Bates International RV Blog

You’ll want to pack things according to their priority.  Pack the absolute necessities first.  The things you think you need next and so on.  The kitchen will probably be the busiest are of your RV.  Begin packing there first.  Put cooking and eating utensils where they make the most sense for convenient preparation and serving of meals.  Place some non-skid padding between Teflon pans to prevent scratching and minimize noise during traveling.  Dishwashing and kitchen cleaning materials should also be handy.

The bathroom is one of the easier storage tasks.  Obviously, you’ll want everyday toiletries well within reach.  Each individual’s toiletries can be packed in transparent plastic show boxes while at home, stored in the RV’s bathroom cabinet during the trip and moved back to the home bathroom upon your return. Daily medicines should be up front or at eye level in the medicine cabinet.  Seldom-used medications can be relegated to the harder to reach locations.  A plastic box can be used to hold soap and shampoo while traveling, and it should be easy to reach when needed.

Most of today’s RVs have a large storage space under the bed.  The space is usually accessible by lifting the bed platform.  This place is ideal for seldom-used, large or bulky items like ironing boards and vacuum cleaners.  Plastic storage boxes (with or without the lids) can make optimum use of this space.

Take only the clothes you’ll require for that trip.  Mix-and-match your outfits to minimize the number of clothes you need.  Pack no more than seven to 10 days’ worth of clothing and plan on doing laundry once a week.

Outside, begin packing the storage cabinets at the utility-hookup cabinet.  Leveling and hooking up the RV may take place as often as every day.  You’ll want the hookup and leveling equipment convenient and accessible.

Drinking water hose(s) and other water-hookup items should be stowed in a clean location in or near the utility-hookup cabinet.  Sewer hose(s) and connections, electrical adapters, TV cable and telephone cable should be stowed nearby but not so they can contaminate the drinking-water equipment.

Large, strong plastic boxes or tubs will provide maximum effective use of the exterior cabinets.

Tools may be more accessible to you if they are kept in the trailer’s tow vehicle or the motor home’s towed vehicle. 

Here are a few packing tips that may help you find a place for everything:

Things have a tendency to relocate themselves during travel.  Try placing non-skid material on the bottoms of cupboards to keep them from sliding around and breaking.  Another way to keep things from moving around is to keep them in containers like boxes, bins or bags.

Transparent plastic storage boxes of various sizes can be packed in your house and carried to the RV.  These containers can be stored in the RV’s overhead lockers, and you can see what’s inside and pull them out like a drawer when you need something.  At the end of the trip, the box can be brought into the house and unpacked.  Ziploc bags and transparent-plastic food containers are ideal for spill-proof, space-efficient refrigerator storage.  They also make efficient use of cupboard space.

You may be able to create more storage space by installing shelves and partitions inside cupboards.  Make them adjustable to accommodate any changes you may want to make later.  Add shelves, drawers or cabinets to the bottom of the wardrobe closet where the space for full-length clothes isn’t needed.  Place clothes hooks in corners or out-of-the-way spots.

The shower is a handy place to keep your laundry bag, which can be moved temporarily while you shower.  Laundry supplies can be kept in a laundry basket in an outside storage cabinet. 

You can minimize packing and unpacking your RV between trips by permanently storing as much as possible in the RV.

Equip the RV kitchen’s storage areas with cooking and eating utensils, some appliances and non-perishable food items.

Equip the bathroom so each person has to bring only a minimum of personal toiletries and their medications.

Keep your RV stocked so you have to add only perishable foods and a few items of clothing before getting on the road.

Lists are especially helpful in organizing and prioritizing your packing.  Joe and I maintain a list of the things we routinely pack in our RV before departing for each trip.  As items are moved into the RV, they’re checked off on the list.  If we forget anything, we buy it along the way or, as it usually turns out, we do without.

If you’d like to rent an RV this summer for your big vacation, first take these questions for a spin:

How’s the gas mileage? It depends on the size of the RV and the driving conditions, but you can expect between 7 and 13 miles per gallon. (Additionally, some companies charge a fee per mile or offer mileage packages.) So a 652-mile trip between Tulsa and Albuquerque will run $522 round trip (fuel only), assuming 10 miles a gallon with gas at $4 a gallon.

What is the rent? In Tulsa, for instance, Cruise America charges around $721 for a one-week August rental of a standard-size RV that sleeps five people.

