Bus Touring for Beginners
One of the biggest skill jumps in your career as a Tour Manager will be from van tours to bus tours, and it’s a step that requires a whole host of new knowledge that might not be immediately obvious. I was lucky to TM my first bus tour working with a company who were patient and took the time to walk me through everything they thought I needed to know - but I’ve worked with companies since who haven’t been anywhere near as accommodating. I felt like it was worth trying to consolidate everything I’ve learnt in to one place. I’ve tried to outline everything I think about when planning and executing a bus tour and present it in a reasonably logical way for anyone about to embark on their first bus tour.
If the information contained here is worth anything to you, you can chuck me a tip here.
The Basics
A tour bus, or ‘nightliner’, is a converted coach with a number of beds and a living area, often including a small kitchenette and toilet with a sink. It’s designed for a tour party to sleep and live in whilst on the road. They may have fridges, microwaves, kettles, coffee machines, TVs, games consoles and other entertainment options in addition to beds and comfortable seating. They do not (in the UK at least) have showers. Most venues above a certain size will provide access to showers which you can use during the day or after the show.
In the UK they usually range from 8-12 berth single decker buses up to 16 berth double deckers. These larger vehicles generally have the majority of the top deck dedicated to bunks, and a downstairs living space. Smaller mini-sleepers are available which fall in to a sort of middle ground between a van and bus, but I won’t be covering them here.
Equipment is usually towed behind the bus in a trailer, unless it’s travelling separately in a truck or cargo vehicle. There is a small amount of storage space in the bays under the bus, but really this is for personal items only.
For avoidance of doubt, you can’t drive a tour bus (without a specific qualification) and the bus company will provide you with a driver (or drivers).
What information do I need to get a hire quote?
Unlike a van tour where you just need to know your start and end dates and who will be driving, for bus tours you’ll need a provisional tour routing with show dates and cities as a minimum. Ideally you will also know the exact venues as well as any pick-ups and drop offs. It’s generally okay if this changes (within reason) but you’ll need the routing, schedule and distances travelled in order to get a price.
Once the routing is firmed up and you know exactly where you’ll need to be and when, make sure you pass this new information on to the bus company as changes to the routing may impact the hire cost. The bus company will often send you a quote along with a provisional schedule for when the bus will arrive and depart venues which can be extremely helpful in your planning. You can change this schedule as long as you account for driver hours and other factors (see below).
Whats included in your hire?
This is worth checking when you get your quote. Some companies roll most of the costs involved up in to their hire cost and others will charge you additional fees on the road, sometimes in cash direct to the driver. Important things to look out for…
Drivers - You generally cannot supply your own driver. This is included in your hire cost. Depending on the amount of driving required on your tour you may legally need a “double driver” (see below) which should also be included in the cost.
Fuel - This is included in your hire and quoted based on the routing you provide to the company.
Ferries - These are usually included but worth checking.
Road Tolls - These are sometimes included based on the routing you provide to the company ahead of time.
Driver PD - A daily expense amount for the driver to cover living costs on the road. This is often included but otherwise is normally paid to the driver in cash.
Hotel Rooms - See below. Rarely included in the hire fee.
Driver Buyout - An amount of money for bus driver food when no catering is available. This is rarely included in the hire fee.
Trailer Hire - This is generally an additional charge
How many bunks do I need?
You need a bunk for every member of your tour party. The main bus driver will usually have his own bunk either behind his driving position or occasionally under the stairs to the upper deck so isn’t counted in the bunk allocation. If you have a “double driver” (see below) at any point however, they may need to make use of one of the bunks.
Safety Considerations
It‘s advised that you sleep with your feet facing towards the front of the bus when using a tour bus bunk. This is, somewhat morbidly, incase of an accident or emergency stop that results in you being thrown forwards. It’s definitely better that the weight of your body is pushing down on your legs rather than on your head, though to be honest neither is ideal.
DO NOT block fire exits with anything, ever. This is unbelievably common as these areas have a tendency to become dumping grounds for suitcases, peli cases and, for some reason, lighting equipment in need of attention the following day. Make sure you know where they are and keep an eye on them to make sure they’re clear. I also always check that there are fire / smoke alarms installed on the bus and that they have batteries.
