A charter bus is a convenient way to get your group of people from point A to point B, but if this will be your first time renting a charter bus, you probably have a few questions you'd like answered beforehand. Here are some common questions about charter buses and their answers.
Are passengers allowed to eat and drink on the bus?
In most cases, yes. Passengers will be allowed to eat and drink (non-alcoholic beverages) while riding on the bus. Just makes sure your guests clean up after themselves. There are not typically any refrigerators on charter buses, so perishable items will need to be kept in a cooler, which you should keep secure in seat so it does not go flying if the driver has to stop quickly.
Will there be bathrooms on the bus?
Chances are, if you booked a charter bus for a trip longer than an hour, it has a bathroom. This reduces the number of stops that the driver has to make. Usually, toilet paper and soap are provided. If you are worried about smells near the bathroom, you may want to bring an air freshener. Not all charter bus companies provide one.
How will your driver possibly drive as far as expected?
This is a question you might have if you are taking a charter bus a long distance. You may wonder how your driver can possibly manage the 14-hour or 16-hour voyage. Well, the truth is they won't. Charter bus drivers are only allowed to drive for 10 hours at a time. If your trip is longer than this, then your driver will probably arrange to meet another driver partway along the route. Some companies also send two drivers along on a single bus. The two take turns driving to stay fresh.
Do you tip the driver?
Yes, it is considered polite to tip the driver of a charter bus. If you have multiple drivers, definitely tip them all, assuming everyone did their job well. The typical tip is about $2 per person for longer bus trips. So if you have 50 people on-board, a tip of $100 is appropriate. If you're taking a shorter trip, say 2 hours, a tip of $1 per person is fair.
Now that you know a bit more about booking and riding on a charter bus, you are all ready for your trip. For more information, contact a charter bus company like Werner Coach.