How This Transportation FAQ Is Organized
Start with booking and quotes if this is your first trip with us. Flying somewhere? Jump to the airport car service questions. Sizing a group is under group vehicles, proms and nights out are under party bus rules and limo FAQ, and then come pricing and payment and the policies.
The answers here explain how things usually work. For a price on your own trip, send it through the quote form.
How prices are put together is explained under how pricing works, what each vehicle holds is on the fleet page, and drive times by airport are on the airport pages. Planning a big night out? The party bus page covers sizes and what to plan for. If you run a transportation company and want to trade work, the affiliates page explains how that works.
Booking and Quotes
If you read only one part of this transportation FAQ, make it this one: how a trip request turns into a booked ride, and what to send so the first quote is right.
How Do I Book a Ride with You?
Start with the quote form. Tell us where the trip starts and ends, the date and time, how many people are riding and roughly how much luggage is coming. Dispatch reads it, works out the route and the right vehicle, and sends back a written quote. The ride is booked once you confirm that quote, not before.
How Far in Advance Do I Need to Book?
Airport rides in a sedan or SUV are the easiest to fit in, though more notice always helps. Book as early as you can for any date everyone else wants too: prom weekends from April to June, Saturdays in wedding season, Musikfest in August, Eagles and Penn State home games, and Thanksgiving week. Buses and party buses are the first to go on those dates.
What Details Do I Need for a Transportation Quote?
Full pickup and drop-off addresses, the date and time, a headcount that includes kids, and a bag count with anything bulky called out: golf bags, skis, car seats, a wheelchair. List the stops in order with a rough length for each, and say if the group needs to get home again. Flying? Add the airline and flight number. Last, name the person running things on the day and give us their cell.
Can I Book a Ride for Somebody Else?
Yes. It’s common for an assistant to book for a manager, a son or daughter to book for parents, or a planner to book for wedding guests. Put your own details in as the person booking, then the rider’s name and cell number as the contact for the day, so the chauffeur or driver can reach the person actually waiting at the curb. Tell us who should get the confirmation.
What If My Plans Change After I Confirm?
Tell us as soon as you know. A new pickup time or an extra stop may be simple to work in. A bigger group, a different date or a longer day may need a different vehicle and a revised quote. If the change shortens or cancels the booking, the cancellation terms on your written quote apply; the policies section further down this page explains how they usually work.
Do You Only Take Trips That Start in the Lehigh Valley?
No. Our base is in the Lehigh Valley, and we also pick up across eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, airports included, and in Connecticut and Massachusetts. For a trip that starts farther away, like a group landing in Atlanta or a car needed in Chicago, we book it through a partner operator in that city. You still deal with us, and the quote still comes in writing.
Airport Car Service Questions
This part of the transportation FAQ covers rides to and from ABE, PHL, Newark, JFK, LaGuardia and the smaller airports we serve, and what to tell us so the pickup time works.
Which Airports Do You Drive To?
Lehigh Valley International (ABE) is the short one, about 15 minutes from our base in Orefield. We also run to Philadelphia (PHL), Newark (EWR), JFK and LaGuardia (LGA), plus Trenton-Mercer (TTN) and Wilkes-Barre/
What Time Will You Pick Me Up for My Flight?
We work backward from the departure time. Start with TSA’s general advice of about 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 before an international one, then add the drive and a cushion. From Allentown, the drive to PHL or Newark usually takes 1 h 15 to 1 h 45, and JFK can take 2 to 3 hours. Dispatch sets the pickup time on your quote. The PHL timing guide goes terminal by terminal.
How Early Is the Pickup for a 6 a.m. Flight from PHL or Newark?
Early. For a 6 a.m. domestic departure from PHL or Newark, a pickup in Allentown lands somewhere around 2:30 to 2:45 a.m. The highways are about as quiet as they get at that hour, so the drive itself tends to go quickly. The slow part is the airport, where security on Monday mornings and holiday weekends can run long. Have your bags by the door and your phone on.
What Happens If My Flight Is Late?
Put your airline and flight number on the request so dispatch can plan the pickup around it. How a delay is handled, and whether any waiting time is included after you land, are stated on your written quote. If your flight changes, let dispatch know as soon as the airline tells you.
Where Do I Meet the Chauffeur When I Land?
It depends on the airport. Some send pre-arranged rides to a particular level, door or lot, and those rules change from time to time. We’ll tell you where to meet for your airport and terminal when we confirm the ride. Turn your phone on as soon as you land, and keep the contact from your confirmation handy.
Will All Our Luggage Fit?
Tell us the real number of bags, not the hopeful one. As a rule of thumb, a sedan takes about 3 checked bags, a full-size SUV about 6 and an Executive Sprinter about 12. Ski bags, golf clubs, strollers and big sample cases change the math, so list them. If the bags won’t fit, we’ll quote a bigger vehicle rather than squeeze. The exact vehicle is confirmed on the quote.
Is a Car Service Cheaper Than Parking at the Airport?
