Tips for Renting a Charter Bus for School Field Trips

Kristian Zara
July 4, 2022

School trips are important as much as the education of our kids within the classroom is. Kids learn from many things and in multiple ways.

When you plan a school trip, you have to make sure that a good amount of activities include also educational purpose. This doesn’t fill only the program of the trip, but it makes the it enjoyable and funny. The best way to learn is through games and sports. So, in order to achieve the best from a school trip think about all you need, from permissions slip, lunches to recruiting chaperones and building group activities.

Elite Mobility can help you organize a big part of your trip plan — the transportation! Whether you’re traveling with a school group or a summer camp, a charter bus can make your trip a little easier. Elite Mobility will help you renting a charter bus you’ll need for your trip. We’ve also compiled a list with things to know before you rent a bus for your school trip.

1. Options available

When it comes to renting a charter bus, there are many different buses and vehicles to choose for your trip. The school bus is the standard way to travel for student and campers. This bus can usually be reserved quickly and is efficient for short trips. However, it becomes uncomfortable for long-distance trips or outings in major metro areas with hours of traffic. Therefore, it is important that you ask for some advice to choose the right one. A full-size charter bus may be a better choice if you’re traveling long distances and have little ones who may need a bathroom break mid-trip.

2. Safety

Some of school buses do not have safety belts. This means that if safety belts are a must in your list, better let the reservation experts know before booking the service. Is very important that your check all safety elements and the policy behind the H&S protocol before choosing a bus for your trip.

4. Ask for a driver that fits the character of your trip

Companies have the possibility to assign the services to drivers from all levels of experience. If your think you might need a driver who knows also about the area you’re visiting with your kids, because you have free hours to explore, do not hesitate to ask for. Inquire always for drivers who have experiences with transporting children and students as they know better how to make the transportation unforgettable for the little ones.

6. Think about your travel dates and destinations

Buses availability vary depending on when you plan to travel. Charter bus availability fluctuates depending on when and where you plan to travel. There are seasons when renting a bus can be very expensive. Spring and summer are those busy seasons. Major cities are also more likely to see shortages in availability due to their popularity. You don’t want either rent a bus on expensive rates or cancel your trip because buses aren’t available when you decide. We recommend starting your booking process at least six months in advance to ensure you get the best type of bus for your field trip.

7. Plan your payment ahead

One way to organize your payment is the standard with a credit card. Sometimes is necessary to reserve services, purchase orders, contracts or other documentation of your trip. When these forms of payment come through your school district or organization, make sure you notify everyone involved. Processing these payments can take additional time, so be sure to plan your field trip as far in advance as possible.

8. Chaperones

Assign one chaperones to around 10-12 children. Before that you’ll need to have a headcount for your kids and chaperones. As everyone boards the bus, seat chaperones with their respective group of kids. In this way you’ll be able to supervise each kid and make sure they’re having a safe and enjoyable trip.