Why You Might Need to Change Your Plans When You Charter a Bus
Posted on: 14 September 2016
Chartering a bus with a driver may sound like you can simply go wherever you want with your travel group, but this isn't always the case. When you charter a bus, there may be some special considerations to keep in mind about the bus and certain requirements or restrictions you might face. You may actually need to adjust your plans. Note a few of those considerations and then discuss these with a charter company as needed.
Routes
The route you travel to any destination in your family sedan isn't always accommodating of a bus. This can be even more true if you're touring older cities with very low bridges, narrow roads and tunnels, and other such areas that are not meant for large buses. You may be surprised to learn that you cannot take your tour bus through a popular tourist destination, and may also find that a bus is not allowed in certain cities where the amount of emissions produced by a vehicle are strictly controlled. Some cities don't allow motor vehicles at all, and a tourist bus will not be an exception for them!
Some tourist destinations also don't allow tour buses to park near them. Not all ruins and other such natural attractions actually have parking lots to accommodate larger buses. In turn, you may need to adjust your expected route accordingly.
Hours on the road
Chartering a bus with a driver means having to accommodate the hours they are legally allowed to sit behind a wheel. You may be fine with driving all day and night when you're on a family vacation, but there are often laws that limit a bus driver's time so he or she doesn't get fatigued. For overnight trips, you may need to adjust your plans of where you'll stay to ensure you're compliant with those laws.
Stops
Some buses may not allow food and beverage on the bus, although most do. However, they may still have restrictions as to the size of coolers you can bring on board; they may be limited to small, personal coolers that can only hold a sandwich. In turn, you may not have all the food you thought you could take on your road trip and may need to plan for more frequent stops for snacks and meals. This can be especially true if you travel with children who get hungry more frequently. Be sure you ask about coolers and food restrictions and plan more stops at restaurants as needed for longer trips.
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