Do I need a special driver’s license? No, but for most rentals you must be 25 or older and hold a valid license.

Where can I go with an RV? Virtually anywhere. Tracks & Trails offers complete RV trip planning for the West, including rentals, reservations and itineraries.

Where can I rent one? Cruise America, Bates International Motor Home Rental Systems and El Monte RV have dealers throughout the country.

Winning Hands

A key difference between good leaders and great leaders is that the latter have the ability to see farther down the road:  to anticipated unasked questions, to recognize unidentified opportunities and to mold unproven talent.  None of these happen without the great leader taking time to weigh the variety of options under consideration.  As each turn of the cards reveals new possibilities, each step in the decision-making process plays an important role in the ultimate results.

“A strong leader needs to live in the future as much as they live in the present,” said Bette Fetter, founder of Young Rembrandts, a franchise that teaches drawing to young children.  “It is critical to have a keen awareness of the current strengths and needs of your system, while keeping a vigilant eye on future possibilities and opportunities.”

Never Discount Gut Instinct

Eyeing the future reveals options in the present that need to be properly considered.  Below are 10 areas to explore that help to tilt the odds in a leader’s favor.  Some are more detailed than others and won’t always apply.  However, look for situations during the year ahead to utilize them all:

1.  Put Sherlock on It.  Who’s that person in the organization who absolutely loves detective work?  Bring him into the loop early.  Once he’s aware the game is afoot, utilize his knowledge seeking skills to gather the critical information that helps to make a sound decision.  Remember, his legwork allows others more thinking time.

2.  Engage the Team.  Its’ important to solicit the thoughts of those who lead, and pulling them together for an old-fashioned brainstorming session will help clarify options.  Explain the opportunity, then sit back and listen to the feedback.  Avoid the temptation to judge comments or offer an opinion

3.   Ask “What’s the Opposite?”  Looking at the other side of issues provides clearer perspective.  For instance, a leader in a mobile photography franchise that’s considering printer suppliers would say to her team, “What if we outsourced all of our printing?”  Immediately, everyone pauses and sees things in a fresh way, which opens the door for new associations and creates lively discussion.

4.   Seek Expert Advice.  Turn to those influencers most trusted, both professionally and personally, for input on important decisions.  As one enjoys providing suggestions when others solicit that opinion, so will they appreciate being asked their viewpoints.  Tip:  out of respect for their time, wait until one has distilled much of the information before requesting guidance from confidants.

5.   Think Like a Third Grader.  Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is everything.  It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”  Unfortunately, as life comes, the pretend play of youth gets farther away.  Stepping back in time to when storytelling, dress-up and make-believe were everyday occurrences unleashes creativity.  So get out the crayons and allow your imagination to have fun again.  One will discover a clearer picture of what he truly desires.

6.  Get a Good Night’s Rest.  The doctor’s cliché to “take two aspirins and call me in the morning” is sound advice.  As most challenges in life appear less overwhelming with the passing of time, most people will find sleeping on their decisions brings clarity in the morning.

7.  Measure Against the Plan.  Some opportunities that come along lead down “rabbit trails” and distract one from the intended path.  While it’s good to consider potential moves, it’s important to weigh the anticipated benefits against the overall intended direction.  If pursuing an alternative takes away from big- picture objectives, it might be a good idea to pass.  Decisions not made often turn out to be the right ones.

8.   Remember the Other Guys.  Lest it’s ever too far from mind, don’t forget competitors.  While people are trying to determine which option to pursue, they’re not sitting around idly, but weighing options and deciding things, too.  So take time to process, but be sure to beat them to the punch.

Making Solid Business Decisions is a Challenging Game. 

9.  Sit on a Rock.  Occasionally, pressures overwhelm logic and the thought process.  As it’s essential to have a clear head in decision-making, taking a walk, listening to your favorite music of finding a place to be alone will move you closer to the answer.  Since going to the library seems passé, finding a quiet corner at your local one might be the perfect setting.

10.  Learn From the Past.  The best thing about experience is it provides a foundation for making better decisions.  Wisdom comes from both enjoying success and enduring failure.  Never discount gut instinct in the decision-making process.  That voice inside one’s head is worth listening to before acting.

Making solid business decisions is a challenging game with many variables affecting the eventual result, and the mindset plays an important role in what happens.  Picture yourself as a professional poker player…remaining calm and in control no matter which card comes up.  It’s the ones who never show emotion that typically walk away with the chips.

