Ugh, 15-passenger van

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
Due to logistical issues that are not interesting enough to post about, church sports camp will be transporting kids 1/4 mile in a 15-passenger van (5 days, 2x/day). I hate those vans. I'm not happy. I'm not unhappy enough to take her out of camp that she's been looking forward to all year, but I'm not happy.
 
ADS

bnsnyde

New member
I had to drive one to Florida from Illinois in college as an undergrad.
They sent us on alternative spring break (volunteer stuff) that way.
Now that I think about it, yuck! I would never do that again.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Eh. We've rented one for a friend and me to use with our bunches 'o kids before.

I've also ridden lots of airport shuttles that are them.

When I have to ride in the back I'm not happy with the lack of head restraint, but for kids that's not so bad.

I don't worry too much about the flipping and stuff. It's just not a big enough risk for me to worry about on the short trips we usually are in them for.

If it were long distances or me owning one, I might worry, though the newer years have significant safety improvements.

Will you get to provide boosters?
 

EmmaCPST

CPST Instructor
I shudder to think about the fact that when I was a teenager, I slept on the floor in one of those vans on the way to church camp. Thank god we were never in an accident.
 

Kac

Ambassador - CPS Technician
We drove those to our mission trips. No headrests. Yuck.

Can she bring a booster?
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
She will be bringing a backless booster.

(I haven't actually talked to the youth pastors about that yet, but I don't imagine they'll have a problem with it, and if they do, well, then we'll have a problem.)
 

Keeanh

Well-known member
My guy is 8.5 and uses a Monterey in that van because of the lack of headrests. As for the older ones, I strap the dog crate to the back of the last seat so that the top of the crate sticks up to provide head support :duck:. Yeah, I know, I need a better solution.
 

momofmany

New member
She will be bringing a backless booster.

(I haven't actually talked to the youth pastors about that yet, but I don't imagine they'll have a problem with it, and if they do, well, then we'll have a problem.)

You won't be able to use the backless booster in the 15 pass as they don't have headrests - only bench seats. Unless things have changed since ours was made, but I don't think so.
 

DahliaRW

New member
You won't be able to use the backless booster in the 15 pass as they don't have headrests - only bench seats. Unless things have changed since ours was made, but I don't think so.

You can if there is support to the tips of the ears when the child sits in the booster (which there might be if the child is shorter in the torso). Otherwise you need a hbb.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
I'm going to go look at the van next week, but IIRC the seatbacks are decently high and daughter's kind of short.
 

momofmany

New member
Just thought I'd mention it, cause my 6 yo (not a big kid) couldn't pass that test in our big van (12 pass, but the same seats as the 15's - different makes probably have different height seat-backs).

And now I've started thinking about who is going to be where when baby #9 arrives in Oct and I'm thinking I need a bigger van so I can have more shoulder belts! LOL
 

Laurelz

New member
Our daycare uses one of these. :thumbsdown: I hate it. However, as small of a town that we live in and the two minute ride they are in them I don't mind. If they leave town (which I don't think they do) I wouldn't allow my kids to ride.
 

TXAggieTech

Active member
I absolutely hate them also. I had a friend that was killed in one in college on church trip. At the time I did not know how dangerous they were. Now I look back and realize that her death was completely unnecessary.

Our church (different than the one we went to then) uses a few. They have taken the steps to make them safer (heavier axles, removed rear row) but I still tell our kids to ride on the buses instead. I know that some of the FB pics the kids' friends have posted show that not everyone wears seat belts which kills me.
 

emtb79

New member
I have one only it is a 12 passenger and the backs are extremely low a backless wouldnt be enough. If it a 2008 or newer have newer seats and the seats have chaanged completely and are definitely higher.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
I wonder that myself (especially since it's sports camp, lol) but I suspect it's because they need to cross a busy street with no crosswalks.
 

daycaremom2002

Active member
I wouldn't worry. 1/4 mile really isn't far. The fatalities tied to these vans are largely from mis-use and over loading. I drive one on a daily basis. I try to stay off freeways, but have no worry transporting my kids in it. I keep the tire pressure checked, and keep the weight forward of the rear axle.

For the booster, she might be able to use a nbb, but the chances are pretty small. A lower profile like the harmony boosters would definitely make it more likely.
 

bnsnyde

New member
Why don't they have headrests? What were the engineers thinking?
I peered into one with lap/shoulder belts.
So, I am confused.
 

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