How-To Guide Renting A Coach Bus

The coach bus, also known as the ‘motor coach’, is everything you want in a bus rental. Luxurious, comfortable, affordable, and ultimately your best bet at reliable, long-distance travel. These types of vehicles can comfortably accommodate up to 55 people at a time, making them a great option for larger groups looking to travel longer distances. 

Coach buses come equipped with a number of amenities that you cannot find on other bus rentals, including optional hi-speed WIFI, onboard bathrooms, and various power outlets. Today, these vehicles serve a number of different purposes and have established themselves as one of the more versatile bus rental options. Whether you’re organizing a tour across state lines, or need a safe ride to your team’s tournament, coach bus rentals are extremely convenient bus rental options. 

Let’s now take a look at common uses for coach bus rentals, including amenities, the different vehicle types offered at Bus.com, and more. 

Amenities 

Coach bus rentals are without a doubt the most luxurious of bus rental options, offering a plethora of modern amenities other buses simply do not. These vehicles are perfect for transporting large groups of people over longer distances offering complete comfort and ensuring you get to your destination safely and reliably. The coach bus comfortably seats up to 55 people with a minimum of fuss. 

There are a number of different amenities that can be included with your coach bus rental, including audiovisual equipment and hi-speed wifi. The latter is especially important if your group plans on getting work done on the road or needs to fit a last-minute study session before a case competition. 

Every coach bus comes equipped with vehicle-wide air conditioning, a fully-vetted driver, and ample storage room. These vehicles boast massive undercarriage space and overhead compartments, making them a great option for sports teams and their equipment or touring bands. The coach bus separates itself from other vehicle types and is the only bus rental that comes equipped with an onboard restroom. In addition, these vehicles have power outlets, ensuring your group can stay connected on the road. 

Finding the right coach bus for you

Bus.com offers four different types of coach buses, with each one coming with its own unique features and amenities. Ultimately, this vehicle is designed to safely transport larger groups of people over long distances, but can even be used for shorter hops.

Prevost H3-45

The Prevost H3-45 comfortably seats up to 56 people and is a great option for long-distance travel, offering a wide array of modern luxuries and comforts. Today, this vehicle is among the most commonly used coach buses on the market and is a popular choice for larger groups. 

The Prevost H3-45, like most coach buses, includes vehicle-wide air conditioning, reclining seats, an onboard bathroom, and a fully vetted driver. Bus.com works with a network of experienced drivers that will ensure your trip goes as smoothly as possible. 

Beyond the traditional amenities, your group can customize its coach bus rental and add optional features such as hi-speed wifi, audiovisual equipment, and power outlets. These amenities make the ride all the more comfortable, allowing you to dive into a good movie or show while on the road. 

Van Hool 

The Van Hool T2145  coach bus has a similar capacity to its counterparts, accommodating up to 55 passengers at a time. This vehicle is not lacking in comforts, offering all sorts of amenities in a compact package. These include an onboard bathroom, optional hi-speed WIFI, power outlets, and of course, a driver to help you navigate your itinerary with the minimum of fuss. 

Keep in mind that this vehicle does not come with air conditioning, making it a more suitable option for winter trips. The Van Hool is extremely spacious and is the perfect vehicle for groups travelling with lots of personal belongings, equipment, and anything else you might want to bring on your trip. 

MCI J4500

The MCI J4500 coach bus is yet another comfortable and convenient way of getting your group to where they need to be safely and reliably. This vehicle has earned a reputation as a luxury motor coach option in the United States and Canada – and for good reason. 

The MCI J4500 has all the features needed to make a longer trip feel seamless, including an onboard restroom, electrical outlets, WIFI, and reclining seats. The restroom is especially important for longer trips and can help you avoid unnecessary pit stops at an affordable price. After all, the more stops you make, the pricier your rental will be. As always, this vehicle comes with a fully-vetted driver. 

Prevost H3-41

The Prevost H3-41 is among the most unique and distinctive coach buses out there due to its size. This vehicle is noticeably shorter than your traditional coach bus at 41 feet, but can still comfortably seat up to 56 passengers with ease. The Prevost H3-41 is a convenient option for passengers on the market for a more compact option without sacrificing any comforts or storage space. 

This vehicle has all the same amenities as our other coach bus options, including air conditioning, an onboard restroom, an experienced driver, and optional hi-speed WIFI. Simply get in touch with one of our booking specialists and customize your coach bus rental as much as you would like. Alternatively, our online booking tool will provide you with a detailed estimate in under two minutes, taking into account all your group’s desired amenities.

When to rent a coach bus

Bus.com’s coach buses are versatile and can be used for many different trip types, be it for field trips, weddings, or tournament travel. Today, coach bus rentals have established themselves as one of the most reliable and comfortable methods of group transportation. Here are some of their most common uses. 

Field Trips

Coach buses are regularly used for school field trips due to their ability to comfortably seat up to 55 students at a time. Field trips are a great way for younger students to form long-lasting connections with one another that go beyond the classroom and create memories for a lifetime. to school was the primary purpose of the school bus design. Corporations, military, government, non-profit organizations, large-scale event managers, and tour operators use them as shuttles with great success. Bus.com’s school buses can carry visitors between remote buildings, from parking to base, or from airport to hotels and venues.

Coach buses offer teachers and chaperones alike the unique opportunity to monitor the group closely all in one vehicle. This is particularly important before and after the field trip, ensuring teachers can get an accurate headcount of their students quickly and is quite simply, way more convenient than doing so on public transportation or with carpooling. 

Corporate Events

Corporations love coach bus rentals as these vehicle types offer their employees all the luxuries they will need on route to their destination. From hi-speed WIFI to a number of electrical outlets, coach bus rentals help corporations stay productive while on the road in ways other bus types fall short. 

