What to Ask Any Group Transportation Company Before You Book

Most people book group transportation once every few years, under time pressure, for something that matters. That is a bad combination, and it is why this industry has a wide quality range.

What follows is a checklist of questions worth asking any operator you are considering. That includes us.

One thing up front, because it is important: this post does not answer these questions on ETAR's behalf. Not because there is anything to hide, but because the answers to questions about licensing, insurance, deposits and cancellation terms belong in a written quote and a written agreement, with your name and your date on them, signed by a person who is accountable for them. A marketing page is the wrong place for any company to make those claims, and a marketing page is not something you can hold anyone to. Ask us directly, get it in writing, and do the same with everyone else you call.

Authority and licensing

Ask: what is your operating authority, and can you give me the number?

Companies carrying passengers for hire are regulated, and which regulator applies depends on the vehicle, the passenger count and whether trips cross state lines. Interstate passenger carriers register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and get a USDOT number and often an MC number. Intrastate work is regulated at the state level, and New York, New Jersey and Connecticut each have their own requirements. In New York City there is an additional layer under the Taxi and Limousine Commission for certain for-hire operations.

You do not need to become an expert in this. You need two things: the operator should tell you what authority they hold and give you the number, and you should be able to look it up. FMCSA runs a free public lookup called SAFER where a USDOT number returns the carrier's registration status, insurance status on file, and safety record.

If a company cannot or will not tell you what they are licensed under, that is your answer.

Insurance

Ask: what commercial passenger transportation insurance do you carry, and can I get a certificate of insurance?

Personal auto insurance does not cover carrying passengers for hire. Commercial passenger liability coverage is a different product with different limits, and the required minimums depend on the vehicle and the authority.

A certificate of insurance, usually called a COI, is a standard one-page document from the insurer listing the coverages and limits and the policy period. Any legitimate operator can produce one. Many corporate clients and wedding venues require one, so operators are used to the request. Ask for it, check that the policy dates cover your event date, and check that the named insured matches the company you are actually paying.

Drivers

Ask: who is driving, and what is their licensing?

Depending on the vehicle's seating capacity, the driver may need a commercial driver's license with a passenger endorsement. Ask whether drivers are employees or subcontractors, whether they are drug-tested and background-checked, and what happens if your assigned driver calls out.

The quote

Ask: can I get this in writing, itemized?

A verbal number is not a quote. The written version should tell you:

• The total, and how it is calculated. Hourly, flat, or a package.
• Whether there is a minimum booking length, and what it is.
• What is included: fuel, tolls, parking, gratuity, wait time.
• The overtime rate if the day runs long, which it will.
• Any fees that are not in the headline number.

The single most useful question here is: "if my night runs two hours longer than planned, what does that cost?" Get the answer before the day, not at 3 AM.

Deposit, payment and cancellation

Ask: what is the deposit, when is the balance due, and what is the cancellation policy?

All three vary enormously between operators and none of them should be a surprise. Specifically pin down:

• The deposit amount and whether it is refundable.
• The exact cancellation windows and what you get back in each.
• What happens if you need to change the date rather than cancel.
• What happens if the headcount changes and you need a different vehicle.

Get the windows as dates, not as "a couple of weeks out."

The vehicle

Ask: which specific vehicle am I getting, and what is its actual capacity?

Not a category, a vehicle. Vehicle types are compared here. Ask for photos of it. Ask for the confirmed passenger capacity, and ask whether that number is comfortable or merely legal, because those are frequently different. Ask about luggage or gear space if you have any.

Then ask: if that vehicle is unavailable on the day, what happens? Every operator has mechanical problems eventually. You want a clear answer.

The day itself

Ask: who do I call, and who does my driver call?

You want a phone number that a human answers on the day, not just an office line that goes to voicemail on a Saturday night. Ask what the plan is if a vehicle breaks down mid-trip. Ask how far in advance the driver gets your itinerary. Ask whether the driver will have your contact details and you will have theirs.

Policies you should confirm rather than assume

• Alcohol. Whether it is permitted, under what conditions, and what the rules are for minors present. Never assume.
• Food. Whether it is allowed, and whether there is a cleaning fee.
• Decorations. If you are decorating the interior, confirm what is allowed and who sets it up.
• Cleaning and damage fees. Ask what triggers one and what it costs.

The short version

If you only ask four things, ask these: give me your operating authority number, give me a certificate of insurance, give me the quote in writing with the overtime rate, and tell me your cancellation windows as dates.

An operator who answers all four quickly and in writing is an operator who has done this before.

Ready to ask us?

ETAR Worldwide runs Mercedes-Benz Sprinter transportation across New York and the Tri-State for celebrations, corporate outings, concerts, weddings, funerals, city tours, amusement parks and marina runs, booking from noon until 6 AM, seven days a week. Every trip is quoted to the plan rather than sold off a price list.

Send us your date, your route and your headcount and we will send back a written quote. Ask us the questions above at the same time and we will answer them in writing, so you have something you can actually hold us to.