How to choose your coach holiday company

So, you need to hire a coach? You’ve searched ‘coach hire companies’ and you’re greeted with over 59 million page results. We know - sounds daunting. Unless you’ve used a coach hire company before, it can be hard to know where to start when choosing the right one. We thought we’d give you a helping hand and let you know some of the key things to look out for when choosing your coach hire company. 

Know what you need

Before starting your journey, it’s best to understand your needs. Operators will want to be able to provide you with an accurate quotation and a price, so be sure to have all of your details ready. Some key things to think about are:

• Numbers needed to travel
• Pick up and drop off points
• Luggage requirements
• Any access issues you may need (wheelchairs etc)
• Would you require a toilet on board?
• Are there any fun extras you want?

These are all things your chosen coach hire company should be able to accommodate, so it’s good to have these details ready. 

Now you’re ready to start your search!

Look Local

One of the first port of calls would be to look at your local operators. Aside from trying to support local businesses, choosing an operator local to you would be a much more cost effective option. Coach operators create their quotes based on mileage and fuel consumption, so choosing a company based locally, would keep the mileage and your overall quote down! 

Check their website

Though it may seem like an obvious one, an operator's website is like their shop front if they were to have one. It’s a great way to get an overview and a feel for a company. Look out for branded vehicles on their site, as well as an area for you to browse their fleet. This way you’ll be able to evaluate the quality of their vehicles and the variety of vehicles they have. 

Length of service

When choosing a company for any large purchase or service, the amount of years they’ve been in business is a key factor you should look into. Most companies will shout about their length of service if it is a significant amount of time. For us at Roberts Travel Group, one of our key reasons to choose us, is that we’ve been in service for 27 years, meaning when it comes to coach hire, we’ve pretty much seen it all! This is especially important if you are booking a coach hire company for the first time, as a company in service for a long time will be able to walk you through the whole process with ease. 

Read the reviews

It goes without saying that any reputable company should have a number of reviews that you are able to read through. Whilst it’s good to hear from the company itself why you should choose them, it’s even better to hear it from real people, who have used them for a similar service. Take the time to read through their reviews, and look for any common themes which might sway your final decision. 

Budget

We know that in the current climate, cost is increasingly becoming the deciding factor for a lot of purchase decisions. Whilst cost is important, we should note that cheaper isn’t always better when coming to hire a coach company. We suggest getting quotes from a few local companies so you can not only look at the price at surface level, but you can compare what each company offers for that price. 

Now you know what to look for, you’re ready to set the wheels in motion and find the perfect coach hire company! 

If you’re ready to start your journey now, why not find more about us! We have a team of experts on hand, ready to help you with all of your coach hire needs. Take a look at our fleet of vehicles, or if you’d like to speak to our team about your requirements, give them a call on 01530 814777.

Happy coaching!