WHEN YOU ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY HAVE TO GO… ;-)
Interstate Highways, more powerful engines, and disk brakes have all made contributions to the speed and comfort of coach travel… but a convincing case can be made that the biggest boost came from… the lavatory.
On a bus, the bathroom is like life insurance.. everyone wants to have it, but no one wants to USE it. Its REAL function is to provide an excuse for pressing on… when only a few passengers are in need.
Febreeze’s TV commercial pointed out that bus lavatories may have become an unfortunate cliché. Cliché’s only work if there’s an element of truth in them, so maybe we can explore ways to change perception.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeMzLX7OFdo
Originally bus lavatories were traveling latrines, and many operators still prefer them that way. Extremely simple, the only thing that can fail is the valve. Savvy folks often find replacements at RV stores.
Eventually coach builders offered flush commodes, assuming that out of sight was out of mind. Good idea, but for years the mechanism was suspect. When your john won’t flush, your coach can’t go (nor can your customers). Many manufacturers have switched to a modular unit that has proven much more reliable. When it does poop out, it’s relatively simple to replace the whole unit.
When you’re specifying a coach lavatory, there aren’t many choices to make. Flush commodes and extra holding tanks (What ARE we saving this stuff for?) may be optional, depending on the coach mode.
If flush is not standard on the coach you’re buying, it generally costs $500 to $1000 and may (or may not) include the extra holding tank. That’s inexpensive as options go, but remember you’re going to have to maintain it too. Option price for the tank is in the hundreds, but the cost can be recouped quickly because it reduces the need to pay to dump on long trips.
When buying a mid sized coach, take a look at the lav. Is it the heavy duty flush mechanism, or an RV unit? How much capacity does it have, and does it dump on the same side of the coach as the rest of your fleet? Short, direct plumbing is better (beer cans and diapers can be a disaster.. never figured out how they got together).
The key to success in this field is “Potty Training”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUQwa3GrcpA
Your maintenance people need training to correctly service the lavs, and how often. Chemicals can be bought as liquid or powder, but need to be correctly mixed to work properly. They need to be sewer friendly, meaning chemically compatible with your town’s system. When deciding which to use, do a bit of homework with chemical manufacturers.
Winter may require antifreeze protection in the toilet tank… worth keeping in mind if you’re a Southern operator sending buses North on a winter charter.
Your dump site needs to be legal, and your staff needs to understand clearly the law, and procedures. You are the one who is criminally liable if they mess up.
Coach’s toilets should be serviced ASAP. Unlike wine, bathroom tanks do not improve with age. Waiting for a day or so, because the coach is not needed, can make the whole cabin smell like a bathroom (forever).
The tank(s) need to be thoroughly rinsed before recharging, and many coach operators clean them with a bleach solution several times a year. Valves need to be regularly checked for leaks.
Most coaches have a lavatory exhaust fan, check it periodically. It helps, or the bus builder wouldn’t have installed it.
Drivers on long trips need training in how to maintain the john. The primary tank should be serviced daily on the road. This may involve transferring waste to the holding tank (if available), or seeking out a dump station.
On multi-day trips, in addition to fuel and meal stops, schedule lavatory service. This reduces inconvenience to customers, while removing the temptation for the driver to skip service and just dump in extra chemical (trust me, it won’t work).
Modern coaches have a “lavatory distress” warning that alerts the driver when someone has a problem in the bathroom. Maintain it, and take the time to discuss how you want your driver to deal with potential problems. Inward opening lav doors can make it difficult to get in to help, so give some thought to how you want things handled.
Outward opening doors solve this problem, but offer all sorts of opportunity for entertainment. As part of his “welcome aboard” your driver should explain how lav lights, flush and door locks work. Nothing is more exciting than the combination of an unlatched door and sudden braking… with an embarrassed pantless passenger rolling down the aisle.
Part of Potty Training is driving gently when folks are heading for the lav.
A friend used to run a PD4106 from New England to Florida for long weekends of scuba diving. Terminally frustrated by passenger abuse of the lavatory, he finally locked the lav door. A couple of trips removed all doubt from my mind of the importance of a lavatory. Eventually these jaunts were called “Hell Rides”…