“I process things without any reaction,” said Amy Nichols, founder of Dogtopia, a dog day care franchise.  “I let it sit for several hours or even a day or two.  The more I think on it, I come up with a non-emotional decision, and that has always ended with better results.  If you take off all your personal lenses that get in the way, you’ll see things as they really are.”

11.   Against All Odds.  That $7 million decision which critics panned in ’67 as “foolhardy” and buying a “worthless piece of real estate,” didn’t occur 40 years ago, but in 1867.  Adding fuel to the contrarian fire, the key negotiator exceeded the bidding authority granted him by Congress.  Yet with full faith in his decision-making ability, Secretary of State William Seward agreed to purchase a territory that legendary newspaper editor Horace Greeley wrote “lay away at an inconvenient and a dangerous distance.”

Of course, the “frozen waste land,” which for a time was facetiously referred to as “Seward’s Folly,” was renamed Alaska, and provides the United States with a wide array of natural resources, all for the price of two cents per acre.  Seward considered the risk of purchasing the vas Northwest region from an economically strained Russia, and determined the opportunities for expansion far outweighed to option of dropping out of the game as the wagering rose.  Taking a similar strategic approach to analyzing the potential of major decisions will lead one to achieve a greater destiny for franchising a business.

One admirable trait great leaders share is taking responsibility for their decisions.  In 1945, President Harry S. Truman made perhaps the most difficult one in history:  ordering atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki “to shorten the agony of war.”  Seven years later, he said:  “You know, it’s easy for the Monday morning quarterback to say what the coach should have done after the game is over.  But when the decision is up before you and on my desk I have a motto which says ‘The Buck Stops Here’ the decision has to be made.”  To inspire confidence in your decision-making, here are some additional thoughts from the nation’s 33^rd president:

 “All my life, whenever it comes time to make a decision, I make it and forget about it.”

“In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still.  Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.”

I never sit on a fence.  I am either on one side or another.”

“You can always amend a big plan, but you can never expand a little one.  I don’t believe in little plans.  I believe in plans big enough to meet a situation which we can’t possibly foresee now.”

“A president cannot always be popular.”

“It isn’t polls or public opinion of the moment that counts.  It is right and wrong and leadership – men with fortitude and honesty, and a belief in the right that makes epochs in the history of the world.” 

“The president –whoever he is –has to decide.  He can’t pass the buck to anybody.  No one else can do the deciding for him.  That’s his job.”

“Whenever I make a bum decision, I go out and make another one.”

And, finally, his most famous quote of all:

“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

Five crucial questions to consider

If you’d like to rent an RV this summer for your big vacation, first take these questions for a spin:

How’s the gas mileage? It depends on the size of the RV and the driving conditions, but you can expect between 7 and 13 miles per gallon. (Additionally, some companies charge a fee per mile or offer mileage packages.) So a 652-mile trip between Tulsa and Albuquerque will run $522 round trip (fuel only), assuming 10 miles a gallon with gas at $4 a gallon.

What is the rent? In Tulsa, for instance, Cruise America charges around $721 for a one-week August rental of a standard-size RV that sleeps five people.

Do I need a special driver’s license? No, but for most rentals you must be 25 or older and hold a valid license.

Where can I go with an RV? Virtually anywhere. Tracks & Trails offers complete RV trip planning for the West, including rentals, reservations and itineraries.

Where can I rent one? Cruise America, Bates International Motor Home Rental Systems and El Monte RV have dealers throughout the country.

For more, visit the Recreational Vehicle Rental Association’s website, www.rvra.org.

By Everett Potter

TUCSON, Ariz.

The event at the Beaudry RV Resort and Rally Park in Tucson drew a great number of first-time attendees. “I would bet this was the first rally for nearly half of them,” said Club President Ed Gray.

“A lot of people in the last six months have joined the club specifically so they could attend this rally,” said Gray. The 400-site resort at Beaudry RV includes campsite patios with wrought iron furniture and other resort amenities. Also, the Workhorse seminars are a big draw, said Gray.

Seminars by Workhorse personnel, Redlands Truck and RV Performance Center of Redlands, Calif., Alcoa Wheels and Michelin Tires were well attended. Kongsberg Automotive, a supplier for Workhorse’s WISE multiplexing system and adjustable pedals, made its first appearance at a WCMC rally. Kongsberg representatives explained their work and current advancements in chassis technology.

