Charter Bus Illinois

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.

Once you've narrowed your choices down to a few companies, its time to start comparing. If you're concerned about the quality of any of the busses, try driving to the different bus services and check out their charter busses in person. By looking at them in person you can delve more deeply than just by looking at pictures on a website - after all, pictures hide things like minor imperfections, signs of age, and most importantly, smells.

When you've compared the busses themselves, take a look at the benefits. Different bus services offer different packages - some, for instance, may drive the bus to where you need it or offer the services of professional bus drivers. Some may charge by the mile, while others may charge per day. Some may have a four-hour minimum rental time, some six - make sure you read the fine print before you go into the negotiating stage.

Once you've covered all of the bases, it's time to reach for home plate. Get quotes from whichever competitors are left standing after the initial research phase. These quotes are often going to me more complex than the simple "x amount of dollars per day" fee with a small car rental. Know how to read them, and you'll be one step ahead of the game.

Bus charter rates are calculated in different ways depending on the nature of the trip. For most local uses - like transporting a conference from an airport to a hotel, for instance - an hourly rate system is used. You can expect to pay around eighty dollars per hour for the average charter bus rental in a localized area.

If you'll be traveling overnight or outside of a particular area, you'll either be quoted based on mileage or a daily rate. Usually the per-mile rate is a couple of dollars, with a minimum daily charge of several hundred. Occasionally you can get much better deals - shop around, and know your options.

Also expect to be billed if you have a professional driver. Charter bus drivers receive about a third of their pay from a gratuity - ten percent is standard. This gratuity improves the average bus driver pay rate and ensures that you receive good service on the road and in the charter bus.

You may also incur fees like tolls, airport fees, and similar charges, which will be included in your final bill. Don't forget, too, that if you have a professional driver on an overnight trip, you'll have to provide a room for him. The good news is that most hotels will provide complimentary rooms for your operator, so make sure you speak with someone in group sales and get the best deal possible.

Once you've paid for your bus, though, you're not just automatically free. You're going to have to follow the federal regulations required for charter bus operation. Make sure you know those regulations, and make sure you incorporate them into your charter bus plans.

There are three specific rules you need to know which apply to all bus operators, both hired and private. The first is the ten-hour rule - the driver cannot drive for more than ten hours between eight hour off duty time segments. The second rule you need to know is the fifteen-hour rule. Don't forget that drivers are often involved with more than just driving - they may be inspecting the bus or talking with mechanics or working on any number of issues which may come up. The fifteen-hour rule states that a driver cannot drive after he or she has been on duty - driving or other tasks - for more than fifteen hours, until he or she has had a full eight-hour rest break.

The last rule you need to know is the seventy-hour rule. Consecutive ten-hour days can be very tiring, and a tired driver is a hazard to his or her passengers and to anyone else on the road. The seventy-hour rule is an attempt to mitigate those effects, and states that a driver cannot drive more than seventy hours in any period of eight consecutive days. On a purely monetary note, remember also that if a driver works more than forty hours in a week or on a holiday, you'll be required by federal law to pay overtime.

1.For trips over the road: How many local miles are allowed per day after reaching your destination? What is the charge for exceeding them?
2.Does the quote include parking and tolls?
3.What is your cancellation policy?
4.Who pays for the driver's hotel room and board? Is 10% the standard driver gratuity with your company?
5.What is your procedure in the event of a breakdown?
6.Can you provide proof of insurance? (The state requires a $5 million policy.)
7.Does your company own the bus, or will it be brokered out?
8.Is the bus available for inspection before chartering?
9.Are you members of any associations? (ABA, UMA, MCC, NTA)
10.Does your company have its own maintenance facility?

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