The Hemphill Brothers Coach Company knows a thing or two about how celebrities live on the road. Run by brothers Joey and Trent Hemphill, the Nashville-based RV company has been building and building luxury tour buses for 40 years and touting an A-list customer base ranging from megastars like Taylor Swift, Oprah, Dolly Parton and Beyonce to former American presidents.
“2020 was going to be our best year yet. It was already booked as our biggest year in our company’s history,” said Trent Hemphill, when CNBC first caught up with Hemphill in October.
But when the coronavirus pandemic led to abrupt cancellations of concerts across the country in early March 2020, $ 30 million dollars in booked RV rentals for musicians on tour went out with them. “My brother and I have been through a lot together in this industry, but nothing like it,” said Trent Hemphill.
Data from the American Bus Association estimates that between 75% -80% decline in tour bus travel has been canceled since mid-March 2020 as a result of the pandemic, a loss of nearly $ 5 billion to the U.S. entertainment coach industry, which also includes coach operators and travel companies.
The Hemphills grew up touring as a successful gospel group, before borrowing money from their father in 1980 to buy their first bus to rent. Now they have more than 100 buses. The Hemphill Brothers Coach Company is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
Brothers Joey and Trent Hemphill entered the motorhome industry with just one bus in 1980. Their Nashville fleet now includes more than 100 coaches and more than 200 employees and boasts a long list of famous A-list customers.
Hemphill Brothers Coach Company
Business was booming during the first five months of 2019 with 95% of the Hemphill fleet on public roads. But in early 2020, “not a single motor home left the site for three months,” said Joey Hemphill. “We were considered essential transportation for the government. But there was nothing wrong. ‘
“The most painful thing we ever had to do was lay off workers. We had to be very nimble and cut costs immediately and find a path through this so we get to the other side,” he added.
So the brothers got together and decided to do something they’d never done before: create a social media presence and showcase their buses to the masses.
“We’re dealing with tour managers. Dealing with the general public is something we’ve never done in our 40 years. So it was all new to us,” said Joey Hemphill.
“We said our equipment could be used by the general public who don’t even know we exist. We just have to get the message out there,” added Trent Hemphill.
To stir the buzz, the brothers coined the phrase “travel like a rock star” to market their luxury RVs to American tourists and travelers seeking an alternative to air travel during the pandemic.
“It was a way for us to generate revenue not only for the company, but also for our employees and drivers,” said Trent Hemphill. The ‘rockstar experience’ went viral – and the Hemphills said they rented dozens of tourist road trips last year and into 2021.
The buses are much like a rolling five-star hotel and drivers can choose from multiple maps. The “star bus” can accommodate up to 12 people and even pets, and every part of the bus can be locked for privacy. The brothers said that each bus is “extremely custom” and “no two buses are the same”.
The famous Hemphill Brothers motorhomes are equipped with premium materials and decorations such as genuine leather, hardwood floors, granite, marble and quartz. The extensive buses are suitable for luxury travelers who are looking for ultimate comfort on the road.
Hemphill Brothers Coach Company
In true celebrity fashion, Hemphill buses offer travelers a ride in the lap of luxury: each motorhome is fitted with luxurious finishes including genuine leather, hardwood floors, granite, marble and quartz.
The cost to rent the RVs starts at $ 1,200- $ 1,500 per day, depending on the mileage. Drivers, fuel, and incidentals are included, and drivers can meet travelers at home anywhere in the continental US
Trent Hemphill said the benefits of road versus airplane travel are many. “You only need to pack once,” and passengers wake up at their next destination in the morning while the bus runs at night, “he added.” Our drivers are so good at ensuring such a smooth ride. You don’t even know you’re moving. ‘
“I personally sleep better on a bus than at home,” said Joey Hemphill.
So who else has slept in a Hemphill bus? The same company that made superstar Taylor Swift’s first tour bus made country legend Merle Haggard’s last.
The coaches are sterilized before each trip and drivers are tested on Covid before each trip and stay in pre-arranged stays between destinations. Prices can vary based on an individual’s schedule and itinerary, or travelers can choose to have an itinerary tailor-made for them.
The Calderon family said that when their trip to South Africa was derailed by the pandemic, renting a Hemphill bus for the same amount and going on a cross-country road tour was one of the best decisions they ever made.
“We’ve been all over the world and we’ve had some fantastic vacations. I think we had no idea we were going to come back and of all the journeys we’ve taken in our lives would say this was our favorite.” said Karla Calderon.
Karla, her husband Rafael, and their two young children took their Hemphill bus west for a 12-day journey, starting in Nashville and ending in Yosemite National Park. “We always want to travel outside of the US and see all these things [trip] reminded me that this country is incredible, ”said Rafael Calderon.
The Hemphill Brothers said they have also increased other revenue streams by selling used equipment and making custom interior adjustments and conversions for outside customers. The company said this helped offset some of the loss in rental income during the pandemic and allowed them to get workers back to work.
Even when live concerts return, the Hemphills said they plan to keep some of their fleet for tourists.
“We’ve hit a storm and we had to take back control of the business. And we realized we can still do it.” said Trent Hemphill. “It was a challenge, but it also stimulated him and me a bit to see that the decisions we make every day can affect the results of our business. Just like in the beginning. Feel young again.”