# The Future Turtles Charter Bus
Starting in 2024, we chartered a whole bus from Burner Express Bus (BxB) to bring our campers directly to our camp on playa and home. This is a huge win for so many reasons!
Super convenient. Direct drop off and pick up right in our camp
Nobody has to drive their personal cars to playa
Nobody has to wait in line for gate or exodus - the bus skips the line!
Ensures that its easy for our campers to stick around until the last minute of strike.
# 2024 Future Turtles Bus FAQ
This is from 2024. We have not yet updated it for 2025.
Just like the Burner Bus Express, the Future Turtles Bus skips the line to enter and exit playa -- which can save 10 hours some years! It is operated by Burning Man, but it is chartered by the Future Turtles and goes directly to our camp at 7:00 & F.
- **WHY THE BUS IS AWESOME**
**ABOUT THE FUTURE TURTLES BUS**
Our bus is similar to the Burner Bus Express, in fact, it is operated by Burning Man, but this one goes right to and from our camp on Playa, so you don't have to take the on-playa shuttle, or drag your gear for miles through the dirt!
- **Departure** Saturday, August 24, 9:00am
- at the Safeway 16th & Bryant, San Francisco
- Making one stop to pick up passengers at the Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, NV at approximately 1:00pm
NO SAP IS NEEDED to enter playa on Saturday with the bus!
- **Return** Monday, September 2, 11:00am
- Future Turtles Theme Camp
- One stop at Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, NV
- Then returning to 16th & Bryant, San Francisco
RULES
**Your share** of the cost of operating the Future Turtles Bus depends on how soon you buy your ticket:
We can take one large suitcase and one carry on.
If you have more than a large suitcase, for example, if you are also bringing a tent or a bicycle, we can carry that for you in the Turtle Truck.
# Internal Operations Notes 🔒
## Signing up for the bus
In 2024 we made a sign up form using Jotform ([link](https://form.jotform.com/241196310073044)) which lets us take reservations for the bus, and take payments using Stripe which go directly into the camp bank account.
Ask Jetpack for permission to edit the Jotform and update it for 2025.
We open this up to Future Turtles first to give them priority. Then we open it to other camps in the neighborhood to try to fill the bus, because we have to pay for the whole thing.
Jetpack is on a WhatsApp group with TCOs of all the other camps in our HUB and all the queer camps in general, which he can use to promote the bus.
## The mailing list
In 2024 we set up a Google Group so we could quickly email everybody who had booked a bus ticket, whether they were in the turtles or not. This turned out to be invaluable to get the word out quickly when rain messed up the schedule.
Expand here to see the Final Information email we sent out August 8, 2024
You have a reservation on the Future Turtles bus! We can't wait to see you, and hope this email will answer any questions you may have!
**Saturday, August 24**
- 9:00 am departure from the [Safeway, 16th and Bryant, San Francisco](https://maps.app.goo.gl/JGv2YCuT1tqyK41bA)
- 1:00 pm departure from the [Grand Sierra Resort, Reno](https://maps.app.goo.gl/j1tDtTGsKqoZjn2K6). May be delayed by traffic; we will email this list with ETA when we get closer.
- Late afternoon arrival on playa at the corner of 7:00 & Fascinate
- To reach the Turtle Bus coordinator in an emergency on the day of travel, you can call Tristan at [407-462-3737](tel:(407)%20462-3737) or contact @aitheric on Discord.
**To board our bus on Saturday, each passenger needs a physical Burning Man ticket in hand. We will not stop at the Will Call office on playa.**
- If your ticket is at Will Call, you can pick it up at the MAIN Burner Express stop in San Francisco or Reno early Saturday morning. Just tell them you are riding the Future Turtles Burner Express Bus charter.
- San Francisco: you can pick it up at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, 99 Grove St., as early as 6:30am Saturday.
- Reno: you can pick it up at 1500 Terminal Way, at the Air Cargo Terminal of Reno airport, as early as 9:00am Saturday.
**Monday, September 2**
- 11:00 am departure time from 7:00 & Fascinate
- First stop at the [Grand Sierra Resort, Reno](https://maps.app.goo.gl/j1tDtTGsKqoZjn2K6)
- Final stop at [Safeway, 16th and Bryant, San Francisco](https://maps.app.goo.gl/JGv2YCuT1tqyK41bA)
- It is historically extremely difficult to predict how long it takes to travel from Black Rock City back to Reno or San Francisco. Although our bus will skip the Exodus line, bad traffic on 447 or bad weather can result in
severe delays.
**If you miss a scheduled departure we will not wait for you, you will not receive a refund, and you will have to make your own way.**
**Luggage Allowance**
- There is room for only **one large suitcase or luggage item per passenger** under the bus.
- You can also bring a small knapsack or personal item with you on the bus.
- Mark all your luggage clearly with name, phone number, and email on the outside.
- We do not have room for bikes or extra luggage. However, we may have room for bikes and one extra luggage item on the Turtle Truck, which travels separately.
- Note that the Turtle Truck does not always accompany the Turtle Bus! Read carefully if you plan to use the Turtle Truck.
- If you want to put a bike or extra luggage item on the Turtle Truck, make a reservation at [https://forms.gle/
7QNAx9yD5uQLrycB8](https://forms.gle/7QNAx9yD5uQLrycB8)
**The Turtle Truck - Inbound**
- To load items on the Turtle Truck in San Francisco, bring them to 340 Ritch Street on Friday, August 23, at 11:00am.
- The truck will be departing San Francisco on Friday Afternoon
- To load items on the Turtle Truck in Reno, bring them with you to the Grand Sierra Resort.
- Because the Turtle Truck does not skip the line to get onto playa, it will probably arrive later than the bus at 7:00 & F. You may have to come back to the Future Turtles camp to pick up your excess luggage later on Saturday.
**The Turtle Truck - Outbound**
- The Turtle Truck will leave playa at the same time as the bus, approximately 11am Monday.
- Because the Turtle Truck does not skip the exodus line, it will arrive in Reno later than the Turtle Bus. We will email this list with an ETA for Reno as soon as the truck hits pavement.
- If you are picking up things in Reno, please plan to come back to the GSR promptly to unload, as the truck will not be able to wait around for you.
- The Turtle Truck will not get to San Francisco until Wednesday, September 4. We will provide an exact time and location for unloading in San Francisco as soon as we have that information. Please plan to come back promptly to pick up your stuff, as we don't have any way to store it for you.
- Please make your own arrangements to remove your own moop from playa, for example by carrying it out in your luggage. We do not have camp trash cans.
Thanks and see you in the dust!