Before creating the Vanabode travel style I ran a motorcoach website. This page is one of many bus articles I wrote for coach buyers before closing that website.

Bus Charter

Bus charter, there are some important things to keep in mind. In order to get quotes and availability you're going to need to contact each company and ask their specifics, there are no sites that provide instant availability or quotes. National services that own buses do not exist. There are only regional and local bus companies, which are spread out between the United States and Canada.

The "safety" factor is usually very important to people, so its helpful and convenient that you are able to check a company's safety rating online. Operators are not allowed to operate the vehicle for a period of time longer than 10 hours and you can check with the Better Business Bureau to see if the company you are interested in has had any complaints filed.

A plus is that prices usually do not go up when your travel date is nearing or when the companies availability is lower, which is great on your budget and planning. Over the road trips usually require a low 10% deposit. An over the road trip is defined as a longer trip, usually overnight and out of the local area.

About 90% of coach companies ask for a deposit when booking and the typical deposit amount is 30%.

To help in your decision, the Department of Transportation, has a place on their site where you can see the number of power units that have been registered and see how many buses the company you're looking into owns.

Pricing is very important and you want to make sure that you are getting the best bang for your buck. Be sure that the websites you're looking at online are not networks or national brokers, these can add on about 40% to your trips cost because they are a commission site. It is better to talk directly to the company in which you are looking into a charter bus ride.

Before chartering a bus, be sure to ask plenty of questions as this will help you make the right decision for you and/or your family. It is important to ask what they do in the case of a break down or if the bus is allowed to be inspected before the trip? Ask if the company has its own maintenance facility. These types of questions will help you be prepared in all types of situations.

If you're planning on an over the road trip ask about pricing on the local miles per day after you have reached your destination and if you were to exceed them, what is their cost for that? Remember things like, parking tolls and if they are included in the quote you were given this way you don't have to come up with unexpected money. No one usually knows when an emergency will arise, so it's a good idea to ask what their policy is on canceling. The typical cancellation policy will allow the customer 15-30 days without penalty fees.

Does the company have proof of insurance, remember that the state requires a $5 million policy, and ask about their policy. And even if you have a CDL you are not allowed to operate the bus because the owner's insurance policy is strictly against this. Ask if the company is a member of an association. And it is important if the company owns the bus they are chartering or if it is brokered out?

Also, ask about the gratuity, it is usually a standard 10% but you want to be sure. Usually, for overnight trips you will book the operators room at the hotel. The majority of hotels will provide a room for free for the operator, though when you are booking rooms for a large group it is a good thing to ask.

Sometimes you may want to have some wine or a cigarette while enjoying the ride, however not all bus companies will allow this. In Canada, alcoholic beverages are banned from buses and only a few companies will let you smoke. In the US, an estimated 82% of companies do allow alcohol with a refundable deposit of about $175-$275.

The final payment is usually due 10 to 30 days before you leave but be sure to ask what the companies specifics are, as they may vary. You usually want to book your charter about 3 weeks in advance as you will have more options when you book a little earlier. For local charters, the rates for pricing is usually by the hour. However, if you are looking into an out of state trip the price changes to by the mile pricing and the average out of state trip is about 300 miles per day. Look into all of your options and ask many questions. Visit chartering a bus for further discussion on renting a bus. This will help you to have the best trip possible and save money, which we all love while on a bus charter.

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