Thread: What do you guys think about this idea?

Hello. I am 18, and about a little less than a year away from going to college. My school district's levee just failed again, so they are cutting busing. Many of the students parents both work for a living, and cannot give their child a ride to school. This means there will be alot more traffic in the am and pm.

My business idea was to start a shuttle service for students who need to carpool to school. Every school has cut busing remember, so elementary through highschool if you live inside 2 miles of the school.
I would have to have some friends help me out for sure.

My problem would be insurance. I have not asked anybody, but I'm sure I could not pull the insurance part of if anything did happen.

What are your guys' thoughts. Thanks

Jesse

On top of the insurance you'll need licensing as well as the shuttle/bus/transport vehicle.

Private busing is very well alive from where I come from. I guess the case isn't so by your neck of the woods.

Also, the radius you stated is quite small. Market demand may suggest for you to broaden the scope, especially since that range is 'walk-able'.

Right away it might be more like private minivan shuttles, in the way pizza boys' use their own cars.. I cannot afford a shuttle.
true but who wants to walk to school in the snow Lol
remember every one of the 13 schools in the distict would have this busing loss. I believe that's alot of target area, but I may be wrong. Though those who live outside the 2 mile mark still get busing.
We still have busing until the end I'd the semester, so I have some time to get the word out if it happens.

Thank you!
Jesse

I think once you start looking into licensing your going to realize how much of a nightmare starting a transportation business is.

Originally Posted by mcdbrendan

I think once you start looking into licensing your going to realize how much of a nightmare starting a transportation business is.

^^^this plus it definitely wouldn't be a cheap startup. A family friend of mine started a transportation business that took people from Mobile to the casinos on the gulf coast and has done well with it but it cost him a nice load to get started. he didn't get a second bus for the 1st 4 years.

Originally Posted by mcdbrendan

I think once you start looking into licensing your going to realize how much of a nightmare starting a transportation business is.

I was researching this a few weeks ago for a professional chauffeur business, and I can tell you, you'll pay out the ass for commercial auto insurance, and you going to need general liability as well. Commercial auto will run about 6,000 a year, and that was for a bmw 5 series...for a shuttle, I dont want to know.

^^^ The licensing structure is highway robbery, let alone insurance costs. I couldn't bear to get estimates, 6k is as bad as I was expecting.

^ yup and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Fuel, marketing, web site dev and maintenance, monthly payments on the shuttle, employee wages..... I would have needed to take out 40,000 or more just to make it through the first year, and i was a ONE man operation using a passenger car.

If you want a job in the transportation field, look into freight brokering. You need a license, but it can be run from home from what ive herd. I know a guy I can get you in touch with if you like.

I think you may have an opportunity to be honest. Never hurts to do your due diligence and feel out a business idea.

Except with the bus companies being dropped they may go after the same people?

Thank you for your input. Looks like it will take a bit more than a business licence and a few mini vans. I'll look into it a bit more.

Is there any way I could get help from the county?