What Is a Charter Bus? Your Ultimate Guide to Renting a Charter Bus
What is a charter bus?
If you’re in the process of planning a trip for a large group, someone may have suggested the idea of renting a charter bus for the occasion. But if you’ve never been on one before, you might not know what one is.
A charter bus is basically a big bus that’s used to transport a large number of people around at one time. Typically, charter buses come with amenities like luggage space and even restrooms, which makes them ideal for those taking trips that span long distances.
Charter buses are ideal for tour groups, corporate outings, sports teams, and anyone else in need of transportation for large groups. They’ll allow you to travel comfortably and get you to wherever you’re going safely.
Now that you know what a charter bus is, let’s look at how to go about renting one for your next trip.
Decide Where You’re Going and Who’s Coming Along
Before you go through the process of renting a charter bus, it’s a good idea to sit down and map out the trip you’re going to take.
Where is everyone in your group going to meet to catch the bus? Where is your final destination going to be? Will there be detours and stops along the way?
You’ll likely need to provide a charter bus company with a rough estimate of how long your trip will be and where exactly it’ll take you. This will ensure that they’re able to provide you with an accurate quote on the price of a charter bus.
You should also carefully consider how many people will be coming along with you on your trip. You want to make sure that everyone will fit on the charter bus that you choose.
Find a Charter Bus Company
Once you have an idea of where you’re going on your trip and how many people will be on the charter bus you rent, it’s time to find the right charter bus company for your group.
You can do this by asking around for recommendations from those in your organization or community. You can also do a simple Google search to see which charter bus companies have the best reviews in your area.
Call around to a few different charter bus companies and get for a feel for them over the phone. Between the reviews you read online and the conversations you have with individual charter bus companies, you should be able to track down the one that will work best for you.
Ask the Company You Choose About Their Safety Record
After you’ve narrowed down your search and honed in on the one charter bus company you want to work with, you’ll need to ask them a very important question. Inquire about their safety record and let them tell you about their commitment to safety.
You obviously want to make sure your group is safe throughout the duration of your trip. So you don’t want to sign up with a charter bus company that has a history of safety problems. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration can help you research charter bus companies.
You also don’t want to work with a charter bus company that hires just anyone to work as a driver for them. Ask about the drivers that are employed by a charter bus company to see if they have the right licenses and certifications to serve as a driver for you.
Learn More About the Charter Buses in Their Fleet
If you speak with a charter bus company about safety and like what you hear, you can move on to speak with them about the buses in their fleet. A good charter bus company will have at least a few options to tell you about.
There are some charter buses that are very basic and offer little in terms of amenities. There are others that will have Wi-Fi, TVs, surround-sound systems, and USB ports throughout the interior.
Depending on how long your trip is going to be, you might want to spring for a charter bus with some of the extras on it. But at the very least, you’ll want to pick one that has a restroom as well as space for any luggage that you’ll be bringing along.
Take a Tour of the Charter Bus You Like Best
If you’re not 100% sure which charter bus you want to take on your trip, why not head down to see a few of them for yourself?
You can only tell so much by looking at photos of buses. Those photos have also obviously been taken to portray the buses in the best possible light.
Ask a charter bus company to arrange a tour of several buses that you’re interested in. It will allow you to find the bus that will benefit your group the most.
Consider the Cost of Renting a Charter Bus
Transporting a large group of people by charter bus is typically the most affordable approach to travel. Flying will cost a lot more money, and so will taking a large number of smaller vehicles.
But don’t let that stop you from shopping around for the best price for a charter bus. You want to select the one that will fit well within your group’s budget and leave plenty of money left over to spend on the rest of your trip.
Don’t be afraid to do some negotiating on behalf of your group to lower your charter bus rental rate.
What Is a Charter Bus? It’s What You Need for Your Next Trip
Traveling on a charter bus can be a fun experience when you’re taking a long trip. It can remove a lot of the stress associated with travel and allow you to enjoy yourself more.
Now that you know the answer to the question, “What is a charter bus?”, use the tips provided here to find the right charter bus company and the right charter bus. Otherwise, your trip could end up feeling a whole lot longer and more stressful than you intended.
Do you want to get a great deal on a charter bus that’s jampacked with amenities? Reach out to us to check out some of the excellent options that we can provide for you.