Bus Graphics and Lettering: Your Bus as a Marketing Tool
Lettering, custom graphics, or a full wrap? Here is how to choose, where it goes on the bus, and how Carpenter Bus Sales handles it before delivery.
By Dominic Menard - National Director of Marketing & Technology
Published • Last updated
Carpenter Bus Sales handles bus graphics, lettering, and custom wraps before your bus is delivered, so it can start working as a rolling billboard on its first trip. Start with the message you want people to remember, then decide how much of the bus to cover.
Key takeaways
- Rick Cassels, Regional Sales Manager at Carpenter Bus Sales, says customers love lettering their bus for how efficient and effective it is, roughly $500 to $600. A wrap, at $7,000 or more, has the most visual impact.
- Carpenter Bus Sales has a simple layout that works: three lines per side with your name, who you are, and a phone number or website.
- Carpenter Bus Sales helps you match your logo, colors, and fonts, and shows you a mockup of the finished look before production.
- Rick says lettering takes 1 to 2 days and a wrap 7 to 10. Order with your bus and Carpenter Bus handles it. Allow a couple of extra weeks.
Source: Rick Cassels, Regional Sales Manager at Carpenter Bus Sales.
Does putting graphics on your bus actually work as marketing?
Yes. A bus with your name and phone number on it markets your organization on every trip, and you do not pay for each view. Your bus heads out the door week after week, so your name keeps getting in front of new people, whether you are a church, a senior care community, or a business.
Think about where your bus goes in a normal month. The church parking lot. A ballgame. The grocery store. A hotel entrance. The doctor's office. A bus with your name on the side shows up in all of those places without you buying a single ad.
That is why graphics are worth planning when you buy the bus, not after. Carpenter Bus Sales handles graphics, lettering, and custom wraps before delivery, so your bus arrives with your name on it and starts marketing on its first trip.
It works best when the message is clear and people can act on it: a name they recognize and a phone number or website they can use.
Should you choose lettering, custom graphics, or a full wrap?
Carpenter Bus Sales offers three levels of bus graphics: logos and lettering, custom partial graphics, and full wraps. Lettering is the simplest and cleanest. Custom graphics add color and design along the bus's body lines. A full wrap covers the whole bus for the most impact. Match the level to how often and where your bus is seen.
Here is how the three compare, so you can see what you are choosing between.
| Option | What it is | A good fit if you want | What you will decide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logos and lettering | Vinyl applied for your name, logo, and contact information | A clean, professional look | Your message, where it goes, and your fonts and colors |
| Custom graphics | Partial wraps and accents that follow the bus's body lines | More color and design without covering the whole bus | Which areas to cover and how the design flows with the body lines |
| Full wrap | The whole exterior covered in vinyl, with room for full-color imagery | The most impact, including photos and complex designs | The design, how the bus will be used, and the condition of the paint |
You can see a full wrap go on a Starcraft Quest shuttle in the video on the Carpenter Bus Sales bus graphics page.
Rick Cassels, Regional Sales Manager at Carpenter Bus Sales, says customers ask for lettering and a logo first, and lettering is by far the option most of them pick, mostly because of time and cost. He puts lettering at roughly $500 to $600 and a full wrap at $7,000 or more. Those are his ballpark numbers from the customers he works with, so you know what to expect before you call. Your price depends on the bus, the coverage, and the design.
Where does bus lettering go, and what should it say?
Carpenter Bus Sales suggests one simple layout for church buses, church vans, senior care buses, and shuttles: three lines per side with your name, a short line about who you are, and a phone number or website. Put it below the windows, toward the front half of the bus, where people can read it easily.
The three lines look like this:
- Your organization's name.
- A short line about who you are, such as church, senior care, or transportation.
- A phone number or website.
The same layout works for church van lettering and church bus lettering. You can add lettering on the back of the bus too. That is the view other drivers get when you are stopped in traffic or loading passengers.
Keep the message short. Someone driving past gets a quick look, and a short message is one they can actually read.
How do you design your bus graphics and see the result before production?
Bring your logo, your brand colors, and your fonts, and Carpenter Bus Sales will help you match them in vinyl and show you a mockup of the finished look before production. If you do not have set brand standards, our team can help you choose a clean, readable design.
Use the same colors and fonts you already use on your sign, your website, and your bulletins. That way your bus looks like the rest of your organization, and people recognize it as yours the moment they see it. Pick a font that is easy to read from a moving car, since fancy script gets hard to read at a distance.
How do graphics work when you buy a bus from Carpenter Bus Sales?
Carpenter Bus Sales handles bus graphics, lettering, and custom wraps before delivery. Tell your sales representative you want graphics when you order the bus, and allow a couple of extra weeks on your timeline. Your bus then arrives with your name on it, ready to start working for you.
Carpenter Bus Sales handles the whole process, from the first design conversation to the final application, so you do not have to find a separate shop or arrange a second delivery. Graphics are available at both the Franklin, Tennessee and Elm Mott, Texas locations.
Carpenter Bus has sales representatives by state and a representative for senior care communities. They will talk through what you want on your bus, so ask for the person who covers your area.
