Long-distance driving can be a challenging prospect, especially with a large group of people, and that’s exactly why the charter bus industry has thrived over the years. In addition to being relatively cheap (about half the cost of flying), bus travel is one of the most fuel-efficient—and thus environmentally friendly—forms of transportation available in the United States. Charter buses are good options for tours, events and long-distance travel, but before you choose a service provider, it’s important to remember that not all passenger transportation companies offer the same services or implement the same standards and business practices. Before booking your trip, take precautionary measures and consider the following tips:
- Be thorough when discussing your needs and any special amenities you’d like. This will help avoid future misunderstandings and ensure your comfort during a long trip.
- Ask about policies for deposits, final payment, refunds and cancellations.
- Determine if the driver’s hotel room is included in the cost of the charter, or if you or your group will be responsible for covering the cost.
- Ask to see the company’s USDOT (United States Department of Transportation) number. It’s five or six digits long, and you can use it to view the carrier’s safety information online.
- Consider booking a video-equipped motorcoach if it’s available. Educational videos or movies can help pass the hours, and sports teams can utilize the travel time to review game footage. Also, some modern buses now offer Wi-Fi access, so ask if that’s a possibility.
- When comparing quotes, make sure you account for things like driver experience, equipment maintenance and company stability. These aspects are often overlooked, but their value is nonetheless significant.
- Provide the company with an itinerary to ensure the driver is thoroughly prepared to make your trip as efficient and smooth as possible.
It’s important to gather as much relevant information as possible before deciding to hire a charter bus provider, so don’t be afraid to ask questions, no matter how obvious the answers might seem. Here are 10 questions to start with:
- How many local miles are allowed per day after reaching my destination? What’s the charge for exceeding them?
- Does the price quote include parking and tolls?
- What’s your cancellation policy?
- Is 10 percent the standard driver gratuity with your company?
- What’s your procedure in the event of a breakdown?
- Can you provide proof of insurance?
- Does your company own the bus or will it be brokered out?
- Is the bus available for inspection before chartering?
- Are you members of any associations (American Bus Association, United Motorcoach Association, National Tour Association)?
- Does your company have its own maintenance facility?
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Tips for planning a charter bus trips are really very impressive. Generally people didn’t plan these things they just contact a travel agency & go for a tour but without any plan so your article helps those lots. Thanks for giving these advice.
I am planning a bus charter trip. Asking whether the buses offer Wi-Fi is a great piece of advice. I don’t want to go very far without the Internet. Hopefully, this will help make my trip more memorable.
I like what this article mentions about ensuring all the hidden costs are taken care of. I wouldn’t have considered the cost of a hotel for the bus driver, or any other workers. I also like what was said about considering driver experience. This article has brought up some very helpful tips, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the information on planning a bus trip! I’m thinking that hiring a bus is the best way to transport my team to a competition in a neighboring state, but I wanted to make sure I that the trip was enjoyable. I’ll be sure to ask the ten questions that you list before making a decision!
First of all, I had no clue that buses were so fuel efficient! I definitely don’t feel bad about having to hire a few of them to transport our participants around, now. I also really appreciate that you talked about using a company’s USDOT number to review their safety information. That’s a wonderful recommendation, and a must for those who are transporting children and teens – at least, I think so.
I appreciate your tips for booking a charter bus. If you are going to make chartering a bus hassle free you really have to do your research. Yes, that can be considered a hassle, but it will save you headaches later on your trip. Just make sure you know and read through all of the terms and conditions before chartering a bus service. The more you know the less you will have to worry about during the trip.
The suggestion to get a video-equipped charter bus is fantastic, especially if it is going to be a trip that takes several hours. There are just too many benefits to watching a video on the bus to turn them down; not only can you use them to kill boredom but, as the article points out, sports teams can use them to review footage before the game. Of course it also helps to bring along DVDs to watch on the ride as well or the video players would be pretty useless, so be sure to remember to include those.
Matt, thank you for pointing out the importance of discussing all of your needs with the bus company. I would think it is important to make sure you have communicated all of the amenities you want, to make sure your trip goes as smoothly as possible. I also like that you mention providing the company with an itinerary. It seems like it is a good idea to have a good line of communication between you and your driver.
Determining if the driver’s hotel room is included when hiring a bus for a long trip is a very thoughtful piece of advice. If you’re comparing multiple quotes from different companies I bet that one factor could make the difference in your decision, since that would be one less thing for you to worry about when planning the trip. My cousin’s have been thinking of hiring a bus this summer, but I bet they haven’t thought about the driver’s hotel room yet. I’ll pass this along.
I like the recommendation to ask about various fees or deposits. It makes sense that this could be helpful in making sure you always know what sort of fee you’ll have to pay for what service or cancellation. It’s something to keep in mind just to make sure the bus charter goes smoothly even if the trip isn’t far.