Rally goers were also among the first to see the new Winnebago model built on the Workhorse UFO rear engine gas chassis — the Adventurer Limited, which was supplied by nearby La Mesa RV and purchased at the rally by one of the club members. Ride and drives on a Winnebago Destination demo coach built on the Workhorse UFO chassis were conducted over two of the days.

In official business, Ed Hessemer was named the club’s new vice president for rallies — west. He replaces outgoing Vice President Dan Moynahan. Moynahan and his wife Sue were the rally masters. The club, which is a chapter of FMCA, also heard from Jay Blumenthal, president of INTO (International) Area of FMCA, who updated members about FMCA benefits.

Fall Rally

Club members are now looking forward to the fall rally in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The “Sun and Surf Rally” will be Oct. 6 to 10 at the Ocean Lakes Family Campground.

At FMCA Convention 

Workhorse personnel will exhibit a UFO chassis and a W24 platform in Booth No. 2904 in the outside exhibit area.

Robert Zulian will conduct a service seminar in Seminar Building No. 3 (the Sheep & Poultry Building) from 9:45 to 11 .m. Wednesday, June 16.

MANTECA, Calif. — Thirty-two of the 41 complaints relating to code enforcement in Manteca in the first five days of June were related to illegally parked recreational vehicles and trailers.

That’s what the city’s lone code enforcement officer Greg Baird — who describes himself as the most hated man in Manteca — told Rotarians at their noon luncheon on Thursday.

The code enforcement officer said there is a divided camp among residents. There are those who want to show off their vehicles and others who don’t want their street to look like an RV storage yard.

“No one is happy when you go out on a call” he said of the parking restrictions. That is, until you tell one party, “You can’t do that any more.” Then the person complaining is satisfied.

Nothing can be in the front yard set back - that’s usually 20 feet. Once you get beyond that 20 feet residents are allowed to have one RV on the property.

He said there is a proposed new regulation that RVs will have to have a three-foot clearance from the house as well as three feet from the fence. If that goes through it will inhibit the parking of large vehicles in the side yards of homes, he noted.

The proposed ordinance may require any recreational vehicles to be parked on a paved surface eliminating storing anything on grass.

Baird said he deals chiefly with code violations and the 700 pages of rules and regulations that he has to enforce. He said that staff has now recommended the City Council hiring a second officer to monitor code violations in the city using redevelopment agency funds in the upcoming budget cycle.

UNION CITY, Ind. — Responding to customer interest, Forest River has introduced its first toy hauler motor home — the Georgetown GTX — and packed it with best-in-class value.

That value begins with the Workhorse W22 chassis, sporting 22.5-inch aluminum wheels, as the standard 22,000 lb. GVWR platform. The GTX built on the W22 will be the base model chassis.

The 36-foot GTX made its debut at a recent RV show in San Diego, where it pulled in several retail sales. Features include an extra-large 11-foot by 8-foot garage to provide more room for “tall toys” such as four-wheel-drive, roll bar ATVs.

Two opposing slide outs open up a spacious front interior with a dinette and hide-a-bed sofa. Kitchen amenities include an extra-large 30-inch stainless steel microwave, an extra-large nine-foot stainless steel refrigerator, solid surface countertops and stainless steel oven with covered burners. Halogen lighting brightens the living area, which also features a big 32-inch TV. It has linoleum flooring throughout.

“We know many of our customers have been looking for a toy hauler from us. With more people seeking convenient ways to pursue their outdoor adventures, we thought this was a good time to diversify our product offering,” said Art Colvin, general manager of Forest River. “The GTX is a simple and elegantly functional design with first-class features. Of course, these include the Workhorse chassis with its six-speed Allison transmission and excellent ride and handling.”

“It’s also an excellent value just in terms of what you can pack in the garage, or even the refrigerator, among other things,” said Colvin. The GTX is the only toy hauler with a fiberglass roof. Other notable features include a water purification system, 6.5-kilowatt generator and 50 amp services, 13,500 BTU air conditioner, slide out awnings, gel coat walls and an exterior hose with nozzle.

Option packages also include side mount sofa beds or an electric bed lift, cargo screen door, rear spotlights and an exterior entertainment center with another 32-inch LCD TV.

