Transportation is considered to be one of the most important services offered to people attending a meeting. It is usually one of the biggest budget items and needs to be planned carefully to ensure maximum reliability. Meeting planners need to make certain choices in advance such as the right providers and types of vehicles in order to keep attendees satisfied and happy. Below are things that need to be taken into consideration when deciding on ground transportation:

Vehicles

There are several types of vehicles that can be used to move attendees, such as coaches, vans, sedans and limousines. Meeting planners need to make a decision based on the number of people to move, the duration of the journey and whether guests need to arrive at the same time or not.

Deluxe coaches can be used to transfer 45 to 55 people. If you decide to use one, you need to make sure that the company briefs their drivers at least 30 minutes in advance of departure about their routes. Find out everything, from the type of uniforms that will be used to any charges incurred such as taxes, tolls, gratuity, and fuel surcharges. If the company wants to use a standard coach you should make sure that is not older than 6 years. Lastly, you should ask the company to add your organization as an additional insured entity.

Mini coaches can transfer 21 to 33 passengers depending on the extra space needed for the luggage. Although mini coaches are preferred especially for smaller groups they can be quite uncomfortable when the road is bumpy and they rarely have restrooms.

Deluxe vans can handle up to 11 passengers depending on their size. They are frequently used to transfer people from the airports to the hotels as well as for small tours. A major drawback is that they are difficult to load and can be quite uncomfortable. Charges are usually hourly with a two-hour minimum. Sometimes rates are based on a one-way cost.

Sedans and limousines are used for VIP transportation with the latter having diminished in the past five years. Rates for sedans are based on a minimum with additional hourly charges. If you decide to use a limo, make sure you use a color such as black or silver for a more professional appearance.

Providers

After deciding on the type of vehicles that will be used, the next step is to choose a good shuttle company in your chosen destination. The property can provide you with a list of companies that are mostly used in the area by groups. You can choose some of these companies from the list and call to ask for recommendation and routing samples in order to make your final choice.

Arriving at the Airport

There are several ways to deal with guests at the airport depending on how they arrive:

• If most guests arrive at the same time with a charter flight, there can be arrangements to be picked up on the tarmac. A luggage truck can be used (especially when bags have been grouped together on the outbound flight) to avoid the wait and the frenzy at the carousel.
• If there are mostly scattered arrivals, with people arriving throughout the day on different flights, a travel manifest should be used with all these details in chronological order (passenger names, airlines, flight numbers, and cities of embarkation). This manifest should be given to the destination management company or transportation firm two weeks before the day of the arrival. Incoming arrivals (from the manifest) will be grouped and put on the desired mode of transportation.
• If there are large groups arriving at the airport, it would be better to provide a dedicated transportation from the airport to the hotel. Schedule departures should be every 10 to 15 minutes. You need to make sure you have a sufficient number of coach seats to carry passengers especially when the majority arrives within a short window of time. Rates are usually based on a per-vehicle charge, with staffing charges added.
• You should hire three professionals to meet and greet the guests at the airport. These professionals should be familiar with the airport, the vehicle staging areas and pick-up locales. You need to let them know about their responsibilities at least 30 minutes prior to the first arrival. Usually one greeter will be meeting and greeting the guests, one will be at the carousel area and another will be in charge of staging and call-up of transportation. All greeters should carry appropriate signs, wear recognizable uniforms and meet guests at the entrance to the luggage area.

Tours

When making arrangements for tour buses you need to make sure the coach is at the point of departure 30 minutes in advance. You should also tip the driver in advance and discuss with him how best to stay in touch if the group is disembarking for a walking tour or attraction. You need to check that the microphone works, the restroom is clean and the coach is filled to less than capacity (as the back row has limited views due to the restroom). Lastly, you should make sure the first seat is blocked for yourself or the tour guide.

Confirmation

All vehicles used should be confirmed twice, 48 hours in advance and on the same day.