A new 29-passenger bus joined the transportation ranks at the Sisters of Providence.

Leave the driving to us!

The Sisters of Providence purchased a new 29-passenger bus to offer our visitors the opportunity to ride in comfort.

Brother Barry Donaghue, cfc, director of Providence Center, is one of the drivers who can pick up tour groups at their hotel and bring them "to the Woods." Donations to cover expenses will be appreciated. In addition to tour groups, the bus will be used for activities of the various Sisters of Providence-sponsored ministries and programs, as well as sisters’ activities, Brother Barry said.

Brother Barry Donaghue, cfc, director of Providence Center, proudly shows the interior of the new bus. Each bus seat has a seat belt and arm rest, and overhead lighting is part of the features.

 

The new bus was sold by Carpenter Bus Sales in Kentucky. Goshen Coach, based in Elkhart, Ind., was the builder, while Work of Art manufacturing in Goshen added the Sisters of Providence logo and lettering.

The new bus is a pristine white, with blue SP logo and lettering. The Sisters of Providence Web site address (www.SistersofProvidence.org) also is prominently displayed.

Previously, tour groups and visitors were driven around the grounds in a vehicle, a blue school bus affectionately known as “Betsy,” the Sisters of Providence had used at a school.

A public address system will make it easier for passengers to hear tour details about the history and mission of the Sisters of Providence.

“That bus is 45 years old,” Brother Barry said. “It has no air conditioning, and has very narrow and steep steps.” The bus aisle is very narrow and the seats were better suited for the size of children versus adults.

Senior citizens and the elderly often had difficulty entering and exiting the bus as well, and individuals in wheelchairs could not be accommodated.

Brother Barry said he has worked toward getting the bus for several years. “Years of experience with the old bus gave me a good idea what we would need in the new,” he added.

The new bus has a lot of conveniences which will better serve the public and the sisters, according to Brother Barry. The bus aisle is wider, the bus is air conditioned and there is wheelchair access. There is a public address system on board. Each of the passenger seats has an arm rest and a seat belt, and some of the seats even have footrests.

An automated wheelchair lift, located at the right rear of the vehicle, is a new feature not previously available on the previous bus used for transporting tour groups and guests.

In a practical sense, the new bus is more fuel efficient, has a diesel engine and is being serviced by Sisters of Providence staff, Brother Barry said.

Brother Barry has a Commercial Drivers License to drive the bus and anticipates there will be a few more people doing so.

When the bus first arrived at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Brother Barry took it on a short trip around the grounds to get a feel for how it handles. Was it fun to drive, he was asked?

“Betsy was fun to drive,” he responded, “but it was just very awkward for our guests if they needed to take a tour. It was not reliable, it was too small, it had a polluting engine and it was difficult to access for anyone who was elderly or had trouble climbing stairs.”

The new bus makes all of those past challenges history.

“We can offer so much more hospitality and flexibility with our tours,” Brother Barry said.