As a motorcoach passenger ….

• Have the ringer turned up on your cell phone, and take a call while the driver is making announcements to passengers. Be sure to speak loudly so your caller can hear you over the bus driver.
• Be late returning to the bus, holding up the entire group. This is especially effective in places like New York City, where the driver can’t sit and wait for you but must drive around several blocks, hoping you’ll be there when he/she returns.
• At the first stop on an overnight trip, tell the driver you forgot something in your suitcase, now buried in the luggage bays, that you must have right away.
• Tell the driver at the end of the trip what a great job he/she did, and you can’t wait to ride with him/her again … but don’t give him/her a gratuity. (He/she does this just for fun.)

As an automobile driver on the road ….

• Be a “lane camper”; drive slowly in the center lane of a three lane highway, ignorant of the fact that, on many highways throughout the US (northeastern US especially), buses and trucks are prohibited from using the far left lane, and you’re blocking them by not moving out of the center lane.
• At a red traffic light, completely ignore that thick, heavy, white “stop” line — stop anywhere you like beyond the line, don’t worry about larger trucks and buses trying to make the turn from the cross street.
• On the Interstate, vary your speed as much as you feel like. Pass the bus and then slow up, making the bus pass you again. Using cruise control is “dangerous,” anyway.
• Park your car in bus parking areas (nice, roomy spaces!), or park illegally on a city street corner, making it nearly impossible for large vehicles (trucks and buses) to make the turn.

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1) New York City

What an easy way to visit the Big Apple! Take the motorcoach directly to the Times Square area. There is so much to do. If you like Broadway shows, pick up a half price (or deeply discounted) ticket for a same-day show at the TKTS booth in the center of Times Square. Lunch at one of the hundreds of great restaurants. Shop along Fifth Avenue in some of the most famous stores in the world. A short subway ride takes you uptown to the world’s finest museums, or to Lower Manhattan for Chinatown or a visit to the Statue of Liberty. So much to see and do, you could do this every month! It’s my favorite day trip.

2) Washington, DC

There is so much to see and do in our nation’s capital! The Smithsonian museums alone can occupy your time for days — and they’re all free (your tax dollars at work!). See the numerous monuments and memorials. And visit the brand new Visitor Center at the Capitol.

3) Baltimore Inner Harbor

Baltimore, MD has done a marvelous job at bringing their Inner Harbor to life, with lots of activities for visitors. Stroll around the harbor; visit the state-of-the-art Aquarium and see the dolphin show; visit the Maryland Science Center and watch an Imax movie. Tour one of the ships or submarine docked there, and visit the Baltimore Maritime Museum. You can take a boat cruise of the Inner Harbor area. Lots of shopping and great eating, too!

4) Ocean City, NJ

There’s nothing like a day at the shore to just relax and get away from it all. Stroll the boardwalk, spend time on the beach, enjoy fresh seafood, and more.

5) Statue of Liberty

Everyone should visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island at least once in their lifetime. Easiest access is from Liberty Sate Park in New Jersey, where the motorcoach drops you off right by the ferry access point.

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1. Introduce yourself, as the person in charge, to your driver.

You’d be amazed how often we have to guess or ask around the group to find out who is in charge of things like letting us know when you’re ready to depart, confirm destinations and time schedules, letting us know that all passengers have boarded, etc. Sometimes our paperwork tells us who’s in charge and we can find you, but just as often the person listed on our paperwork is the person who booked the coach for the trip, not the person who’s actually in charge on trip day.

2. Ride Bus #1, and sit in the front of the coach.

If you’ve booked multiple coaches for your group, the overall group leader should ride on the first coach in the group. Sometimes last minute “executive decisions” need to be made en route, and it’s difficult to do that when there’s no one in charge on the first coach. Sit up front where the driver can talk to you if/when necessary, or at least be prepared to move to the front quickly when needed.

3. Make sure your group understands that you’re in charge.

Introduce yourself to your group (or other bus captains) as the “go to” person if there’s a problem or a decision that needs to be made on behalf of the group. Don’t put the driver(s) in the position of having to negotiate between passengers, group leaders, and previously arranged trip plans. The group leader is the contact person between the driver and the group.

4. Allow time to review trip plans with the driver before you depart the pickup point.

Drivers are usually pretty good at double checking trip plans with the group leader, including things like selection of the route, plans for rest stops along the way, etc. But sometimes trips are less well organized and the group leader is so rushed, we’re on the road before we’ve confirmed the details. If things have changed since the original itinerary was given to the driver, it can make it difficult for the driver to make adjustments en route. Also, give the driver the overall picture for the day if it’s not clear from the itinerary. We like to research things like directions and bus parking ahead of time when possible.

5. Remember, the driver likes to eat, too.

Too often groups will try and make up time by eating meals on the bus. That’s not a problem, as long as the group hasn’t already been traveling all day and the driver has had time for a meal. Expecting the driver to eat while driving, or to skip meals altogether, is definitely not a good idea. Make sure your driver has time off — 30 minutes, at least — to get a meal and eat before he has to continue driving at meal times.

6. Allow adequate time for rest stops along the way.

Yes, the coach has a bathroom. But it’s not really designed to handle everyone on the bus using it multiple times during the day — it’s there for emergency use for those who just can’t wait until the next rest stop. With a full bus, you need to allow a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes every 2-3 hours for a bathroom break. Even those who don’t need the bathroom break will enjoy being able to get off the coach and stretch their legs.

7. Exchange cell phone numbers with the driver.

This will usually be initiated by the driver, but don’t hesitate to ask if he/she forgets. You may not need to use the phone numbers, but just in case — things do change — you want to be able to communicate with your driver. He/she needs your number, just as you need theirs. But don’t give the driver’s cell phone number to the rest of the passengers, especially if it’s his personal cell phone number — give them yours, instead.

8. Don’t ask or expect the driver to subsidize the cost of your trip.

Motorcoach drivers rely on gratuities for a substantial part of their income — and that’s good for you and your group — a merit-based pay system! Don’t cut back on the gratuity for your driver because of a cutback in your group’s trip budget. If your driver has done a good job for you, he/she deserves to be paid.

Your motorcoach driver is a professional and can help make your trip a success. We want it to be a great experience for everyone, including you, the group leader! Just a little time, planning, and good communication are all it takes. Your comments or questions are welcome.

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