Preparation can be the difference between a seamless Party Bus reservation and a hodgepodge nightmare! Like it or not, you’ve been put in charge of organizing a party bus outing for you and your friends, and you want to make sure the night goes smoothly so you can kick back and enjoy yourself.
While this may seem like a straight-forward process, experienced planners will attest that there are several pitfalls that could disrupt and thwart your plans and leave you wallowing in a puddle of your own tears!!! (Too far?)
Below are the 5 most common mistakes you can make, and the best techniques for avoiding them:
1. THE DETAILS
Knowing is only the half of it…..the better half! Being prepared with the right information at the time of booking is key to planning your event! Having details such as your pick up/drop off location, pick up/ drop off times, itinerary, etc. will help the planning and booking process along. It allows you and the reservations agent to determine the best options for your event!
2. LAST MINUTE BOOKINGS
Reserving a Party Bus is not quite the same as hailing an Lyft or Uber. Most party bus companies are booked at least a week in advance. During busy times of the year, like Mardi Gras, Ball & Prom season, buses could be completely booked at least one month in advance. So be sure to start early, or run the risk of resorting to questionable or less than fabulous mobile options…..think TETANUS ON WHEELS!
3. FIRM COMMITMENTS FROM YOUR GUEST
Everybody says that they are coming until they DON’T! All of us have those friends… you know those that say they’re coming to your party, only to back out at the last minute, leaving you to foot their portion of the bill or scrambling to find seat fillers. But seriously, an experienced party bus planner would tell you to make your event Eventbrite or Facebook official, in an effort to get firm commitments from as many of your friends as possible! Even still… you can Count on 5 of them backing out at the last minute.
4. LAST MINUTE MONEY COLLECTION
Collecting your money ahead of time prevents a lot of headaches in the end. This may be the single biggest mistake that novice party bus planners make. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT wait until the day of the event to collect money from your friends. Collect as much of the money ahead of time on CashApp, Venmo, or PayPal as you can, and collect the rest of it before your bus arrives! If you expect your drunk friends to reimburse you at the end of the night, you deserve to be left with the bill.
The other thing most novice party bus planners don’t take into consideration is the tip! If your ride staff does a good job, a 20% tip is a nice way to show him or her your appreciation. Be sure to collect enough money from your group to cover the tip. And, if you have any leftovers, you can get the first round!
5. SELECTING A COMPANY OTHER THAN A CUT ABOVE TRANSPORTATION
SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT… If you partner with A Cut Above Transportation, LLC., WE can personally guarantee that you and your guest will have an experience of a lifetime! Our staff is skilled at providing exceptional service from the very first contact to the end of your trip. Why take a chance with anyone else….we set the PLATINUM Standard in service and experience!