friends dont let friends drive drunk

June 12, 2008 12:08 PM

where can i rent a 15 passenger van or luxury van for a day in boston? we are going to a concert at the tweeter center and dont want to take 4 cars. tried to hire a ride, but they all want like $1700, redickerous. we just need a ride there and back.
posted by fumbducker to Travel & Transportation around Boston, MA (11 answers total)

You're going to have trouble finding a 15 passenger van for rental ANYWHERE anymore. They are prone to rollover and after several lawsuits most agencies pulled them from availability. You could look into renting a bus, or even (though it's not legal) take a UHaul and put the other 14 people in the back.
posted by Saydrah at 12:20 PM on June 12, 2008

Also, you should consider the fact that a Class C license is required to operate "any vehicle ... designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver".
posted by Horace Rumpole at 12:27 PM on June 12, 2008

^ This is true, but a 15-passenger van is actually 14 passengers + driver, for a total of 15, and not subject to this license restriction.
posted by bizwank at 12:31 PM on June 12, 2008

Peter Fuller in Watertown does rentals and their web site says they have 12/15 seater vans. I've been renting off and on from them for about 15 years and have always been pleased.
posted by cocoagirl at 12:34 PM on June 12, 2008

This place has limos for $125 an hour, but they have a minimum of six hours, so you'll still end up paying $750.

Would it be simplest just to take several cabs, or will that take all the fun out of it?
posted by cider at 12:35 PM on June 12, 2008

My office rents them fairly frequently for student trips. Ours come from Enterprise. No special license required.
posted by CrazyGabby at 12:59 PM on June 12, 2008

Response by poster: thanks everyone. yep, i checked the major rental agencies they're all out of 15 passenger vans. i did fnd the site for peter fuller as well, is watertown far from east boston? im actually in jersey but setting this up for me and my friends up in the bean.

cabs would take the fun out of it, and renting the van lets us tailgate.
posted by fumbducker at 1:40 PM on June 12, 2008

The U-Haul idea is not bad and would be dirt-cheap. Unusual and not really legal but it's doable. What you'd be looking for is a van that has a door between the cab and cargo area. This is common with small trucks, not so with large ones.
posted by crapmatic at 1:41 PM on June 12, 2008

Are you or any of the members of your group university students?
posted by notquitemaryann at 2:20 PM on June 12, 2008

What about renting two 7-passenger minivans? Sounds like it might be easier/cheaper.

Some of Watertown is MBTA bus accessible, but it would take maybe an hour plus of T and bus riding to get there.
posted by supramarginal at 5:33 PM on June 12, 2008

Have you considered joining ZipCar? Locations all over Boston. Four-person sedan probably goes for about $65/day. Four of them would be $260 for the day.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 4:51 AM on June 13, 2008