Affordable, classic charter school bus rentals

The iconic yellow school bus is a common sight across North America, and while they’re closely associated with safely carrying students, they’re also extremely versatile vehicles frequently used to transport people of all ages for a wide variety of events.

The average school bus fits 47 people. When you decide how many school buses you need for your trip or shuttle service, remember to account for chaperones and other leaders. Most school buses do not have undercarriages like coach buses do. That means you’ll have to account for luggage space. Reserve a few rows of seats if you are transporting lots of equipment. This is an important consideration for sports teams and campers. If you’re planning a shuttle service for a wedding or an office party, you may want to book more than one school bus. Speak to a Bus.com booking specialist for shuttle bus details.

If you’re looking to save money on short trips, you can consider the school bus as your dependable, go-to vehicle. Whether it’s school staff and parents planning for field trips, community leaders organizing spiritual events, or a group of old friends preparing the ultimate bachelor party, just about any sized group will benefit from the affordable flexibility a school bus rental offers.

For some lighthearted, rustic flair, school bus shuttle rentals have become a popular choice for wedding planners as well. Not only are they a fun and affordable way to get your guests between venues, but you might be surprised how their iconic yellow color and retro design can make the perfect backdrop to a set of wedding photos.

School buses are one of the most versatile and affordable bus types available and they’re perfect for a wide range of groups.

They’re a popular choice for student ski trips, sports teams, and other student groups and they’re commonly used by tour groups, church groups, not-for-profits, fundraisers, or other large community organizations that need to make frequent short distance trips. School buses are even a trendy choice for weddings and make a great backdrop for a fun photoshoot.

School buses are super practical, as well as one of the most inexpensive group transportation options out there. Instead of having a stream of cabs lined up outside your venue (making navigation a bit harder to do!), rent a charter bus and set up a convenient school bus rental to guarantee a smooth ride for your guests, whether it’s for your wedding, conference, corporate retreat, or school outing.

Unfortunately, we don’t currently have individual intercity bus tickets for sale, but we offer shuttle tickets for some of North America’s most popular music festivals.

That decision is entirely up to you and you can make as many as you like. We strongly recommend at least one stop for every four hours of driving time you have planned.

You can! A school bus is a safe and affordable way to organize large family gatherings. A typical school bus fits up to 47 people, but keep in mind that there aren’t any dedicated storage bays like those found on a coach bus, so if you’ve got lots of luggage to bring along, be sure to take that into account. And if you don’t quite need space for 47 people, you may want to consider a smaller bus type such as the minibus or Sprinter van.

You can rent as many school buses as you need. The easiest way to rent multiple buses is to check out our enterprise page which we’ve tailored for larger-scale events that typically involve more than one charter bus.

We certainly can! For more information on organizing a shuttle service, be sure to check out our shuttle page or email us directly at [email protected]

Absolutely! A shuttle service with a single vehicle can be a great way to keep your transportation budget in check when you need to move groups across relatively short distances. Be sure not to forget that doing this means some of your group will have to wait for the bus to make a full round trip, so it’s not always an option when your destination is further away.

We can provide you with all the information for the bus partner that will be servicing your booking 24 hours before your departure.

Yes! In fact, charter bus travel is actually one of the most environmentally sustainable modes of transportation when comparing fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and passenger count. The Union of Concerned Scientists and the American Bus Association Foundation have found that group motor coach travel is the most sustainable form of transportation in the United States. To learn more about the sustainability of charter bus travel, check out our blog. 

School bus charter rentals are very safe. Every bus is equipped with security features like specialized brake systems, lighting, emergency exits, and escape hatches in the roof. The driver has also been strictly vetted to ensure quality and safe service. Many people wonder about the safety of school buses because they don’t typically have seat belts, but their lack of belts is actually a safety feature. The school bus was designed to transport children, and historically, passenger groups have been mostly kids and one or two adults. The belts were left off because it would be too unsafe for the adults to undo all 40 kids in the case of an emergency. To make up for the lack of belts, the seats are designed to absorb impact. Before you rent a charter bus, learn more about school bus safety.

Absolutely! Renting a school bus for wedding shuttle services is very on trend, after all. Their gorgeous yellow color and retro design is a perfect addition to any wedding photo. Please consult our wedding page for more information.

Whenever you’re transporting minors, planning becomes a bit more complicated. There are a few extra items to add to your to-do list when you rent a school bus. At the top of that list should be collecting permission slips. It’s also important to plan on having chaperones on your school bus. We recommend having at least two chaperones on every charter bus. For more information about student transportation, read “The Ultimate Guide to Student Bus Rentals.”

Several different school bus sizes are available. Some of the most common and popular are the International RE300 which has room for up to 42 passengers, the Bue Bird Vision which seats up to 46, and the iconic Thomas school bus which seats up to 52.

Consider the school bus as a reliable, no-frills option that provides all the essentials for your trip. They’re also extremely versatile and make a great choice for student trips, shuttle services, urban foodie tours, corporate retreats, or even for a lighthearted wedding. However, the lack of amenities like air conditioning, storage space, and onboard restrooms means you’ll need to be conscious of how you’re planning to use your charter bus rental

We can provide ADA accessible buses that are available upon request. If you require accessible transportation, be sure to reach out to our booking specialists at [email protected] once you’ve completed your booking.