“We’re pleased to be part of what should be a hot new toy hauler,” said Bill Walmsley, Workhorse director of RV marketing. “RVers are getting a lot for their money with the GTX. That Forest River is offering the Workhorse W22 as the standard base model chassis makes it an even more valuable offering.”

The Georgetown GTX is now arriving on dealer lots. Suggested MSRP for the standard model is $97,605.

SOURCE: Workhorse press release

By Greg Gerber

Donna Flora, this year’s Pow Wow Chair, is a familiar face to so many in the global travel industry.  Her career in the industry spans more than 25 years, but her enthusiasm is always fresh and invigorating.  Today she is Vice President, Travel Industry Relations for American Express, a position she has held since 2002.  In this capacity she is currently responsible for advancing American Express brand awareness and card acceptance within the travel industry and serves as the primary liaison to the U.S. travel agency community and travel industry associations.  Her dedication to the travel and tourism industry and her concern about the environment have collided in her most recent efforts on behalf of American Express and TIA in the name of sustainability.

 Today, in her capacity as Pow Wow chair, she shares some of her insights with the readers of Pow Wow Daily.

 PWD:  American Express has always been a strong supporter of TIA and its efforts on behalf of the U.S. travel and tourism industry.  Are you pleased with the progress made to date on the Travel Promotion Act and on the unification of the industry’s voices under the TIA public affairs umbrella?

Flora:  TIA has done a very effective job of unifying the travel industry, reflected in the number of c-sponsors of the bill.  They have made a lot of progress and we are pleased.  It must be recognized, however, that there is still a long way to go.  It is up to all of us, as corporate citizens of the travel industry, to communicate the importance of travel and tourism to our legislators on an ongoing basis.

If we, as an industry, commit to this and we facilitate a grass roots effort via our employees, I know we can make a difference.  Our international colleagues, joining us here for the 40^th Pow Wow, are counting on us too!

PWD:  This year, TIA is reporting Pow Wow has returned to participation levels from the year 2000 and this is expected to be one of the best events in TIA history.  Are you seeing a return to the energy and excitement levels of pre-9/11 in the U.S. travel and tourism industry?

Flora:  Absolutely.  People from around the globe are viewing travel not as a necessity but as a right.  Traveling to America is still viewed as a dream come true.

We truly are a land of opportunity.  During Pow Wow, global purchasers of travel can expect intensive and productive business appointments, educational, informative and entertaining luncheon programs, sightseeing tours and memorable evening events that have the WOW factor that only Las Vegas can create.

This is the year for inbound visitors to come back to the United States.  Many international currencies are strong against the U.S. dollar.  Most importantly, by every measure, we can all agree we are a safe place to visit that offers a diversity of geography and cultures.  Our doors are open and our people are waiting to greet the international traveler.  We hope our international buying partners go home energized to bring their customers here!

PWD:  As Chair of this year’s International Pow Wow, what do you hope that the delegates accomplish during their days here in Las Vegas?

Flora:  First and foremost I hope you take the time to personally experience this great country of ours.  You know what they say, “one person will tell 10 people.”  I am positive that once you visit Las Vegas what happens here will not stay here, because we know you will want to go back and tell your customers, your friends, your families.  In America, though we have incredible natural resources and beautiful lands, our best asset is our people, and there are incredibly hospitable people in Las Vegas.  In addition, I hope you learn about all the wonders of America by visiting with all the suppliers that are exhibiting at Pow Wow.  I hope this year breaks all records of business sold to the US.  The timing is perfect for people from around the world to come visit.  America is on sale and we want to share her with the world. This is going to be a terrific Pow Wow for getting business done.

PWD:  What does American Express, as a company, hope to accomplish as such involved and active participants in Pow Wow and in TIA’s ongoing efforts throughout the year?

Flora:  I am very proud to work for a company that truly walks the talk.  As one of the worlds largest travel companies, we obviously want to promote travel around the globe and support the travel industry by being good corporate citizens.

PWD:  Your event this year, on Monday afternoon, had a focus on “green tourism” and our environment.  American Express has long been a leader in these initiatives in the travel and tourism industry.  In what ways does American Express get involved in sustainability and green tourism efforts?

