Are You Making These Charter Bus Rental Mistakes?

Renting a charter bus is a great transportation option when taking a group trip. The rental process is fairly straightforward, but there are a few common mistakes you should make sure to avoid when renting your next charter bus.

Failure to Research

Before you rent a charter bus, you should do some background research on the companies you’re considering to ride with. Online reviews such as Google or Yelp reviews are a great way to learn about the opinions and experiences of real charter bus customers.

Failure to conduct this type of research is a big mistake—you might end up with an unreliable company and have an unpleasant experience. On the other hand, doing your due diligence in your research will ensure you know what to expect before riding a charter bus. This way, you’ll be able to avoid falling into the same pitfalls as previous customers. Make sure you’re working with a charter bus rental company who will take care of you.

Failure to Plan

Failure to plan is another pitfall you should make sure to avoid when renting a charter bus. Indeed, planning is the most crucial part of renting a charter bus. Before getting a quote from any charter bus company, try to plan out your trip in as much detail as possible, including routes, stops, and sleeping accommodations. Plan out these details as far in advance as possible, because booking last minute will leave you with fewer options and a higher cost.  Detailed planning will ensure that you get the most accurate quote from each company, and you’ll be able to minimize unforeseen costs.

Failure to Comply with Company Policy

After you’ve chosen a charter bus rental company, make sure to familiarize yourself with their company policies. If you fail to look over the terms of the contract, there is room for misunderstandings and unmet expectations. Make special note of any policies that may affect you or members of your party, such as cancellation policies, refund policies, service fees, and prohibited items. Pay special attention to relevant COVID-19 policies, as these tend to be dynamic and subject to unexpected change. Make sure that your group understands these policies as well, and commits to obeying them.

Avoid making assumptions about conduct that is allowed or issues that are understood. While some things may seem obvious to you or your party, those issues may not be as obvious to your rental company, or vice-versa. For example, almost every charter bus company has a different policy regarding alcohol. If allowed, the company might charge an extra cleaning fee or security deposit. Studying the charter bus company policy will protect you from making mistakes that can take the fun out of your trip.

Mistreating Your Driver

This one should go without saying: do not mistreat your driver. Be polite and courteous in every interaction with your driver. Follow all their safety procedures and obey their directions. Your driver has been trained to give you the best trip possible, but this can only happen when you and your group follow instructions. Common guidelines you should follow include not walking around the bus while it’s moving, keeping your group respectful, and not interrupting the driver as they drive.

Taking care to research, plan, review company policies, and treat your driver respectfully are four important ways you can make your charter bus experience a good one.

‍