By Dave Millhouser

Interstates, disk brakes and more powerful engines all have made contributions to the increased comfort, safety and speed of coach travel. But a convincing case can be made that the biggest boost came from, well, 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.

A television commercial, currently being aired by Procter & Gamble to promote its popular odor-elimination product, Febreze, shows scenes of a bus interior, making the not-very-subtle point that bus lavatories have become an unfortunate cliché.

Clichés only work if theres an element of truth to them, so it seems like a good idea to try some things to alter public perception of that little room at the back of the bus.

Originally, bus lavatories were traveling latrines, and many operators still see them that way. Extremely simple, the only thing that can fail is the valve. Savvy folks often find replacements at RV stores.

Eventually, manufacturers began offering flush commodes, assuming that out of sight was out of mind. Good idea, but for years the mechanism was suspect. When your john wont flush, your coach cant go (nor can your customers).

Many manufacturers have switched to a modular unit that has proven much more reliable. When it does poop out, its relatively simple to replace the whole unit.

When youre buying a coach, there arent too many choices to make. Flush commode and holding tank (what ARE we saving this stuff for?) may be standard or optional depending on coach model

If flush is not standard on the coach youre buying, it generally costs $500 to $1,000 more, and may (or may not) include the extra holding tank. Thats inexpensive as options go but, remember, youre going to have to maintain it.

Option price for the tank is in the hundreds but the cost can be recouped in weeks because it reduces the need to pay to dump on long trips.

When buying a mid-size bus or coach, take a look at the lav. Is it the heavy-duty flush mechanism, or a RV unit? How much capacity does it have, and does it dump on the same side of the bus as the rest of your fleet? Short, direct plumbing is better (beer cans and diapers can be a disaster).

The key to success in this field is "potty training."

Your maintenance people need to know how 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 local system. When deciding which way to go, do a bit of homework with chemical manufacturers. The industry has some good ones.

Winter may require antifreeze protection in the toilet tank -- a fact worth keeping in mind if youre 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 toilets should be serviced ASAP. Unlike wine, bathroom tanks do not improve with age. Waiting 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.

Many coaches have a lavatory exhaust fan, check it periodically. It helps or the bus builder wouldnt have installed it.

Drivers on long trips should know 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 doesnt work).

Modern coaches have a "lavatory distress" warning system 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 various situations. 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 or her "welcome aboard," your driver should explain how lav lights, flush and door locks work. Nothing is more exciting than an unlatched door and sudden braking, with an embarrassed 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. 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."

Dave Millhouser is a bus industry marketing consultant and freelance writer. Contact him at: dave_millhouser@hotmail.com.