Flora:  American Express is a global travel company with presence in more than 100 countries.  We also have millions of card members worldwide who love to travel.  Sustainable, responsible tourism is in the interest of our card member and customer, our communities and consequently to our business.  As a result, we are seeking to make contributions in a variety of ways.  First, we are committed to reducing the company’s carbon footprint 10 percent by 2012.  In addition, we are involved in a number of industry initiatives to promote sustainable tourism.  American Express and the World Monuments Fund, longtime partners in protecting endangered sites around the world, are now focusing their joint efforts in historic preservation to emphasize conservation and sustainable tourism at sites in need.  Our involvement in a number of trade organizations, in addition to the TIA, is also supporting this effort.  The Global Travel and Tourism Partnership (GTTP), started in 1986 by the American Express Foundation, is a global coalition of travel and tourism education programs currently serving more than 420,000 secondary school students and young adults around the world working to raise awareness of the industry’s economic and cultural impact on their communities.  We are also founding members of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) which aims to raise awareness of the economic and social impact and potential of the travel industry and the International Tourism Partnership (ITP), a forum to share knowledge, develop policy and implement programs that have a positive impact on social, economic and environmental issues.

PWD:  American Express is also helping to promote the Transportation Safety Administration’s efforts to assure travel security when leaving our U.S. airports.  Can you tell the Pow Wow Daily readers the motivation behind the gifts they received at yesterday’s luncheon and a bit about why educating them on this effort is so important to you personally?

Flora:  In my opinion, your last impression is just as important as your first.  When a visitor leaves from a U.S. Airport and he/she is not aware of our policies and procedures, it can be a detrimental experience that can tarnish their entire vacation.  Just think about it, for a moment, as an international traveler to our country.  You bought this great bottle of wine or perfume that you are hand carrying because you treasure it so much and it’s confiscated at the airport.  That is the kind of memory we don’t want our visitors to take home with them.  That’s the story they will remember in the end, the story they will go home and tell others.  However, if we manage the traveler’s expectation and they know how to prepare in advance, it can be a seamless process. I am sure that we all want security and peace of mind when traveling.  Balancing security with ease of travel can be accomplished if we all know what to expect. 

We at American Express felt we could help educate the Pow Wow delegates about airport security requirements, ensuring a happy ending to what we hope we will have been a great trip to the USA.  By giving each of you a travel kit that contains the airport security requirements (3-1-1) that of course comes in a recyclable bag it would help manage your expectations when traveling from a U.S. airport.  Consider the Avon hand crème our “made in the USA” gift to you. 

PWD:  As a long time Pow Wow participant, do you have a favorite Pow Wow memory?

Flora:  Every Pow Wow creates new and exciting memories.  But the friendships old and new that I have developed are my best memories.   Pow Wow gives me the ability to meet people from around the globe that have the same passion for travel as I do.  For me, it is really a gift to sit back and observe how 5,000 people from over 70 countries can come together and not only do business but genuinely enjoy each others company. What I think about when I think about Pow Wow is the people that attend and the new doors that we open together.  For me, considering all the nations represented here and all the shared goals and visions, it is so incredible to think about the reality that we could actually achieve peace through tourism.

Las Vegas, NV, June 9, 2008 – Sandra Bate, president and CEO of Bates International Motor Home Rental Systems, Inc., announced that Bates has formed a business alliance with a major International RV caravan company.  Adventure Caravans is one of the largest and most respected RV tour companies in the industry.  Traditionally caravans consist of RVers that own their own RVs.  Adventure Caravans will expand its client base with the ability to offer rental RVs to those that would otherwise be unable to participate in their RV caravans. 

Adventure Caravans, founded in 1994 by owners Ron and Juanita Kohn, offers travel adventures including RV caravans, rallies and cruises.  Adventure Caravans has a constant influx of foreign travelers to the United States.   Every year they provide over 100 caravans and rallies to Canada, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, USA (including Alaska), and Mexico. 

The company will utilize the Bates RV rental network to supply RVs for their North American and International clientele that do not own motor homes.  The Bates brand is recognized internationally as the first RV franchise company in the world.  Since 1973, Bates has extended quality service through its headquarters in Las Vegas and its network of franchise locations in selected cities in the United States and Canada.

Bates is recognized as one of the top 500 U.S. franchises by Entrepreneur, one of the nation’s leading business monthly magazines.   Bates is known for its wide variety of luxury RV rentals, from plush Class “A” diesel pushers to Class “C” cab-over’s to Fun Movers.