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How to Calculate Bus Rental Prices
When you want to take a group of people somewhere, whether it’s a wedding, anniversary, retirement or other family celebration; a company event, such as a team-building exercise or a conference; a school or church outing; or a fun adventure to a new city — there’s no better way to travel than by charter bus rental. Of course, one of your first considerations will be the cost of renting a bus. That will vary, based on a variety of factors including the type of bus you need. At BusRental.com, you’ll have access to a wide array of vehicles, from charter buses or school buses to mini-buses, executive buses and executive mini-coaches.
What do the Different Types of Buses Cost?
The vehicles available from BusRental.com cover the spectrum, from mid-sized to large coaches. There are standard features, as well as optional amenities, so the price of your bus can vary:
- The Charter Bus — A charter bus through BusRental.com offers the perfect travel environment for a large group, accommodating 49 to 57 passengers comfortably. Charter buses have climate control and can include a wide range of options, including Wifi and iPod hookups, P.A. systems, CD and DVD players. You'll typically pay $100 to $150 per hour for a charter bus, but prices may vary based on location and market.
- The School Bus — Our school buses are well-suited for travel by adults or children, seating up to 44 adults comfortably, or up to 60 children. There's ample space below the seating for most types of equipment, such as musical instruments, sports gear and luggage. Some of the school buses have bathrooms, and many offer climate control. A school bus through BusRental.com costs $55 to $70 per hour, based on location and market.
- The Executive Bus — This luxury coach offers room for 25 to 30 passengers. The hourly fees range from $175 to $250, based on location and market.
- The Mini-Bus — BusRental.com offers three different mini-buses — a 24 passenger bus, a 28 passenger bus and a 30-35 passenger coach. These vehicles are a good fit for mid-sized group travel, from small family reunions or celebrations to team travel and small business outings. Most have climate control and offer a range of modern amenities, from Wifi and iPhone hookups and charging stations to P.A. systems. The 24 passenger mini-bus rents for $75 to $85 per hour; the 28 passenger costs $85 to $95 hourly; and the 30-35 passenger runs $95 to $105 per hour.
- The Executive Mini Coach — If you're looking to combine pleasure with business, this is coach for you. It's the perfect size for company outings, workshops and conferences and business meetings and you can set up meeting tables and audio-visual equipment. Most have climate control, as well as on-board bathrooms. The executive mini-coaches accommodate 24 to 30 passengers and cost $115 per hour, though prices may vary based on location and market.
The Different Criteria that Can Have an Impact on the Cost of a BusRental.com Charter Bus
In addition to the variances based on location or market, there are other factors that affect the overall price of a charter bus rental:
- How long and how far you'll be traveling — There are two ways that you can pay for your charter bus rental — based on the amount of time you are gone or based on the total number of miles traveled. For a short one day event — a bachelor party, a graduation trip, a game or a concert — that's within an hour or two of your point of departure, you'll likely pay by the hour, with a minimum (usually 5) number of hours. If, on the other hand, your trip there and back is an all-day affair, you'll be billed based on total number of miles driven.
For all overnight travel, you’ll most likely be billed by the day. Furthermore, for those excursions where your group is spending a night or more in a hotel, you’ll be required to cover the costs of accommodations for your driver(s). Government regulations prevent drivers from being behind the wheel more than ten hours consecutively without a minimum of eight hours off. Accordingly, if you want to spend more than ten hours in a row on the road as you travel to your destination, you will need to pay for an additional driver.
- How many people are coming — It doesn't matter how many you have in your group — we'll be able to accommodate you. You want to be careful, though, that you don't book a coach that's too larger, that has you paying for a full bus that's only half full.
- When you want to travel — The charter bus business has peak times and down times, just like any other industry. Many of those variations are seasonal, based on geography — there's more demand for a charter bus rental in Arizona in January or February than there is in Michigan, but everything is different in the summer. April through September are busier times across the nation, with graduations, family reunions and weddings. There are also more charter bus rentals around holidays, particularly Memorial Day, the 4th of July and Labor Day. In periods of high demand, the costs of renting a charter bus typically go up.
In addition to seasonal differences, there are variances, based on the days of the week that you’ll be traveling. There’s a greater demand for coaches on weekends than during the work week, so prices are higher for Friday through Sunday rentals than Monday through Thursday rentals.
- Any special needs of your group — Though there are a number of amenities that are virtually standard on all our charter bus rentals, there are some features that may increase the cost of your rental, such as on-board bathroom facilities or an on-board bar.
- Where we'll pick you up — There are some parts of some cities that are not very accessible by our larger coaches — the streets may be narrow or the corners may be sharp. Accordingly, we may not be able to find a charter bus service provide close to you who can pick you up in your neighborhood. We may need to bring a bus from a distant location, which can increase the cost of the trip.
- If we'll bring you back to where you started — Round trip travel is more cost-effective than one-way travel. If you don't return to where you started, you'll most likely still have to pay for the driver and coach to return, so you'll be paying for travel by an empty bus.
- Any other costs you incur — There are typically other expenses tied to your trip — the costs of parking, toll roads or other expenses. As a general rule, these will be added to your final bill. You may also want to tip your driver, though it's not a requirement. 10% of the total cost of the charter bus rental is a fairly common gratuity for the driver.
Book Your Charter Bus Today
At BusRental.com, we have a vast network of service providers throughout the United States, providing reliable, effective and flexible ground transportation services to more than 21,000 events every year. Our representatives will guide you through the process, answering all your questions and helping you ensure the success of your trip. For more information or to obtain a free quote, call us at 1-855-BUS-CHARTER (1-855-287-2427) or visit our automatic cost calculator.