Roadhouse

Parked just a block away from my office is this Prevost XLII coach.

With so many bands coming into Kingston, I immediately assumed that this bus was a touring bus for musicians. And it was.

On the side of the coach was an engraved plate that read: Roadhouse Transportation Inc.

I found their website here. Not much content on that site at all really.

I did a bit more research and I found this overview of their company on Facebook:

Roadhouse Transportation was founded in 1976 by a seasoned touring musician who found it necessary for an alternate means of transportation during the first oil crisis of his generation. In the Seventies, the first overnight increase of nineteen cent gasoline to seventy five cent gasoline was just as shocking and hard to swallow as the increase that we are experiencing today. From this, Roadhouse was born.

Roadhouse proudly proclaims being the oldest company in this industry that remains constant and unchanged without the involvement of partners and the presence of investors. Our company has evolved with all of the different changes in creature comforts that are required on the road today. Roadhouse can undeniably claim their part and credit for all of the recent innovations that have occurred in the last 35 years in the entertainer coach industry.

Along with our fleet Prevost XL IIs, we also offer a selection of Prevost XLs that are available for tours with a smaller budget. All of our Prevost XLs have been remodelled and have many of the same features that a newer coach has, including showers, flat screen TV’s and satellite.

As fuel prices continue to rise, we are constantly looking for ways to help touring groups save money so they can continue to operate in a safe and comfortable manner. Please feel free to contact us for a quote or for any other questions regarding an upcoming tour or a coach sale.

I suspect that Roadhouse provides both bus and driver.

Used XLIIs are priced between $250,000 and $350,000 USD, considerably less than a new Prevost conversion. Based on some quick back of the envelope calculations, and assuming that Roadhouse buys used coaches, Roadhouse would need to charge about $30,000 – 50,000 USD per month to cover capital costs, maintenance, labour and related expenses like fuel which seems consistent with the daily rate of about $1,500 USD quoted by this supplier.

Must be a decent band if they can cover those rates.

Perhaps I should start a business in retirement, buy a used Prevost and drive some musicians around the country.