Are you planning a trip with a large group? Perhaps you will need to get lots of people from the airport to the hotel? Book a shuttle bus. Shuttles are buses that run between two points. They often operate in airports and busy areas, such as resort communities, business districts, and campuses. You can also charter shuttle buses to transport groups of people between specific points at the time you want. Let’s look at shuttle charter advantages, types of shuttles, and where to use them.
Advantages of shuttle bus rentals
No need for a car or a license. Not all people can drive or have a car. Car rentals are great, but they can still be costly in comparison, you worry about parking, etc. A shuttle only needs one driver (and you often rent shuttles together with a driver).
It’s economical. Since you only need one shuttle and one driver for many people, you save a lot of money compared to renting cars or taking taxis.
Better for the community. According to INRIX, in 2019, Americans lost 99 hours due to traffic congestion. While the numbers dropped significantly in 2020, the pandemic year, we expect they will rise once the situation is back to normal. But you can help! When you rent a shuttle bus for a group of people, which might choose cars otherwise, you decrease the congestions. You also produce less noise and make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Ecological. Because shuttle charters decrease the number of individual cars, they also lessen the emission rates. While the shuttle itself produces more CO2 because of its size, it will transport way more people than cars.
And safe. Shuttle drivers are usually experienced and not likely to make an accident. While the possibility exists, statistics show that bus occupants are the safest people on the highways, compared to car occupants, motorcyclists, pedestrians, or others. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, in 2019, only 35 were bus occupants out of 36,096 highway deaths.
Types of shuttles
Like there are many types of cars, there are also many types of shuttles. The best kind of shuttle for you depends on your needs. Let’s look at them from the smallest to the largest.
Passenger vans or sprint vans. These are the smallest type of shuttles that can seat from 8 to 15 people and have space for luggage (but not too much). They are the most affordable because of their small size. But because of this, they also don’t have bathrooms or such features as karaoke and minibars. Some of them might have outlets and Wi-Fi, though.
Minibuses are a bit larger and can have up to 21 passengers. They also don’t have too much space for luggage and usually do not have amenities, maybe except for outlets, Wi-Fi and air‑conditioning sometimes. They are great for shorter distances, such as under 300 miles.
School buses. A bright yellow bus probably came to your mind. Would you like to rent one? It will not only brighten the mood of the trip but is also quite affordable. They can cost from $400 a day. However, it does not have many amenities: it might not even have space for luggage or air‑conditioning.
Coach buses or motor coaches. They are designed to be comfortable for long journeys, so they have many amenities: comfortable seats, baggage space, restrooms, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, audio-visual equipment. They are also large and fit up to 55 people. A coach bus can cost from $600 to $1,200 a day. If you want to have a comfortable trip but are traveling with fewer people, consider mini coach buses, which fit fewer passengers but have all the afore‑mentioned comforts. Coach buses are great for special occasions, from weddings to corporate events.
Party buses or limo-buses, which are also a type of limousines. It is one special bus because the seats are not in rows but along the edges to make room for games and dancing. They usually include everything necessary for a good party: sound systems, a TV monitor, optic lighting, and minibars. A similar type is the entertainer bus in which entertainers can live comfortably while on the road: they have kitchens and convertible bunks. Of course, these are the most expensive types that can cost $2,000 per day.
To sum up
Now you should have at least some ideas about the advantages of booking a shuttle bus and what kinds you can book. Think about the number of people, the length of journey, comforts needed, budget. But maybe you are looking for something more luxurious? There are occasions when limo services might be better.