WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE HIRING A COACH Before you phone or email for a quote Before contacting a coach hire company, there are several pieces of information that you will need to hand.  You will be surprised how many people phone without any idea of what they want.  At Ellisons we can talk you through it, or give you some suggestions, but it does help if you have thought about the following: Dates, Places and Timings Date of Travel is obvious, or a couple of provisional dates would be helpful!.  A quality Coach Hire Company will get booked up fairly well in advance and for large events, such as Cheltenham Races, Aintree, the Open Golf etc.  Ellisons will be working a year in advance, due to repeat bookings.  You will need a date of travel and return date - if not the same day.  Bear in mind Bank Holidays and weekends can be particularly  busy.  Giiving plenty of notice will also  help with your choice of vehicles.  Where are you leaving from and where do you want to go to? Departure point, other pickups along the way and destination address (postcode if in London), will be required.   Pickups off the beaten track, or into City Centres, may increase the cost.  Can your party all meet somewhere convenient for parking and have one pickup, or arrange meeting places on route? When you get to where you are going, is there plenty of room for the coach to stop and drop off passengers or actually get through the gates?!  One hotel used by one of our Premiership Clients, had to widen the gate posts to accommodate the team vehicle, they are now known as the 'Ellisons Gates!' Is it a one day hire and return, or a few days?  Will the coach be used during the time away?  All these kind of things can affect price and the number of drivers you may need. What time do you want to leave, or need to get there. A coach will be slower than a car, so allow for this when calculating times.   Coaches are restricted to 100km an hour  (62.5 mph.).   Drivers are also restricted to length or time they can drive without a break, so two drivers may be needed if there is a long stretch, or an overnight journey.  Anyone who says they can do a trip with one driver, when we have quoted for  two, will be breaking the law.  At Ellisons we can help you plan your times.  Ideally just let us know what time you need to arrive and we will plan your start, breaks and what drivers you need. Hiring a coach with Ellisons couldn't be easier. Number of passengers, Vehicle, Extras? How many travelling Very often it is difficult to say how many you will have in your group until nearer the time.  If you are not sure, go for the maximum.  The chances are we can firm this up when you have a better idea.  Passenger numbers will dictate what vehicles are most suitable.  Coach sizes, may also influence the number of people you decide to move.  At Ellisons we have a huge range of vehicles  and something will be suitable for your group. Work out the cost per head by dividing the number of passengers to the quoted price, or have an idea of cost per head before you phone.  A coach will usually work out much cheaper than the train, without all the hastle of getting to the station, parking and possible delays. What vehicle do you want Tell us what the event is and we will suggest a vehicle, but have something in mind.  A standard seated vehicle, or one with tables.  Tabled vehicles vary from our Premiership Range, down through to our more standard vehicles.  Can you use a large table at the rear with surround seating. Corporate Hospitality is what we do best. A kitchen could make all the difference to a Corporate event, as could Sky TV if you are going to the races or the golf.  Leather seats will make a lasting impression. At Ellisons nothing is over three years old, so you are guaranteed a decent vehcile and professional drivers, who are suited, polite and take a pride in their work. Extras from Hostess, Champagne or both There are lots of extras to make the day special.  Some are included, like complimentary tea and coffee, others can be provided on request. A Coach Hire Company with a difference! If you are hiring a vehicle with a kitchen, can a hostess do the hard work for you?.  There is an art to serving lunch on the move in a relatively small space!  A hostess will provide the food, serve it and wash up at the end of the day.  They generally will make sure your guests are looked after and the glasses and coffees are topped up.  One less thing for you to think about.  Alternatively we can provide whatever you need to be available and you can do it yourself.  Drinks, Food, Plates, champagne buckets and the champagne itself.  Previous requests have included, pillows, blankets, specific DVDs and a Roulette Table! Newspapers for an early morning start, Croissants and Danish Pastries for you to warm in the oven, change the 'normal' coach trip to an 'exceptional' one. Quotes, Pricing and Payment Obtaining quotes is a really good idea to judge value and service At Ellisons we are more than happy to quote with no obligation whatsover and would be the first to suggest you compare several companies.  Any Coach Hire Company should be happy to do this. Having a budget is a good idea, but if you want the best, it is naturally going to be a little bit more than the 'one coach band' down the road with old vehicles.   At Ellisons we are happy to quote with no obligation whatsoever and would suggest you compare several companies, but bear in mind the quality and service you will get from ourselves, may not be the same with someone else. If we can't help you, then we will let you know, or reccommend someone who we know will have the same standards as ourselves although there are not many with the same quality of vehicles and standard of care that you should expect. Pricing will depend on what you need. At Ellisons we will give you a price that is fully inclusive of coach hire, mileage, ferry/tunnel crossings and drivers.  The only extras you would have to pay for if you needed them, would be hostess service, any requested drinks (apart from teas and coffees) and food.  We will always give you a price for extras before you hire, so there are no hidden costs.  You are more than welcome to bring your own food and drink (champagne?),  and stock up the fridges.  We structure our pricing per vehicle and then add on the mileage involved, as such It is impossible to give an average cost per day to hire a coach,  as each trip varies.  For example a Corporate Hospitality event, where the coach is parked all day and doesn't move, may cost less than the same coach that is driving around all day using fuel.  We also need to calculate whether we need one or two drivers and if it is an overnight trip, or a really early start,  they need to be accommodated nearby. The more information you can give  the better. Payment Check the company's  payment terms when you book.  If you don't pay up, the coach may not turn up!  At Ellisons, we ask for a 25%  deposit when booking is confirmed and the balance 14 days prior to the date of hire.  If a coach is booked with less than 14 days,  full payment is required at the time of booking.  Invoices are always provided.  There is no VAT on coach hire. If you need to cancel a booking then we need to know as soon as possible, we may be able to use the coach for another job, in which case we would discuss the terms with you.  Cancellation five days or less would incur 50% of the deposit, 2 days or less 100%.  Whatever company you use they should be able to provide you with a Terms and Conditions of Hire. So there you have it, everything you need to know about Hiring a Coach! - So, give us a call, or email us and let us help!