How to create accurate charter bus quotes

Why quotes go wrong

A quote that is too low loses money on the trip. A quote that is too high loses the booking. Most inaccurate quotes come from the same three causes: details missing from the request, costs left out of the price, and a quote the customer cannot follow.

Collect the full request first

You cannot price what you do not know. Ask for everything at the start, so the quote does not have to be redone after the first phone call.

• Dates and times for every leg, including the return.
• Pickup, drop-off and every stop.
• Passenger count, luggage and any equipment.
• The type of coach, and any accessibility needs.
• A contact name, phone number and email.

Take requests through your own booking form→

Distance: count the whole trip

The customer thinks about the journey from pickup to drop-off. Your coach also travels from the yard to the pickup and from the last drop-off back to the yard. That empty travel uses fuel and driver time, and it belongs in the price.

Duration: count the driver's whole day

Price the time from when the driver leaves the yard to when they return, including waiting time while the group is at its event. A group that is on board for 6 hours, with 30 minutes of travel to the pickup and 30 minutes back, is a 7-hour job, not a 6-hour one.

Long days and multi-day trips need more thought. Driver hours rules may limit how long one driver can work, which can mean a second driver or an overnight stay. Check the rules that apply to your operation, and include the driver's accommodation and meals where the trip needs them.

Vehicle type

Match the coach to the passenger count and the luggage. A larger coach costs more to run, so it should cost more to hire. Check that the coach you are quoting is free on the dates before you send the price.

Extra charges

Extras are where quotes and invoices drift apart. List them, and say for each one whether it is included in the price or billed at cost after the trip.

• Tolls and parking.
• Permits and entry fees.
• Driver accommodation and meals on overnight trips.
• Waiting time or extra hours beyond the agreed schedule.
• Cleaning, when the coach comes back needing more than a routine clean.

Taxes

Tax on passenger transportation differs between countries, states and provinces, and can depend on where the trip runs. Ask your accountant which taxes apply to your trips. Show tax as its own line, so the customer can see the price before and after it.

Choose a pricing basis and keep to it

Operators price by the hour, by the day, by distance, or by a mix of these with a minimum charge. Any of them can work. What matters is that the same trip gets the same price whoever in the office prepares the quote. Write the method down.

Present the quote clearly

A clear quote gets a faster answer. Include these every time.

• A breakdown: base price, each extra, tax and total.
• What is included and what is not.
• How long the price is valid.
• Your terms for changes and cancellations.
• How the customer accepts.

Build a quote breakdown and email it to the customer→

Compare the quote with the real trip

After the trip, compare what you quoted with what happened: the hours the driver worked and the expenses on the trip. If the same kind of trip runs over every time, the rate needs to change, not the driver.