Bus fires are less common these days, but they used to be astonishingly frequent and are still a major risk. Smoking on board is a significant cause (just don’t), but also be aware of the toaster and any other cooking equipment in the kitchenette. I was nearly involved in a bus fire caused by a packet of biscuits left on top of a toaster, and disaster was extremely narrowly averted - so I can’t emphasise enough how important care is here.
Never leave exterior bus or trailer doors open when you aren’t in direct line of sight of them. Close them straight after you leave / get on, even if for a minute. I know plenty of artists who have had laptops, suitcases or equipment stolen through a momentary lapse of care and attention.
Bus Etiquette
Bus drivers usually sleep on the bus whilst it’s parked up during the day, during shows, or at night depending on required movements. I usually advise my crew to be respectfully quiet whenever the bus is parked and you can’t see that your driver is awake and about.
Keep the aisles and communal areas tidy and clear of stuff. It’s not usually practically possible for everyone to bring their suitcases in to the bunk area with them. These should be stored in the storage bay underneath the bus, and only day bags and smaller bits and bobs kept in the bus itself.
Clean up after yourself - if you use mugs / plates / cutlery, wash them up immediately after use. Some bus drivers are okay with doing a bit of cleaning but you want to make sure that your relationship with the driver is as healthy and amicable as possible so don’t leave this stuff for them to deal with.
I’d always try to start a tour off on the right foot by offering to make the bus driver a tea during the first drive. Get a feel for their hot drink requirements and you should be off to the races.
The Toilet
If theres a toilet on your bus the chances are that it will not be for solids of any kind. That means no poo, vomit, toilet paper, sanitary products or anything else at all. Putting anything down there will block the toilet and your driver will reluctantly have to unblock it. I promise you that this will ruin your tour.
If you need a more serious trip to the bathroom while the bus is in motion, request a stop at the next convenient opportunity from your driver. If you’re parked up you’ll either need to use the venue (if you have access at that particular time) or you’ll be looking for a cafe or pub nearby.
The nuclear option is to put a carrier bag in the toilet and go in that, but Jesus loving Christ I hope never to be that desperate. Obviously dispose of it responsibly off the bus.
Tour Start / End
You’ll need to meet/leave your bus somewhere sensible to load equipment and people. Be aware of the amount of space the bus will need to park, its height, and that manoeuvring it is tricky. Residential streets are generally less than ideal, as are yards.
At tour start it’s worth pre-shopping a bit of bus supplies. There is usually a good bit of coffee, tea, milk, water on the bus but it’s worth bringing your own - especially bottled water as drinking bus tap water is not ideal. I’ll generally bring some bits for breakfast, soft drinks and beers as well, but you know what you and your crew will appreciate having on hand.
Calculating Travel Time
You cannot use google maps travel times for a tour bus. I generally work off the theory that the bus will do, on average, 60km an hour. I use that to calculate my travel times, which will also include any stops, short breaks and fuelling time, but not longer breaks required by driver hours regulations (see below).
Driver Hours
UK and European rules on drivers hours limit the amount of time a person can spend driving in any given week. This will have a big impact on your planning, and will include the time the driver has spent driving before, and sometimes after, your tour. These are the rules, but I would generally just ask the bus company what breaks are needed and when for simplicities sake, and to account for any driving prior to the tour that may have prevented them from taking an initial long break.
A driver can only drive for 9 hours in a day (which can be increased to 10 hours twice a week).
They may driver for a maximum of 56 hours a week, and a maximum of 90 hours in a fortnight.
They must take a 45 minute break after 4.5 hours of driving. A break can be split in to two periods, the first being at least 15 minutes and the second at least 30 (which must be completed after 4.5 hours).
They must have 11 hours regular daily rest, which can be reduced to 9 hours no more than 3 times a week.
They must have 45 hours weekly rest, which can be reduced to 24 hours provided at least one full rest is taken in any fortnight. There should be no more than six consecutive 24 hours provided periods between weekly rests.
The time a driver spends driving is recorded by a device called a ‘Tachograph’ which is installed on all buses. It records this on to their personal ‘tacho’ card, which has to be inserted in order for the bus to move. This means that if the driver is on a break, they CANNOT move the bus without it recording the movement and evidencing immediately that they’ve broken the law. I can’t overstate how important it is to plan these driver breaks and your parking situations thoroughly so that you don’t find yourself urgently needing to move the bus while your driver is on an 11 hour break.