Yes, the school bus is a comfortable form of charter bus. We wouldn’t call school buses luxury vehicles—they’re no coach bus—but the school bus has come a long way since their first iteration. Early school buses took the form of a vehicle called “the kid hack.” They were designed by Wayne Works Company, and they were pretty much a big sled or wagon. Today, school buses are spacious and fitted with cushioned seats. But they don’t have onboard restrooms, so they’re not great for trips longer than 3 hours. But shuttle bus services, field trips, and other short rides are well-served by a school bus.

School bus rentals typically come with limited or no storage, but with a little bit of creativity, you can make it work regardless. Set aside your own storage space by reserving a few seats in the front or back of the bus, and there you have it, extra room for baggage! Just make sure you rent a school bus with a number of seats that’s a little over your number of passengers.

It does! All of our charter bus rentals come with a vetted professional driver who will handle all the transportation aspects of your booking.

No. As a special driver’s license is required to drive a school bus, we only offer chauffeured school bus rentals. However, we do offer Sprinter van rentals that can be driven by a member of your group. If you are looking to transport a large group, your best bet is to rent a charter bus.

We don’t currently offer buses for those needing to complete a driver’s test. That said, in certain areas, we provide driverless Sprinter van rentals. If this is an option that works for you, be sure to check out our page on renting a Sprinter van without a driver.

As soon as our procurement agents have confirmed your booking, photos will be available to show you what your bus will look like. Unfortunately, we can’t provide photos sooner as the interior and exterior look of buses can vary somewhat between our bus partners across North America.

Renting a school bus typically costs between $389 and $850 per-day. Please note that school bus rental prices are  subject to vary based on many factors such as your trip date, length, and location. There is a four hour minimum rental fee, as per industry standards. Visit our online booking tool to receive an instant accurate pricing overview for your particular trip and to find a charter bus for rent.

As with every charter bus, school bus rental prices vary depending on a few factors. Everything from which time of year you book your school bus to which time of day has a significant impact on school bus rental prices. School bus rental prices are generally more expensive during the early mornings (since you’re in direct competition with school bus fleets dedicated to actual schools), and late at night, when it’s harder to secure a driver. The best times of year to book a school bus are during July and August, when school’s out and bus availability becomes abundant, which impacts school bus rental prices.

One of the best ways to make sure you can access the lowest possible price options for your trip is to book during the off-season, as this is typically when school  bus rental prices will be at their lowest. Depending on your exact location in North America, this off-season generally falls between the months of December and March. If you’re unable to book during the off-season, it’s still possible to secure a much better deal if you book well in advance.

Note that we also provide a price-matching program, so if you’ve located a quote at a lower price than we’ve provided, be sure to let us know, and we’ll do all we can to match it.

The service fee represents our booking charge and goes towards maintaining our website.

A driver’s hotel fee is added automatically whenever a driver’s total number of driving hours exceeds the daily limits set by the Departments of Transportation in both the United States and Canada. Our drivers can legally drive up to ten hours in the US and be on duty for 12 hours, but then they need to take an eight-hour break. In Canada, our drivers can legally drive up to 12 hours and be on duty for 14 hours, and then they have to take a break.

The majority of our United States-based bus partners have a $5 million coverage policy general liability and a $5 million for automobile liability.

Our cancellation policy is slightly different for each bus type, but for school bus charter rentals, we offer 100% money back on all cancellations that are made at least seven days or more before the trip date. We also offer 50% money back on cancellations made between six and three days before a scheduled trip. Unfortunately, we don’t provide refunds on service fees, or cancellations made 72 hours or less before a trip’s scheduled start.

We offer a  Book Now, Pay Later option which means you’ll only be charged 21 days before the departure date of your booking. Taking advantage of this offer also confirms your booking so our procurement team can make sure your bus is secure well in advance. Additionally, we can also set up payment plans. Be sure to send us a message at [email protected] for more information.

Unfortunately, no. We need your email address to make an account for your booking to be associated with so we can provide you with instant quotes. That said, you can unsubscribe from all email correspondence as soon as we’ve established your account if you prefer.

We’re always working closely with our bus partners to get the best prices possible. Reach out to us with your budget, and we’ll do all we can to make your trip a reality.

Typically, we offer discount rates for multi-month contracts, trips that span several days, or for several recurring bookings in a calendar year. If you’re planning a large-scale or frequent booking, ask us about setting up an enterprise account, and we’ll see what we can do!

At present, we don’t offer discounts specifically for nonprofit organizations. That said, we offer discount charter bus rental rates for certain situations, such as multi-month bookings, recurring trips, or some longer trips. If you’re curious about our discount criteria, be sure to contact us at [email protected]

We don’t currently offer charter bus rental discounts for veterans specifically, but we offer discounts for certain scenarios like multi-month contracts, recurring bookings, or trips that span multiple days. To discuss a possible discount for your booking, reach out to us at [email protected]