Travel by bus is not a new way to go. The first buses that were used for passenger travel were horse drawn busses. Their use goes as far back as the 1920s. In the 1830s, steam powered buses hit the roads in England. These provided local bus services and went between cities in that country.

Bus travel in the United States has been on the rise. Between 2011 and 2012, passenger travel by bus went up by about 7.5%. This made bus travel the fastest growing kind of travel in the nation. This is according to the American Bus Association.

If you are planning a trip for a group of people, there are many reasons that it makes sense to charter a bus rather than going another way.

Charting a bus is a cost effective way to go. When you take the price tag that you are given by the charter bus company and then divide it by the number of people on your trip, you will find that you will spend less per person than when you send your people on your trip any other way. When you are talking to different charter bus companies, you do need to ask about gas costs, tolls and parking. This may be factored into the price they give you but it may not be so you should just double check. Either way, just like when you use local bus services, going with buses will save your group money.

1. Travel with charter bus companies is better for the environment. Many people do not equate local bus services or charter bus services with energy efficiency but they should. Transportation is measure for energy efficiency in terms of passenger miles per gallon (MPG). Travel in motorcoaches get about 206.6 passenger MPGs (local bus services vehicles get about 92.4 passenger MPGs). When you compare that to the 44 passenger MPGs for travel on commercial airplanes, 27.2 passenger MPGs for personal cars (or 46 passenger MPGs for hybrid cars), you can see how much more fuel efficient your travel in a charter bus is.
2. You are safe on charter buses. Charter bus travel is consistently rated as one of the safest way to travel around. The charted bus business reports fewer accidents or injuries than just about any other form of travel around.
3. You can bring food and beverages. When you fly on a commercial plane, you cannot even take three ounces of liquid past the security checkpoint. If you have a group of people who are going to be on a bus for a long time, being able to bring some snacks and drinks will make the experience better for everyone. Charter buses usually have a bathroom at the back so you do not have to worry about that. If your group has small children in it, the ability to bring water or juice and some healthy snacks can help make the experience better.
4. Bring good entertainment. Most charter bus services have television screens, WiFi and even DVD players so you can pop in a movie or play a game with those amenities. If you are going to an historic area, you can get everyone in the right frame of mind by watching information about the area while you are on the way.
5. Going with a chartered bus is more relaxing. When everyone in your group is going to the same place but everyone is taking individual cars, the people in your group have to fight with the traffic and deal with all of the annoyances that can bring with it. When everyone is on a bus, none of you have to worry about any of that. The professional from the charter company can handle and deal with the bad drivers. All your group has to do is sit back and relax.

There are many reasons to charter a bus. If your group wants to tour an area together, getting a charter bus can be a great option. As is taking your group to a special event or business conference. You will sacrifice nothing in the way of comfort or convenience when you get a charter bus for your group. You save money, lower your carbon footprint and get to your destination safely and on time.