Desert Bus for Hope
| “ | You guys are the greatest idea. If you didn't exist I would have to invent you. | ” |
| - Penn Jillette, co-creator of Desert Bus on November 20, 2010 | ||
Desert Bus for Hope (DBfH or DB) is an annual charity fundraiser. Organised by a large team of volunteers including many members of LoadingReadyRun, DBfH raises money for Child's Play by playing Desert Bus, a minigame from the unreleased Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors as long as people keep donating.
Background
The cast agreed to play Desert Bus for an hour for each increment of money donated - the amount necessary increased by seven percent each time the increment was reached. So the first hour would require one dollar to be donated, the second a dollar seven, and so on. The money earned went to the charity Child's Play which provides video games, toys and books to children's hospitals all over the world. To date (post-Desert Bus 2019), the run has earned more than 6 million USD.
Desert Bus generates a lot of its own tropes and terminology that pass from year to year. You can find explanations and origin stories for many of these in the Desert Bus Lexicon.
List of Desert Buses
| Name | Start Date | Start Time | End Date | End Time | Hours Raised | Raised | Lifetime Raised | Points | Crashes | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Bus for Hope 1 | 2007-11-23 | 18:00 | 2007-11-28 | 06:43 | 108 | $22,805.00 | $22,805.00 | 11 | 6 | Bill's Place |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2 | 2008-11-28 | 18:00 | 2008-12-04 | 00:46 | 126 | $70,423.79 | $93,228.79 | 11 | 14 | Moonbase Mk I |
| Desert Bus for Hope 3 | 2009-11-20 | 18:00 | 2009-11-26 | 10:44 | 136 | $140,449.68 | $233,678.47 | 16 | 2 | Moonbase Mk II |
| Desert Bus for Hope 4 | 2010-11-19 | 18:00 | 2010-11-25 | 15:07 | 141 | $209,482.00 | $443,160.47 | 14 | 8 | Moonbase Mk III |
| Desert Bus for Hope 5 | 2011-11-18 | 18:00 | 2011-11-25 | 00:36 | 150 | $383,125.10 | $826,285.57 | 15 | 5 | Moonbase Mk III |
| Desert Bus for Hope 6 | 2012-11-16 | 21:00 | 2012-11-23 | 05:24 | 152 | $443,630.00 | $1,269,915.57 | 12 | 13 | Moonbase Mk III |
| Desert Bus for Hope 7 | 2013-11-16 | 10:00 | 2013-11-22 | 22:18 | 156 | $523,520.00 | $1,793,435.57 | 14 | 10 | Moonbase Mk III |
| Desert Bus for Hope 8 | 2014-11-14 | 10:00 | 2014-11-21 | 00:50 | 158 | $643,242.58 | $2,436,678.15 | 12 | 24 | Lunar Module |
| Desert Bus for Hope 9 | 2015-11-14 | 10:00 | 2015-11-21 | 01:30 | 159 | $683,720.00 | $3,120,398.15 | 11 | 26 | Lunar Module Mk II |
| Desert Bus for Hope 10 | 2016-11-12 | 10:00 | 2016-11-19 | 01:48 | 159 | $695,242.57 | $3,815,640.72 | 12 | 29 | Lunar Module Mk III |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2017 | 2017-11-17 | 10:00 | 2017-11-24 | 00:16 | 158 | $655,402.56 | $4,471,043.28 | 11 | 19 | Moonbase Mk V |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2018 | 2018-11-09 | 10:00 | 2018-11-16 | 02:33 | 160 | $730,099.90 | $5,201,143.18 | 17 | 7 | Lunar Module Mk IV |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2019 | 2019-11-08 | 08:00 | 2019-11-15 | 02:20 | 162 | $865,015.00 | $6,066,158.18 | 12 | 21 | Lunar Module Mk IV |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2020 | 2020-11-13 | 10:00 | 2020-11-20 | 06:04 | 164 | $1,052,902.40 | $7,119,060.58 | 7 | 45 | Moonbase Mk V & Virtual |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2021 | 2021-11-12 | 18:00 | 2021-11-19 | 17:18 | 167 | $1,223,108.83 | $8,342,169.41 | 8 | 39 | Moonbase Mk V & Virtual |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2022 | 2022-11-12 | 14:00 | 2022-11-19 | 13:46 | 166 | $1,138,674.80 | $9,480,844.21 | 11 | 32 | Moonbase Mk V & Virtual |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2023 | 2023-11-11 | 14:00 | 2023-11-18 | 13:14 | 167 | $1,193,560.00 | $10,674,404.20 | 12 | 18 | Moonbase Mk VI |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2024 | 2024-11-08 | 15:00 | 2024-11-15 | 15:09 | 168 | $1,252,690.69 | $11,927,094.90 | 12 | 16 | Moonbase Mk VI |
| Desert Bus for Hope 2025 | 2025-11-14 | 15:00 | 2024-11-21 | 13:15 | 165 | TBD | TBD | 15 | 16 | Moonbase Mk VI |
All times are Pacific Standard Time; all amounts raised are US Dollars.
