortable seats and onboard restrooms.
When it came to gas and electric bus features for which people were ready to pay extra, a direct trip, without any stops, took a surprising win: passengers were ready to add almost $7.50 for it. According to the survey participants, a comfortable lie-flat bed compartment is worth $6.78 extra, and an included toilet is valued at $6.69. The AC and high-speed WiFi connection took 4th and 5th place, respectively.
You Can’t Have Every Amenity!
Sometimes you have to give up one thing to get the other. And this next part of the survey is all about that choice. When asked which bus amenity could be sacrificed in order to get more important ones, over 40% of participants named a full lie-bed stateroom. And it’s not surprising, since a comfortable seat and onboard toilet are much more preferable features for a long bus trip.
Other top answers in this category are (in descending order) the bus attendant, taking the picturesque route, and the built-in onboard TV. The surprising fifth pick includes food: over 31 percent of passengers are willing to give it up.
Bus Preferences Based on Gender
Men and women gave an almost unanimous answer to the most important bus feature question. AC, comfortable seats, onboard restroom, and built-in Wi-Fi are the 4 top picks in this category. Men also included additional legroom as their priority, while women considered the most straightforward route more important.
As for the least important bus feature, a flat-lie bed was the most common answer women gave to this question. On the other hand, most men are sure that they can do well without the services of a bus attendant. A built-in TV, food, and great views are the optional features that both groups also mentioned.
Bus Preferences Based on Age
For people of every age, the air conditioning feature still holds the crown. Gen-X even considered it with as much as $7.68 extra. Baby Boomers considered the AC worth $7.61, and Millennials $6.04. The latter group has also valued their top 5 picks, the lowest among the two other groups: only $5.45 on average.
As for the highest bids on bus amenities, the built-in restroom took a win by a landslide: valued at $7.85 by Gen-X and at an all-time high of $9.48 by baby boomers. The latter group also included a spotlessly clean bus on their wishlist, though its extra price was valued at only $3.36.
What Do People Usually Want to Have on the Bus?
Since the survey took place back in pre-COVID 2017, additional bus safety features that we are all so eager to see nowadays weren’t in the survey’s pick pool. The technical bus features are the top picks for the Gen-X: TV and high-speed WiFi. Millennials agree with this, while also being the only group that considered the electrical outlets being worth extra pay.
Along with the Baby Boomers, marketing and manufacturing industry representatives are those who tend to choose comfortable seating features. Extra space and reclining seats are their top picks in the whole category. So often neglected bus attendant service was picked only by the people who work in the art and recreation spheres.
Need a Comfortable Bus for Your Traveling? Chicago Motor Coach Can Help!
Even though you have to sometimes make a choice with certain bus companies and give up bus amenities in order to reduce the cost of the trip, we at Chicago Motor Coach always provide the highest level of comfort and safety to our passengers, no matter the budget.
Whether it’s charter, private, or shuttle bus rental service, contact Chicago Motor Coach today, and we will help you pick the bus that will suit your needs and wishes the most!