If you have never hired a coach or minibus before, you may think they are very expensive and are put off by this. However coach hire is generally more cost effective for a group then getting the train for example. There are a few factors that can increase the cost of your journey by coach, we can look into these and determine whether these factors are necessary for your journey, if not then your journey may be even cheaper than expected. These tips are based on chauffeur driven coach hire.
Many coach hire services will charge extra for stop offs, It is advisable for your group to be picked up and dropped off together if you want to cut costs down. Charges for multi stop off vary depending on company and if the stops are on route or further afield. Adding more stop offs may increase the mileage if not on route, so avoiding several stop offs with save you money as you will only be paying for the mileage of the journey you indicate to the company. It does not only save you money but it will also cut down your journey time and saves people waiting around to get picked up.
Choosing the type of coach or minibus is also important for your budget. There are various options of vehicle to hire, all differing in how many seats and what specifications they have. When booking a coach make sure you specify exactly how many passengers are going to be using the coach, this helps the company find a vehicle suitable for the amount of passengers. There is no need to ask for a larger vehicle then you need, it may be more spacious but it will also be more expensive to run, therefore your costs will increase. Specifying the standard of vehicle is also important; if you are on a tight budget most companies will have standard vehicles available. Standard vehicles will still be equipped with seat belts and often air conditioning, so don’t be afraid that just because it is standard that it will be an uncomfortable journey.
It is also important not to keep the driver waiting, make sure your group is organised and know the correct time of departure. Companies will charge extra if the driver is waiting around for a long period of time, as the company will need to pay the driver for the time. If changes of schedule have occurred prior to the journey then you must let the company know in advance to avoid a higher rate.
If your journey involves having the coach and driver all day, it is worth checking out beforehand if the venue you are travelling to has free coach parking. Companies will usually add parking and other fees on to your quote, so by going somewhere with free parking will lower your costs. Many big venues and attractions will have free parking, looking on their website will tell you more information about parking.
If you are travelling with a large group, then discuss with the company about group discount. Travelling with more than 50 people will usually require more than one vehicle, so it is worth asking for discount because of multiple vehicles being booked. The same goes for more than one journey, if you have a few days that you require coach hire then let the company know, they may be able to make a deal and lessen your total for multiple bookings.