3) Best Source for Buses.
One organization urges group travel planners to run away from well-known travel websites and use its site to find reliable booking information for motorcoach trips. BusRates.com, a clearinghouse in Alexandria, Va., is owned by United Motor Coach Association.
“We’re a consumer advocacy organization helping educate customers that the ideal path to charter a bus or group hotel is to go directly to the source instead of to a broker or middleman,” said Eric Elliott, general manager of BusRates.com.
Elliott gave an example: An online travel site may sell a trip for $1,500 per person only to sell it to the lowest bidder so the broker can maximize revenue.
“We know church groups have very limited budgets, and even $100 more than someone needed to spend is $100 they could have used elsewhere on the trip.”
Every charter bus company listed on BusRates.com is a bus-owning company. Elliott said 70 percent of his customers are first-time planners.
“They don’t understand how brokers tarnish the industry. They can reach out to our bus companies directly to get the best price and itinerary. Core details and minute details are worked out.”
BusRates.com provides links not only to bus companies, but also to Department of Transportation regulations and travel insurance companies. It has a customer review section so group planners can do their homework.
“The NTA partnership provides names of group-friendly hotels, events and attractions. It’s an all-in-one directory for group travel,” said Elliott. “We won’t suggest a hotel that doesn’t have bus parking, but one that can handle your 55-passenger charter bus so it’s easily accessible to the group.”
BusRates.com also has a large section on its website dedicated to travel tips and information and a “Top 10 Questions You Should Ask” component.