List of Non-mainline Desert Bus Events
| Name | Start Date | Start Time | End Date | End Time | Hours Raised | Raised | Lifetime Raised | Points | Crashes | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Bus Express 2025 | 2025-05-23 | 16:00 | 2025-05-24 | 16:22 | 24 | 205 069.69 CAD | 1 | 6 | Virtual |
All times are Pacific Time; all amounts raised are Canadian dollars
Appearances
● = Driver / Entertainer, ▲ = Appearance / Visitor / Volunteer, ■ = Guest / Call-in Appearance
Entertainers
| Name | DB1 | DB2 | DB3 | DB4 | DB5 | DB6 | DB7 | DB8 | DB9 | DB10 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Steacy | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ■ | ▲ | ||||
| Andy Cownden | ▲ | ▲ | ■ | ■ | ● | ● | ■ | ● | ▲ | ● | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ■ | ● | ■ | |||
| Andrew Ferguson | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | |||||
| Ash Vickers | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ▲ | ● | ▲ | ● | ▲ | |||||||
| Ashley Turner | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ |
| Ashton Cummings | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | |
| Brendan “Beej” Dery | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
| Ben Ulmer | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ||||||||
| Bill Watt | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||||||||||
| Cameron Lauder | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||||
| Carrie Floyd | ■ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||||
| Chris “Fugi” Gamble | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ||||
| Coriander Dickinson | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ■ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | ▲ | |||
| Dan Olson | ■ | ● | |||||||||||||||||
| Erika Cole | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Graham Stark | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Heather Dery | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Ian Horner | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | |||
| Jacob Burgess | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ■ | ||||||||||||
| James Turner | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Jamie Dillion | ■ | ■ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | |||||||||||||
| Jeremy Petter | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ■ | ■ | ■ | ||||||
| Johnny Blakeborough | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ||
| Jordan Hopkins | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | |||||||
| Jordynne Hatton | ● | ● | |||||||||||||||||
| Kara McLachlan | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | ||||||||||||
| Kate Watt | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | |
| Kathleen De Vere | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | ● |
| LeeLee Scaldaferri | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ▲ | |||||||||||
| Liz Smith | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | ● | ■ | ● | |||||
| Matt Wiggins | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Meghan Wolff | ● | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mikey Neumann | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | ▲ | ■ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
| Molly Lewis | ■ | ▲ | ■ | ▲ | ▲ | ■ | ■ | ● | ● | ■ | ■ | ||||||||
| Morgan vanHumbeck | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ▲ | ||||||||||||
| Paul Saunders | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Rachel Weeks | ▲ | ● | |||||||||||||||||
| Serge Yager | ▲ | ▲ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ■ | |||||||
| Tally Heilke | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ■ | ■ | ■ | |||||||
| Tara Theoharis | ▲ | ● | ● | ||||||||||||||||
| Tim Sevenhuysen | ● | ● | ■ |
Volunteers & Friends of the Bus
| Desert Bus for Hope |
| 1 (2007) – 2 (2008) – 3 (2009) – 4 (2010) – 5 (2011) – 6 (2012) – 7 (2013) – 8 (2014) – 9 (2015) – 10 (2016) |
| (11) 2017 – (12) 2018 — (13) 2019 — (14) 2020 — (15) 2021 — (16) 2022 — (17) 2023 — (18) 2024 — (19) 2025 |
| Desert Bus Lexicon |