Rick Cassels, Regional Sales Manager at Carpenter Bus Sales, says the work itself takes about 1 to 2 days for logo and lettering and about 7 to 10 days for a wrap. If you need the bus by a certain event, tell your representative early so the timeline works.
How can a custom shuttle impress guests at a hotel or resort?
A branded shuttle is one of the first things a guest sees when they arrive and one of the last when they leave. Carpenter Bus Sales can help you pick the graphics, seating layout, and accessibility features that fit how your guests ride, from airport runs to resort loops.
Start with how your guests actually use the shuttle. A few things to think through:
- Your look. Put your logo and colors on the outside so the shuttle matches your property.
- How guests ride. Short airport runs, resort loops, and golf or winery trips each call for a different seating layout, and luggage changes the plan too.
- Wheelchair access. Most Carpenter Bus buses can be configured with a rear or side wheelchair lift, so guests who use wheelchairs can ride too.
- A more upscale feel. Ask about luxury conversions from L.A. West, built on Sprinter, Transit, and ProMaster vans.
What else helps your bus market your organization?
Graphics get your name on the road. What people see when the bus stops matters just as much. Carpenter Bus Sales suggests keeping the bus clean, showing it at community events, and sharing photos and rider stories online, so the bus and the experience both tell the same story.
- Keep it clean. A clean, well-kept bus tells people you take care of things.
- Show up where people are having a good time. Parks, festivals, and outings help people connect your name with something enjoyable.
- Offer the bus for community events. Shuttling people to a festival or event puts your name in front of a crowd. Check with your insurance agent before you do.
- Share it online. Post photos of the bus and ask happy riders to share their trips or leave a review.
What should you check before you letter or wrap a bus?
A quick check up front keeps things smooth, and your Carpenter Bus representative will walk you through it. Check three things: whether your lease allows graphics, whether your paint is in good shape for a wrap, and whether you need a USDOT number (the federal ID number FMCSA uses to track a carrier's safety record).
- Your lease. A lease may limit graphics. Ask the company you lease from for written permission before you start.
- Your paint. A wrap bonds best to solid paint, with no peeling, flaking, or heavy rust. Your representative can talk through whether your bus is ready.
- Room for required markings. If your bus needs a USDOT number, leave room in your layout for any markings that apply to you. FMCSA is the federal agency that oversees motor carriers. It says whether a vehicle needs a USDOT number depends on its weight rating, how many people it is designed or used to carry, whether riders pay, and whether it crosses state lines. Some states require one for travel inside the state too. Check FMCSA's USDOT number page or your state agency.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to wrap a bus?
Rick Cassels, Regional Sales Manager at Carpenter Bus Sales, says his customers are spending roughly $500 to $600 on lettering and $7,000 or more on a full wrap. Those are ballpark figures, not a quote. Your price depends on the bus, the coverage, and the design, so call (800) 370-6180 for yours.
Do I need a full wrap to advertise my organization?
No. Lettering with your name and a phone number or website gets your message on the road. Rick Cassels, Regional Sales Manager at Carpenter Bus Sales, says lettering is by far the option most of his customers pick, mostly because of time and cost. A full wrap is there when you want photos, gradients, and the most impact.
Can bus graphics be removed later?
Yes, when the paint is in good shape and a professional removes them. Carpenter Bus Sales says quality vinyl shields the paint under it from sun and light surface wear, and the paint underneath can look as good as or better than the exposed areas once the vinyl is properly removed. That works best on factory paint. Repainted areas, touch-up spots, or a wrap left on long past its rated life can pull paint or leave adhesive behind, so have a professional do the removal.
How long does a professional bus wrap last?
Carpenter Bus Sales says a professionally installed full bus wrap typically lasts 5 to 7 years, depending on the quality of the vinyl, the climate, and how well the bus is cared for. Carpenter Bus uses premium cast vinyl, a higher-grade vinyl film. That range is for full wraps, so ask your representative about lettering.
Can you add graphics to a church van or other van, not just a bus?
Yes. Carpenter Bus Sales does church van graphics and graphics on other vans, all the way up to large shuttle buses. The same simple layout works on a van: your name, a short line about who you are, and a phone number or website, placed where people can read it easily.
Can you add graphics to a bus or van I did not buy from Carpenter Bus Sales?
Yes. Carpenter Bus Sales can add graphics to buses and vans bought somewhere else. The paint needs a good look first. It has to be in solid shape, with no peeling, flaking, or heavy rust, for a wrap to bond well. The Elm Mott, Texas location also has a 60-foot paint and body booth.
What is the next step?
Call Carpenter Bus Sales at (800) 370-6180 and tell us what you want people to remember about your organization. Your Carpenter Bus representative will talk through lettering, custom graphics, and full wraps with you, and Carpenter Bus handles the work from the first design conversation to the final application.
Not sure who covers your state? Find your Carpenter Bus representative. That goes for a bus or van you already own, too. If you are buying a bus, graphics are handled before delivery, so your bus can arrive ready to go.
