Questions to ask your transportation company

Booking transportation for your guests can sometimes be more of a necessity than a convenience, especially if you decide to hold your ceremony and reception in two separate venues on the same day. Rather than relying on attendees to provide their own transportation, which can get messy and confusing, take away the hassle by booking large buses or coaches to shuttle everyone to where they need to be. It is important to ask all the right questions when selecting your transportation, as different companies offer varying qualities of service and by the same token, will also have different reputations, methods and terms of operation.

Here are some of the crucial questions you should consider before signing a contract:

Quotes:

- What are the maximum passenger capacities for your shuttles/buses?

- Do you charge by the hour, by mileage or is there a fixed price per vehicle?

- Is tax and gratuity included in the quoted price?

- What percentage do you require as a deposit?

- How do you handle tolls and parking charges?

Company information:

- What is your safety record?

- Are you fully insured?

- How many years has your company been in business?

- What are your hiring practices for screening Chauffeurs? Are they professionally trained? Do they wear a uniform?

- What is your policy on leaving personal items in the shuttle/bus?

Vehicle information:

- Are the vehicles equipped with GPS Navigation Systems?

- How old are the vehicles in question? And how often are they cleaned?

- What are the contingency plans if the vehicles were to break down that day?

- Are your shuttles air-conditioned?

- Can guests drink water and eat snacks on board? If yes, do you provide these?
- Do you bring signage to identify that it is our vehicle?