Far away retreats and conferences are other reasons why corporations charter coach buses, offering complete comfort over longer distances. Coach buses come equipped with vehicle-wide air conditioning, ample storage space, and reclining seats, making them a great option for corporate travel. Bus.com works with a North-America wide network of fully-vetted drivers that will guarantee your company gets to its event on time and safely. 

Wedding and Private Events

Destination weddings are a great reason to charter a coach bus and keep the party going while on the road. One of our experienced drivers will worry about navigating tricky roads and traffic so you don’t have to. 

Contact one of our booking specialists and customize your coach bus rental to your liking. You can even match it to the theme of your wedding for added fun and decorate the vehicle with streamers, balloons, and more. The coach bus is extremely versatile and can essentially be transformed into a party bus for weddings, bachelor parties, and bachelorettes with ease. 

Sports teams

Sports teams will often turn to coach bus rentals for one simple reason: Storage. The coach bus boasts the largest undercarriage compartment of all bus types, accommodating all types of equipment and personal belongings. 

Beyond storage, sports teams will charter these types of vehicles for tournament travel guaranteeing their players’ comfort over longer distances. This offers the team a chance to bond all together before the game and is more convenient than organizing four or five vehicles for carpooling. 

Student Groups

Student groups enjoy coach bus rentals for many of the same reasons as corporate groups. The ability to stay connected while on the road is extremely important, especially if they are heading towards a case competition. The optional hi-speed WIFI and power outlets give student groups the ability to have an impromptu study session inside the coach bus and can even be turned into a quick and fun trivia game. 

Coach buses also serve as a convenient bus rental option for student groups looking to organize out-of-campus events. Whether it is frosh, a distant Halloween party, or campus visits, coach buses ensure all students get to and from the event safely.

Tour Groups

Tour organizers are all too familiar with coach bus rentals and want to provide their customers with as many modern comforts as possible. While tours tend to involve many unique sightseeing opportunities, the coach bus’s onboard bathroom helps minimize unnecessary stops and keeps the itinerary as streamlined as possible. 

Ultimately, the tour’s schedule and group size will dictate whether the coach bus is the right vehicle for you. A common rule of thumb with bus rentals is that any trip longer than three arguably needs a coach or a mini-coach bus, while anything shorter can be comfortably done in a school bus or minibus. Of course, if your tour group desires something more luxurious, the coach bus is equally capable of transporting passengers over shorter distances.

Frequently Asked Questions

We hope we answered all of your questions, but in case we didn't, here are some frequently asked questions that will streamline your coach bus rental experience and ensure you don’t encounter any surprises along the way.

What kind of trips is a coach bus used for?

Coach buses are perfectly suited for longer trips, but are equally capable of being rented for shorter distances as well if your group desires additional amenities. Typically, these vehicles are rented for trips longer than three hours, including tournaments for sports teams and are extremely popular among student and corporate groups. The optional hi-speed WIFI and power outlets are great luxuries to have on the road, offering these groups the ability to stay connected and productive. However, your group size will ultimately determine if the coach bus is for you as you don’t want to spend a part of your budget on seating that you will not use. While extra seating is typically recommended, try and maximize the coach bus’s capacity as much as possible.

What are the benefits of renting a coach bus?

Coach buses are the most luxurious vehicle offered at Bus.com, offering your group complete comfort while travelling longer distances. The coach bus is the only vehicle that comes equipped with an onboard restroom, helping you reduce unnecessary stops and your driver’s on-duty time. Drive and on-duty time has the most significant impact on your coach bus rental cost, and includes the total time the driver is working. Long distance travel can be exhausting, but a coach bus’ list of amenities ensure you get to your destination refreshed and well-rested.

Are coach buses comfortable?

Absolutely! The coach bus is arguably the most comfortable bus rental option available on the market and can be customized with a plethora of amenities that are not offered in other vehicle types. In addition to a standard set of amenities, including air conditioning, WIFI, and an onboard restroom, the coach bus comes equipped with reclining seats and significant storage space. Remember, adding additional amenities will not drive the final price of your coach bus rental by much. If you are travelling longer distances, simply input all your desired luxuries in our booking tool and get a better idea of what your estimate will look like. It’s cheaper than you think!

How much does it cost to rent a coach bus?

The average coach bus rental cost ranges between 600$ and 1200$ per day, but will fluctuate depending on your trip parameters. Factors that might affect your coach bus rental cost are distance travelled, fuel prices, local availability, and the driver’s total on-duty time. It goes without saying that it is in your best interest to book your coach bus rental outside of peak season.

Any tips for transporting students?

Bus.com understands that safety and reliability comes first when transporting minors. Before any field trip, make sure you collect all permission slips from students. We typically recommend having two chaperones for every bus, ensuring they can easily scan the group at a moment’s glance. A school bus provides teachers the unique advantage of being able to easily monitor the entire group. Our Ultimate Guide to Bus Rentals provides more information on organizing group transportation for students.

The off-season for coach bus rentals typically falls in the ‘lazier’ months of summer from July to August, or in the middle of winter. If your trip is during peak season, it is recommended to book as early as possible, between six to nine months in advance.

How much storage space does a coach bus have?

Coach buses have the most storage space available from any bus rental option, making them a convenient option for groups travelling with many luggages and personal belongings. Sports teams and corporate groups love coach bus rentals, offering them the option to leave nothing behind. The coach bus has large compartments in the undercarriage of the bus, and in some cases, overhead storage onboard is included.

 

Pro tip: Store your baggage as neatly as possible in the undercarriage before hitting the road. It may sound simple, but could save your group a lot of time, and by consequence, money.

Safe and easy coach bus rentals

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