If you're responsible for making sure a large group of people, such as a church group, youth organization, or tour group, need to get somewhere; you have a few options available. One thing you might think of doing is designating drivers among the group to take people in cars. For a very small group this might be feasible, but things get difficult when you find yourself trying to organize a dozen different vehicles and get them all to the same place without incident - not to mention splitting gas prices.
Then there's public transportation. In many areas, busses and trains and taxis will take you all over a city - but have you ever tried getting fifty people to the same place in a single public bus or train? Because of the chaotic nature of such endeavors, you're bound to lose a few people along the way. Again, with a small group it's quite possible to use public transportation, but not if you're responsible for a large number of people.
What else can you do? Is there anything, or are you just going to have to accept the curse of disorganization and difficulty? Actually, there is a fairly good answer to the mass transport question - and that is to rent a bus. For a total of around eight hundred for a fifty-passenger bus - sixteen dollars per person - you can get transportation for your entire group. And if you're willing to pay an extra twenty or thirty dollars an hour (usually with a four hour minimum), you can even hire a professional driver to take care of getting you places and handling such an unwieldy vehicle in traffic.
There are plenty of types of bus charters out there, each designed for specific purposes. Are you looking for a bus for tours? Just rent a tour bus. Are you looking for something a little more luxurious - maybe to let you emulate the rock star culture of today's musical elite? Why not rent an entertainer coach or a limousine bus and ride in style - have a party that goes places? You can even, if you wish, rent specialty bus charters, like school busses.
For these different types of bus service, you can obviously expect to pay different rates. A tour bus is cheaper than an entertainer coach simply because it isn't as elaborate. Make sure you know before you begin your trip what your passengers expect and what you, as the trip organizer, are willing to pay. Research your charter bus rentals and know the rates available in your area. If you don't have a bus driver license, consider hiring a professional bus driver. Most bus charter services offer drivers at reasonably low rates, so if you think it will help, ask around and see what the rates are in your area.
Charter busses and tour busses are going to be the most standard of all the types of bus charters available to you. Both will be a standard coach with thirty to fifty seats depending on the model. Some provide luxuries like back of the seat televisions, but most are fairly basic. This will also most likely be the cheapest of all of your bus rental options.
Some tour bus companies will go above and beyond the duty of simple bus rental service. Look around - some bus services will even offer you smaller vans or shuttles on arrival at your primary location for easier touring. Looking to take a group a few hundred miles to a tour location and then split them up for different sights and activities? Find a bus service that offers this kind of versatile transportation option and you'll be set to see the world in style.
Either way, though, if your main concern is simply moving a set number of people from point A to point B, a charter bus or a tour bus will probably be your first and best choice. Many nation wide bus services will even allow you to specify a departure and arrival point, in the same way many car rental companies do, so that you don't have to drive the bus back to the same rental station you picked it up at.
If you're looking for something a little sleeker, a little more stylish, a little more comfortable, then maybe it's time to think about getting an entertainer coach. While holding radically less people than a standard bus, an entertainer coach makes the actual trip a lot more interesting. Are you looking to take a high-level group of executives to a conference, or maybe just to have some fun with a few friends? An entertainer coach may be just what you need.
An entertainer coach is essential a cross between a standard bus and a motor home. From the outside, an entertainer coach looks like any other bus (though often with a more interesting paint job). On the inside, though, an entertainer coach is practically a house - with bunks, sofas, entertainment centers, sound systems, and comfortable places to sit, a coach like this is a great place to spend a long drive. Many entertainer coaches even offer features like full bathrooms, full kitchens, and actual beds. Most bus services will own a number of entertainer coaches, each with its own special features. Once you've decided on a bus service, make sure you look over all of the available coaches, because its likely each will have its own set of strengths and weaknesses.
If you're interested in something a little, different, make sure you check out your specialty bus charter options as well. Having a wedding? Why not arrive with everyone in one big limousine bus? Show up in style, and bring the whole family with you. Need an old school bus for a movie prop or some other reason? Check online for bus rentals with school busses in your area. Know your market and your options and you'll come out on top every time.