Charter Bus Prices: How to Calculate Your Durham Bus Rental Costs
We get it—budgeting for a group trip can be stressful. Not to worry, because we at Durham Charter Bus Company aim to make the bus rental process as simple as possible.
If you’ve ever wondered how much renting a charter bus costs in Durham, keep reading this guide and you’ll learn all about average bus rental rates, factors that will affect your overall pricing, and some examples of typical group transportation services and their costs.
| Bus Type | Per Hour | Per Day | Per Mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charter Bus | $105 – $150 | $1,100 – $1,400 | $3.75 – $5.00 |
| Minibus | $110 – $135 | $1,080 – $1,300 | $3.50 – $4.75 |
*Daily rentals require a 5-hour minimum. Daily rentals may incur additional fees for any overages in miles.
**The prices listed above are estimates. Rates will vary depending on the season and trip specifications. More information is below.
Determining the Cost of Your Durham Bus Rental
For most Durham bus reservations, you can expect an hourly rate with a five-hour rental minimum. Long-distance group trips tend to be quoted by the mile, and overnight and multi-day trips are generally charged by the day.
Get in touch at (919) 794-6288 and our 24/7 team can walk you through the finer points of the bus rental process, which includes assessing trip specifics to gauge your overall bus rental price:
- Size of your group — What bus you rent and how many vehicles you book is determined by how many passengers need a ride.
- Duration and distance — Short-distance trips tend to cost less than high-mileage and multi-day trips.
- Drop-off locations — Venturing outside Durham city limits or mapping out an itinerary with multiple pick-up and drop-off locations also affects the overall cost of your charter bus service.
- When you travel — Hitting the road during busy travel seasons (summer, over the holidays, during major Durham events, etc.) usually means a higher bus rental rate.
- When you book — Especially if your departure date is during busy travel seasons, bus availability may be limited—which affects the cost of your Durham bus rental. We recommend booking 6 months ahead of your trip to lock in the best rates.
Included in Your Durham Charter Bus Price:
- The by-mile, daily, or hourly cost of your bus rental
- The services of a bus driver
- Fuel
- Full coverage insurance
NOT Included in Your Durham Charter Bus Price:
- Tolls and parking fees
- Lodging for your bus driver during multi-day trips
- Gratuity for your bus driver — not required, but we encourage your group to tip your driver 5-10% of the total rental cost for a job well done.
Need a few examples of our transparent charter bus pricing in action? We’ve drawn out a few examples of popular group transportation services we provide in Durham and a pricing breakdown of each:
The School Field Trip to the Nasher Museum of Art
A school group in a nearby county is planning a field trip to the Nasher Museum of Art. The list of passengers includes a few fourth-grade classes and their chaperones— 54 passengers total. The school decides to rent a charter bus to ensure everyone stays comfortable while on the road. They schedule a pick-up time of 8:30 AM and a final drop-off back to the school at 4:30 PM.
The school’s bus rental specialist quote the field trip at an hourly rate for a total of $840 ($105/hour x 8 hours). When they return to the school the chaperones pool together a $50 tip for the bus driver as thanks for keeping the kids safe and on time.
Estimated bus rental cost: $890
The Game Day Excursion with a Duke Fan Group
A group of die-hard sports fans are gearing up for a Duke University basketball game. They’ve been planning their game day outing for months, and they want a built-in DD and to avoid as much of the traffic around Cameron Indoor Stadium as possible. Luckily, their foresight means they’ll receive a great hourly rate on the 18-passenger minibus they rent for the occasion! The Blue Devils fans aim to meet up at 5 PM to grab drinks before the game, and will likely arrive back home around midnight.
Their Durham Charter Bus Company rep quotes them a total of $805 ($115/hour x 7 hours), and the fan group tips their driver $65 (8%) after their final drop-off.
Estimated bus rental cost: $870 or $48 per person
The Business Event at NC Biotech Conference Center
A local company is planning a conference event in the auditorium at NC Biotech. To ensure attendees’ arrivals and departures run smoothly, the coordinators decided to rent a corporate shuttle bus service consisting of two 25-passenger minibuses, set to run between local hotels and the conference center between 8 AM and 6 PM throughout the 2-day event.
The conference planners are quoted at a daily rate for a total of $4,800 ($1,200/day x 2 days x 2 minibus rentals). They request their reservation specialist roll a 10% bus driver gratuity into their bus rental estimate for easy pre-event budgeting.
Estimated bus rental cost: $5,280
Call Today for a Free Bus Rental Estimate
Ready to start budgeting for your next trip? Give us a call at (919) 794-6288, and a member of our 24/7 team can walk you through the bus rental process, answer your transportation questions, and offer a no-obligation quote for your Durham charter bus rental!