Double Drivers
Where more driving is required than is possible by one driver, the bus company should provide a second, or “double” driver. This driver will usually fly or otherwise travel in to meet you at a venue, travel with you during the period they’re required (needing a bunk space for that length of time), and then depart once they are no longer needed.
Parking
You’ll need to advance the specifics of your bus with every venue on the tour and ensure it can be reliably parked and plugged in to power (see below) when you arrive - which may be in the middle of the night when no one is at the venue. You’ll need to know the length and height of the bus including any trailer to ensure sufficient space can be reserved, and if the parking is in a yard or carpark try to get an idea from the venue of whether they frequently accommodate busses there to ensure it can make the turn in to the entrance. Make sure power is accessible at the time you’ll arrive, otherwise you may need to adjust your departure time from the previous parking location in order to arrive when power is available.
You can rarely ever 100% guarantee that someone won’t have parked in your space, or moved the cones reserving your bay, but advancing as much information as possible, communicating exactly when you intend to arrive, and thinking carefully about your departure and arrival times can avoid the majority of hiccups here.
In some cases it may not be possible or ideal to park at the venue, in which case you will need to arrange a cross-load (see below).
Power
Your bus will need to be plugged in to power whenever it’s stationary for an extended length of time. It can sit with its engine / generator idling for a short amount of time, but it’s legally and practically necessary that it be run off “shore power” beyond that. Your bus company will be able to tell you exactly what the power requirements of your bus are, but usually if you’re able to plug in to 32 amp 3-phase power, all the functions of your bus will operate normally. If you plug in to lower power outputs - say 16 amp or single phase power - then the air conditioning and other functions may be limited.
If you are unable to plug in to sufficient power and your air conditioning doesn’t work as a consequence, your bus will become unpleasant quickly. You may want (or need) to seek another source of power, or relocate your crew to hotel rooms.
Most venues are able to provide some form of power to the bus, though there may be a small charge, especially on off days, but it is also available at some truck-focussed service areas and coach parks. Usually your driver or the bus company will be able to advise on locations with potential available power.
Off Days
Parking the bus isn’t restricted to show days! Unless you’re spending the entire time between shows travelling, you’ll still need to park up, plug in to power and get access to showers on days off too.
My approach here is first to ask the venue from the show before if the bus can remain parked up the day after the show, and/or the venue for the show after if we can park up a day early. Chances are one or other will be able to accommodate you.
If they can’t, I’d then ask both venues if they have any other suggestions of places to park with power nearby in their cities. Importantly though, if your driver’s driving hour restrictions require you to remain parked for longer than you’re able to stay at this third location, you’ll need to arrange a cross-load to the venue from wherever you are able to park. In these situations I have on occasion been very firm with venues that I *really* need to park up early / stay later, and it’s rare that they haven’t been able to find a solution to accommodate the bus at the venue given a little pressure.
Day Rooms
If you don’t have access to power or venue showers on any given day, you’ll be required to provide your driver with a hotel room, and almost certainly want to provide the same for your other passengers. Depending on budget it’s normal practice to provide either:
Hotel rooms / hotel beds for all the members of the touring party.
A number of shared rooms that people can use to shower in, and then still sleep on the bus.
These are usually referred to as “Day Rooms” as frequently you will just book rooms for the day time on show day. This can be tricky to arrange with many hotels and options may be limited for this sort of booking. I frequently just book a number of rooms in a cheap hotel close to the venue and request extra towels. I’ll usually check the rooms in as soon as they’re available and bring the keys back to the bus for people to grab when they need them. It’s usually better to either be honest with the hotel about what you’re doing, or if you don’t think they’ll be in to that arrangement, book rooms in a larger hotel where the comings and goings of a significant number of people will go unnoticed.
Cross Loading
Cross loading is the process of moving your equipment from your trailer to the venue and vice versa using a second vehicle. You may need to do this when you can’t park the bus at the venue, or you can’t move your bus to the venue because of driver hour restrictions.
This is often something the venue can help you arrange using a local provider, but I have also had to arrange this myself using local contacts.
It’s worth noting that this is extremely time consuming and exhausting for crew and it’s worth adding extra pairs of hands to help you complete it.
Also, remember that you will also need to move your people as well as your equipment.
