How much does it cost to rent a motorcoach/bus?

May 17, 2011 8:02 PM

How much does it cost to rent a motorcoach/bus? Details inside.

I'm considering expanding my business to include a travel component. I need to rent buses. Important information:

1. They will need to comfortably fit 20-50 people on lengthy (no overnight, however) trips.
2. They need a bathroom, televisions, comfy seats, and if possible, coolers.
3. They need to be rented for 2-3 weeks at a time over a 7-month period.
4. They need to come with a driver.
5. I'm in Michigan, if that makes a difference.

Any idea how much such things might cost? And where can I get more information on how to rent buses?

posted by st starseed to Work & Money (4 answers total)

Bus rentals tend to include a mileage component, so it would help to know that. You may also have to pay for the time/distance from the bus garage to your starting point and from your destination back to the garage, depending on the terms of the charter. Plus the definition of a "lengthy trip" matters: the bus company may only permit each driver to work a certain number of hours by policy and/or by law.

I'd start by a quick search for Michigan bus charter (you could substitute a more specific location to find companies closer to you). That turns up some of the big names. Call them up and chat with sales reps from a couple companies. They can give you estimates and help you figure out what concerns you need to be aware of (e.g. distance and time limitations). This is what they are there for, and you're a much more interesting client for them than someone who needs a one-off shuttle to the airport.

Once you're investigating a particular company, you can check out their safety record and other details through the US Department of Transportation.
posted by zachlipton at 8:22 PM on May 17, 2011

It's going to be expensive. I just arranged a no-frills bus charter from DC to Pittsburgh and back, and it cost almost $4,000. That's for ~ 16 total hours of driving. I don't think the bus had a bathroom, TVs, or coolers.
posted by charmcityblues at 8:44 PM on May 17, 2011

What zachlipton said. It depends on a lot of things. Our community band just chartered a bus (standard tour bus w/bathroom and video) to go from Detroit to Mackinac, and it was about $1500. Then again, it's a small charter outfit on a day the bus wasn't going to be used otherwise, and the owner is a friend of the band director.....

Long trips will cost more, between mileage costs and driver restrictions -- f'rex, charmcityblues' trip requires at least two drivers.

Most charter buses (MrR's company usually uses Great Lakes or Indian Trails, but they need 8-12 buses at a time) come with bathroom and video screens, and the company puts coolers on the front seats (where no one really wants to sit anyway).
posted by jlkr at 4:05 AM on May 18, 2011

Call around to charter companies with your specs. You'll get a better price for an ongoing booking (assuming you are happy with the service after the first trip) than for a one-off. Be sure they have insurance and ask for references from recent charter customers. Coolers are something you'll need to provide, and typically they fit under the bus.
posted by Scram at 12:47 PM on May 23, 2011