Calculating Your Bus Rental Price
We at Champion Charter Bus are excited to be your group transportation provider throughout the U.S.’s west coast. But we get it—you’ll want to know how much your charter bus rental will cost before you decide to ride with us. While multiple factors go into the final cost of your minibus or charter bus, we’ve put together this pricing guide to help you get an idea of what to expect, so you can book your bus with confidence!
If you have any questions or if you’re ready to reserve your bus rental, give us a call at 1-844-693-9330, any time of the day or night. Our 24/7 will be happy to help you plan your west coast group travels
About Our Rental Quotes
While we can give you a general idea of average rental prices based on examples, the only way to know for sure how much your west coast bus rental will cost is to receive a personalized quote! Quotes depend on a variety of factors, which we outline in more detail in the next paragraph. In addition, hourly bus rentals have a five-hour minimum rental time period with potential added charges for extra mileage or overtime.
Our team specializes in personalized rental plans, so when you call us at 1-844-693-9330, within minutes we’ll be able to give you an accurate and free quote tailored to your passenger count, schedule, and onboard amenity needs—all with no obligation to book!
Factors That Affect Your Price
Like we said, a number of factors affect the final cost of your bus rental. For example, how far you plan to travel (both in terms of distance and time), the time of year you plan to embark, the location of your pick-up and drop-off sites, and the type of bus you plan to book—among other factors—all play into the availability and amenity make-up of your bus rental, which will determine your rental rate. Keep in mind that booking an ADA-compliant coach will never raise the cost of your bus rental, as long as you give our team adequate time to connect you with your accommodations.
What’s Not Included
While we pride ourselves in transparent pricing—what you see on your bus rental quote will be the price you pay for it, no hidden fees—there are some group trip expenses that you may need to cover that will not be included in your quote. For one thing, bus drivers in our network are required to take an 8-hour break for every 10 hours on the road, so you will be responsible for your driver’s room and board if you’re planning a multi-day trip. Other additional costs you may need to keep in mind are parking fees, tolls, and your bus driver’s gratuity.
How To Keep the Cost Down
At first glance, a private minibus or charter bus rental often comes with a high up-front cost. But if you’re worried about the price, there are some ways to help manage your travel expenses.
Book your bus as early as possible: 3 to 6 months in advance if you’re traveling during a not-so-busy season, 6 to 9 months in advance if you’re planning a trip during a major city event or during peak summer travel.
Also, consider having each passenger chip in to cover the final cost of your charter bus rental. Your trip’s expenses may be more manageable that way, averaging at roughly the same cost as booking rideshares for everyone—all with onboard comforts you won’t find anywhere else and without having to split into multiple vehicles.
Need some examples to put your bus rental price into perspective? Here are some common trips we book throughout the West Coast:
An LA Field Trip
A small Midwestern high school band has been invited to perform in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. The band directors have decided to treat the students and chaperones (56 people in all) to a trip to Disneyland while they’re in Los Angeles, which will make their travels in the city last 4 days in total. The band plans to book one charter bus for the entire trip, and the December rate for a school trip charter bus in LA is $1,100 per day.
56-passenger charter bus x 4 days: $4,400
Lodging for the driver for 3 nights: $350
10% Driver Tip: $440
Total: $5190
The San Fran Corporate Event
A marketing group based in San Francisco is hosting a networking event, so all the local start-ups they service can connect and mingle. The event itself will be held at the Moscone Center, but the 40 attendees are invited to dinner at the R&G Lounge before the event. The hourly rate for a 20-passenger corporate shuttle bus rental this time of year is $152 per hour, and the marketing group plans to book two shuttles for their 5-hour event.
Two 20-passenger minibuses x 5 hours: $1520
Parking at Oracle Park: $40
12% Driver Tip: $180
Total: $1740
A Vegas-Style Wedding
A happy couple has always dreamed of tying the knot in Las Vegas. Many of the guests have opted to stay at a hotel outside city limits—so to ensure their loved ones arrive on time, the couple wants to provide a wedding shuttle service from the hotel to their ceremony and reception at the Bellagio. They’re getting hitched in mid-June, which is peak travel season and will bring up their shuttle rate to $170 per hour. The entire event will last 6 hours total, and the couple plans to have one minibus running a custom shuttle circuit throughout the night.
25-passenger minibus x 6 hours: $1020
15% Driver Tip: $153
Total: $1173
Game Day in Phoenix
A group of avid Cardinals fans want to plan a special tailgate event at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix. The organizer wants everyone to have a centralized headquarters for the grill-out, so they plan on booking a full-size charter bus to ensure everyone has plenty of storage space for coolers and tents as well as free WiFi and a clean onboard restroom. The fans may have gotten a bit too rowdy in their pregame celebrations, resulting in a big mess in the charter bus cabin and an additional cleaning fee (don’t worry, they plan to tip the driver very well as an apology).
56-passenger charter bus x 1 day: $1300
Game Day Parking near State Farm Stadium: $50
Cleaning Fee: $250
19% Driver Tip: $250
Total: $1850