Six Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a Charter Trip
You’re at a get-together with a bunch of friends when the idea comes up, “Wouldn’t it be great for us to plan a trip to…?” And you all agree to charter a bus. What are your next steps? Here’s what you shouldn’t do if you want to plan your trip the right way:
1. Wait Until the Last Minute to Book
BOOK EARLY. We can’t say this enough. It’s the single most important thing to do if you want to secure a motorcoach for your trip. “Do not wait until the last minute—or month—to order your bus, or you may be disappointed,” says Theresa McNamara, our inside sales supervisor at Indian Trails. “Some people are surprised when they call with a date in mind and we’re already fully booked.”
Our busiest times of the year are between April and June, and September and October. If you’re planning a trip during these months, it’s best to place your order for one of our motorcoaches up to a year in advance.
School trips to places like Washington, D.C., and Chicago usually make up the bulk of charter trips during the spring months, while contracts with college and professional sports teams represent significant demand for charters at both times of the year.
“We’re already almost booked for May 2019,” says Theresa, adding that charter trips also book quickly for Fridays and Saturdays nearly all year around.
2. Believe a Quote Equals a Reservation
“Another mistake some people make is assuming that a quote from us for the cost of their charter trip is the same thing as placing the order for a bus,” says Theresa.
Booking a bus—and receiving a confirmation that your bus has been scheduled—requires a 10 percent deposit fee or $100, whichever is greater. The remaining cost of your charter trip is due two weeks before departure. The deposit fee secures your charter bus.
3. Skip Itinerary Details
The more information you give us about the trip you’re planning, the better able we are to serve you—and give you the most accurate cost estimate. Those details should include the date, whether it’s a one- or multi-day trip, your destination, any stops you’ll want to make along the way, where you’ll depart from, and if you’ll need the bus and driver during the time you’re at your destination.
Depending on your destination, we’ll factor in costs like tolls and parking fees. Your detailed itinerary also helps our driver to plan the best route, especially if it’s to a place where an electronic map or route app doesn’t always work.
Even if you don’t have all the details ironed out yet, it’s best to reserve a coach once you have a firm date for your charter trip. But do provide us with the details as soon as possible, since they can affect the overall cost of your trip.
4. Fail to Give Your Group Specifics about Our Buses
The Indian Trails’ fleet includes 34- and 56-passenger motorcoaches. You’ll want to let your group know that they’re equipped with state-of-the-art features such as charging outlets for electronic devices, DVD players with color monitors, reclining seats, individual climate controls and reading lights, cup holders, overhead parcel racks, a wireless public address system, on-board restroom, and plenty of room below deck to store luggage.
Also let your group know that, if it’s a multi-day trip, arrangements must be made for the cost of a hotel room for our driver. And if your group is planning to bring alcohol and/or food aboard the motorcoach, a $500 security deposit will be added to the cost of your charter (refundable if there’s no damage or excessive cleanup).
5. Choose an Inaccessible Pick-up Location
Our motorcoaches are large, so your pick-up spot should have enough space for easy maneuverability, like a shopping mall or “big box” store parking lot.
6. Misunderstand Our Cancellation Policy
If you must cancel your trip, we require 30 days advance notice in order to do so without incurring a cancellation fee. There’s an exception, however, that involves Mother Nature: No fee is charged if we cancel a motorcoach because bad weather is creating adverse road conditions, potentially putting you, your fellow passengers, and our drivers at risk.
Please keep in mind that trip consultants at Indian Trails are here to help walk you through the planning process, so that your group has the most successful—and memorable—trip possible.