Sometimes. It depends on the trip. For a weekend away, parking at ABE is easy. For a week out of Newark or JFK, add up the airport parking, the tolls both ways, the fuel and the drive home after a red-eye, then compare that with a quote. The more people travel together, the more the per-person math tends to favor a single SUV or Sprinter.
Group Vehicles: Buses, Minibuses and Sprinters
The group section of our transportation FAQ: sizing a group, from 7 riders in a Sprinter to a full coach, and what changes once a bus and a driver are involved.
How Many People Fit in Each Vehicle?
Typical seat counts by class: a Business Sedan up to 3, a Premium SUV up to 6, a Stretch Limousine up to 10, a Sprinter Limo up to 12, an Executive Sprinter up to 14, a Party Bus 20 to 40, a Minibus 24 to 35 and a Motorcoach up to 56. These are class-typical; the exact vehicle and its capacity are confirmed on your quote. The fleet page shows each class with its luggage space.
What Size Vehicle Do We Need for 18 People?
Most likely a minibus, or a Sprinter plus an SUV if the group splits up later in the day. A group of 18 is past what a 14-seat Sprinter holds, and a 56-seat coach would ride mostly empty. Luggage decides the rest: a minibus has limited rear luggage space on most models, so 18 people with weekend bags may need a coach after all.
Does the Driver Wait While We’re at the Event?
On an hourly booking, the vehicle is yours for the hours booked, and the driver usually stays nearby. Where buses can’t sit at the curb, as in Midtown Manhattan, South Philadelphia on game day or outside a busy hotel, the driver parks at a staging area and comes back at a time you agree. Tell us the plan for the day so we can quote the right number of hours.
How Do Multi-Day Bus Trips Work?
The driver travels with the group, and federal hours-of-service rules cap how long a bus driver can drive and stay on duty each day. Those limits shape the itinerary. On overnight trips the price accounts for the driver’s hotel room, and a very long day may need a second driver or a shorter day. Send the full day-by-day plan with hotel addresses, and we’ll price it as a single trip.
Can a Full-Size Bus Get to Our Pickup Spot?
Not always. A motorcoach runs around 40 to 45 feet long and needs room to turn and somewhere legal to stop. Tight cul-de-sacs, low branches, private lanes and some narrow streets in historic Bethlehem and Easton don’t work. Minibuses and Sprinters get into more places. Tell us the address and whether school buses or delivery trucks already get in; if a coach can’t reach the door, we’ll suggest a nearby spot.
Is a Sprinter with a Chauffeur the Same as a 15-Passenger Van Rental?
No. Every Sprinter we book comes with a chauffeur; nothing is self-drive. For most groups that’s the whole point: nobody has to drive, hunt for parking in Manhattan or watch the clock. An Executive Sprinter carries up to 14 riders plus the chauffeur. If you want a van to drive yourself, that’s a rental counter, not us.
Party Bus Rules and Limo FAQ
The rules people ask about before a prom, a birthday or a bachelorette night, and how limo and party bus bookings get planned.
Are Smoking and Vaping Allowed on a Party Bus?
Ask before you book. Smoking and vaping rules are set for each vehicle, and the rule for your booking goes on your written quote, so nobody finds out at the curb. The places you stop at have their own rules too, so check those as you plan the night.
Can Teenagers Ride Without a Parent on Board?
Proms and sweet 16s are common limo and party bus nights, and parents usually want to know who’s in charge. Put every rider’s age on the request and ask about riders without an adult on board; the answer comes back in writing with your quote. Some schools also set their own prom transportation rules, such as a signed parent form or no stops between the dance and home, so check the school’s packet and send us anything it asks for.
What’s the Difference Between a Limo, a Sprinter Limo and a Party Bus?
Mostly group size and headroom. A Stretch Limousine seats up to 10, low and close together on wraparound seating. A Sprinter Limo seats up to 12 and has a taller cabin, so people get in and out without folding in half. A party bus carries 20 to 40 with a more open layout. For 8 friends going to dinner, a limo; for 25 at a birthday, the bus.
How Many Hours Should We Book for Prom Night?
Map the night first: pickup and photos at someone’s house, the drive to the venue, the dance, a food stop after and the drop-offs home. The sample prom night on our limo service page runs roughly 7 to 8 hours from the first house to the last drop-off. Some groups keep the vehicle all night; others book a drop-off and a separate pickup when the dance ends, so ask us to price it both ways. Limos and party buses have hourly minimums; see how pricing works for how the hours are counted.
Do You Provide Wedding Transportation, and What Do You Need from Us?
Yes: limos and Sprinter limos for the wedding party, and minibuses or coaches for guests moving between hotels, the ceremony and the reception. Send the day’s timeline with every address and start time, the number of guests per run, and the name of whoever is running the day, often a planner or the maid of honor. The wedding page shows how a guest shuttle is timed.
What If Someone Gets Sick in the Vehicle?
It happens, and it’s better to know the rule before the night than after. Cleaning and damage charges are part of the terms you agree to when you book, and any charge is explained in writing. If someone isn’t feeling well, tell the chauffeur or driver early, so there’s time to pull over somewhere safe instead of on the shoulder of Route 22.
