$2.2 Million for Two Buses! Marathon Coach?

usbusin · August 15, 2011, 04:34:34 PM

Plus extras. . .

http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshgerstein/0411/22_million_pricetag_for_Obamas_new_armored_buses.html

Len Silva · August 15, 2011, 04:41:29 PM

http://www.hemphillbrothers.com/

Boomer · August 15, 2011, 08:03:55 PM

He should be riding in a school bus.

belfert · August 15, 2011, 08:24:21 PM

How much armoring can you really do with a total budget of $1.1 million? Isn't the shell alone like $500,000? Then you have the cost of a normal conversion on top of that.

The real cost of these buses will probably be hauling them around. The president's vehicles are normally shipped on a cargo plane wherever he goes. I'm pretty sure the military has a plane big enough to hold a bus.

luvrbus · August 15, 2011, 08:38:58 PM

Who says Hemphill is buying new shells probably just rebuild a couple of their H-45's they have and re title as new,I with you Boomer maybe a Jeep to save money

boxcarOkie · August 16, 2011, 03:16:29 AM

Quote from: Boomer on August 15, 2011, 08:03:55 PM
He should be riding in a school bus.

"A short one."

BCO

prevosman · August 16, 2011, 03:53:08 AM

The buses are brand new and have the Volvo engine. All black, no markings but stobe lights front and rear. One of the new ones had a problem and it was serviced at Prevost in Nashville when I was there for some training and they had secret service guards around it every hour of the day.

The shell probably had a cost of $550,000 or more depending on options.

paulrobie · August 16, 2011, 04:00:21 AM

Seems to me.... That The President of The United States should not be driving around in a bus not built in the U.S.. But I guess that's just the way SOME people roll.

artvonne · August 16, 2011, 04:01:12 AM

Im torn. On one hand I can see the need, on another it seems frivolous. On the one hand the POTUS needs protection while carrying out their duties as POTUS, I just dont know where the line ends when they start going out on the campain trail to serve themselves.

I think they should at least have to pay the real costs of using it, as well as pay the full costs of security, when they are self serving. Just like AF1, the Pres Chopper, and the whole gaggle of junk that transports the POTUS, when he does his own thing it should be on his nickle.

paulrobie · August 16, 2011, 04:04:13 AM

Quote from: artvonne on August 16, 2011, 04:01:12 AM
Im torn. On one hand I can see the need, on another it seems frivolous. On the one hand the POTUS needs protection while carrying out their duties as POTUS, I just dont know where the line ends when they start going out on the campain trail to serve themselves.

I think they should at least have to pay the real costs of using it, as well as pay the full costs of security, when they are self serving. Just like AF1, the Pres Chopper, and the whole gaggle of junk that transports the POTUS, when he does his own thing it should be on his nickle.

Not torn at all... Campaigning should be on their dime and the bus is clearly a campaign tool... Just like SOME people... Tool that is.

CrabbyMilton · August 16, 2011, 04:11:00 AM

I guess he's thrown the state of IL. ahem, under the bus. By not buying a pair of MCI J4500's from the IL. based company.

paulrobie · August 16, 2011, 04:12:25 AM

Quote from: CrabbyMilton on August 16, 2011, 04:11:00 AM
I guess he's thrown the state of IL. ahem, under the bus. By not buying a pair of MCI J4500's from the IL. based company.

That.... is not all that has been thrown under the bus

artvonne · August 16, 2011, 04:22:37 AM

Quote from: paulrobie on August 16, 2011, 04:00:21 AM
Seems to me.... That The President of The United States should not be driving around in a bus not built in the U.S.. But I guess that's just the way SOME people roll.

Seems to me the President of the United States should be "made in the USA" too.

Jeremy · August 16, 2011, 04:24:21 AM

The was a bus-related storyline on 'The West Wing' once when the opposing parties were campaigning against one another:- one side made a big splash to the press about the fact that their opponents were 'Un-American' because they were using Canadian-built buses. Only to realise later that their own buses were also Canadian.

I doubt that a $1.1m bus can really be 'armoured' in the proper sense. The amount of work that goes into a genuinely armoured car is immense, and to do the same to something the size of a bus would surely cost a lot more than $1.1m (and the end result would weigh about the same as a railway locomotive). 'Armour' can be anything from fitting a set of lexan windows to full ballistic hardening on all sides, plus hermetic sealing & air supplies in case of chemical attack etc. And then the vehicle gets beaten by a minor bump in the road and everyone looks very foolish.

Video of Obama 'Beast' Cadillac limo stuck on ramp in Ireland

Jeremy

John316 · August 16, 2011, 04:27:54 AM

Yup, I agree with Jeremy. I seriously doubt that it is really armored. It would weigh a inordinate amount, if so. I must admit, my first thought was that 1.1 mil each was a little low.

But they probably don't have to worry too much about weight issues. Methinks they wouldn't be hassled to much with pulling through weigh stations

. Some coop officer comes out and says, "I am sorry, but you are overweight. You will have to lighten it up, before you can proceed. Here is your fine."

John