By Aston Cade
Factors for calculating rental prices of coaches and minibuses :
Customers often ask how coach rental companies in calculate the value of their trips. It is very simple. Once companies receive their travel plan they reduce it to variables with which they calculate their basic costs. From there they calculate the offer for you.
Let’s take a look at how the calculation is usually carried out
- a) The number and size of the buses needed
Normally the size of your group determines the number of coaches needed. You will have to consider the size of your group from the beginning and put a limit on the registrations, since even an extra person could mean that you are obliged to hire a larger one or even a second coach, thus raising costs substantially. Similarly, if you travel with a smaller group, you may be more comfortable in an economy minibus than a large coach. Your destination and tourism plans can also affect the size and number of coaches you need. Your group of 50 passengers could fit comfortably in a large coach but if the coach cannot drive through the narrow streets of the historic city center, you may need 5 minivans.
- b) The route and distance for the minibus
Fuel costs for the trip are based on the distance to travel. Most coach rental companies calculate their travel rates (fuel included) from $ 0.80 to $ 1.20 per kilometer depending on the type of vehicle. Some companies do not charge for distance when the route is short, for example, visits to the downtown area.
- c) Driver time: bus driving and waiting time
For point-to-point travel, the cost of having a coach with a private driver is calculated as the time the driver is at the wheel, from the time the bus leaves the station until it returns. But when a group is visiting several places with a lot of stops, it is considered the driver’s waiting time, such as the driver’s extra time for early departures and late returns to their accommodation. A third scenario is the hiring of a coach and a driver for long trips that last several days with the driver to sleep outside the home. The cost of a driver also reflects the type of vehicle, the day of the week and time of day. Driving on Sundays and late at night will raise the total cost. For longer trips, the driver will wait for all meals and a good night’s rest in a decent hotel room.
- d) Additional costs such as the toll highway, parking, and meals for the driver
If you are planning a simple one-day trip, there are few additional costs to consider beyond the parking lot. However, if you are planning a multi-day and multi-destination trip, the additional costs add up to a large part of the transportation cost. Tolls, parking fees, meals for the driver and driver’s accommodation are added to the cost of car rental. These are the factors that intervene in the preparation of the offer, but not all of them will appear in the offer document. There is no fixed rule about this. Some companies may charge only for distance and other companies for distance and driver.
The parking fee for parking near the restaurant = € 20.00
Tolls = € 65.00
Total without VAT: € 535.00
10% VAT = € 53.50
Total including VAT = € 588.50