Pricing and Payment
The money side of the transportation FAQ: how a price is built, which costs can sit on top of it, and how payment works once you accept a quote.
Why Do I Need a Quote Instead of a Set Price?
Because the same vehicle can cost very different amounts depending on the day, the hours and the route. A Sprinter for a 6-hour Saturday day trip and a Sprinter to JFK on a Tuesday morning are different jobs: one runs on an hourly minimum, the other has tolls, airport parking and a long drive back empty. A quote prices your trip, not an average. To see how prices are built, read how pricing works.
What Can Be Added on Top of the Base Price?
The usual extras in this business are tolls, airport and venue parking, gratuity and, on overnight trips, the driver’s hotel. Some operators also add a fuel surcharge. Your written quote states how tolls, parking, gratuity and any fuel surcharge are handled. If you’re unsure about any line, ask before you confirm.
Why Am I Paying for Time Before and After My Trip?
Because the vehicle has to get to you and get back. People in the business call it garage time or deadhead. A pickup in Emmaus is a short hop from Orefield; a one-way drop at JFK means the vehicle drives home empty for 2 hours or more. For trips that start far from the Valley, a partner operator closer to the pickup can bring that cost down.
Is Gratuity Included, and Should We Tip?
Customs vary, and so do company policies: some put a service charge on the bill, others leave it to you. Your quote shows whether gratuity is already included. If it isn’t and you’d like to tip, riders usually hand it to the chauffeur or driver at the end of the ride. On a multi-day bus trip, groups often collect for the driver on the last day.
Do I Have to Put Down a Deposit?
Deposits are common in this business for buses, limos and party buses on busy dates, because once a vehicle is held for you it’s turned away from other trips. Your written quote states whether a deposit is needed and how long the price holds before you confirm. Read both before you say yes, and ask if anything is unclear.
Is a Bigger Vehicle Cheaper per Person?
Per seat, usually, if you fill it. A 56-passenger coach costs more to run than a minibus, but split among 50 people it can come out lower per head than 4 Sprinters. Book a coach for 22 people, though, and you’re paying for 34 empty seats. Send the real headcount and we’ll quote the size that fits, which is sometimes 2 smaller vehicles.
How Do I Pay, and Can My Company Get an Invoice?
There’s no online checkout on this site. Once you accept a quote, dispatch arranges payment: we accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Companies that book often can ask about invoicing and a single account for their travelers. The corporate page covers how business travel is set up.
Policies and Fine Print
Cancellations, no-shows, child seats, accessibility and paperwork. The terms for your own booking are on your written quote, and the last question explains how this transportation FAQ applies to partner-run trips.
What Happens If I Need to Cancel?
Cancel as early as you can, and in writing. Cancellation terms usually turn on how much notice you give and on the vehicle: a coach held for a Saturday in May is harder to rebook than a sedan on a Tuesday. The terms for your trip are on your written quote, so read them before you confirm. If your date might move, say so up front, and we’ll talk through the options.
What Counts as a No-Show?
A no-show is when the vehicle arrives on time, nobody comes out, and nobody answers the contact number on the booking. How a no-show is charged, and whether any waiting time is included before extra time is billed, are set out on your written quote. The way to avoid it is simple: keep the day-of contact’s phone on, and tell us early if you’re running behind.
Do You Have Car Seats for Small Children?
Ask on your request, and the answer comes back with your quote. Put each child’s age on the request and tell us if you’re bringing your own seats. That tells us which vehicle has room, and it means a few extra minutes can be built into the pickup for fitting them. Many parents prefer their own seat anyway, since they know it fits their child and how it goes in.
Do Limo and Bus Companies in Pennsylvania Need to Be Licensed?
Yes. Most companies carrying passengers for hire inside Pennsylvania are regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and buses or vans crossing state lines for hire generally need a USDOT number and federal operating authority. It’s fair to ask whichever company will operate your trip for its numbers and insurance details, and to get them in writing before you confirm.
Can the Price Change After I’ve Confirmed?
A quote prices the trip you described. If the trip changes, the price can change with it: more hours, an extra stop, more people, a later finish or a longer wait at pickup. Whether tolls, parking and gratuity are part of the quoted price or added afterward is covered in the pricing questions above. If any line on the quote isn’t clear, ask before you confirm.
What If a Rider Uses a Wheelchair or Can’t Manage Steps?
Tell us on the request: whether the rider uses a folding or power wheelchair, can transfer to a seat, or just needs a vehicle without a high step. Sedans and SUVs suit many riders who can transfer; buses and Sprinters have steps at the door. If the trip needs a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, say so up front so dispatch can check what’s available for your date.
Do These Answers Apply When a Partner Operator Runs My Trip?
Mostly. The basics in this transportation FAQ, such as how quotes work, what to tell us and how prices are built, apply to every trip we arrange. When a partner operator runs a trip outside our area, some details, like meeting points or the vehicle’s house rules, follow that operator’s policy. Ask us for them before you confirm.
Not in the Transportation FAQ?
Ask us. Send the question with your trip on the quote form, or use the contact page if it isn’t about a specific ride. Questions that keep coming up get added to this page.
