New York City is home to numerous major craft beer festivals for connoisseurs to enjoy every year. As the leaves change and the year comes to a close, fall festivities are in full swing for craft beer and cider lovers.
Local breweries can enhance their patrons’ experience by providing services beyond selling quality brews. Companies desiring to immerse patrons in the city’s brew culture can take extra steps to give their customers safe and reliable transportation. Using a private charter bus to shuttle customers to beer festivals and local events from taprooms is an additional service that promotes safety and enriches customer experience. Chartering a bus for a few hours will ensure customers make it to local festivals from your establishment without needing to operate a vehicle.
Whether your brewery is planning to attend local beer festivals as a vendor, offering a transportation service to customers is an often-overlooked courtesy. A private bus gives customers an all-around comfortable experience when leaving breweries and attending events. If your establishment is planning a “kick-off” party of sorts before events like the NYC Craft Beer Festival or the Queens Beer Festival, a bus can easily transport patrons from one location to another.
Bus transportation also streamlines the arrival and departure process among large crowds. Depending on the anticipated number of customers, a brewery has several options of buses to choose as a shuttle. Full-sized charter buses generally accommodate up to 56 passengers and can include additional amenities like on-board restrooms and WiFi. These large options are ideal for companies anticipating large crowds in their taproom before a festival. Minibuses range in capacity between 18 to 25 passengers and are suitable for smaller breweries looking to offer courtesy transportation.
Rental rates are dependent on multiple factors, including size of the bus, distance of travel, and the event’s location. On average, a private charter bus can range from $100 to $185 an hour depending on these various factors. Breweries looking for a short-term rental for an afternoon or evening should expect a quote based on hourly rates with a five-hour minimum for most buses.
Organizing transportation as far in advance as possible, preferably at least 3 months, will ensure your company is quoted the best rental rate. Although last-minute transportation is usually possible to accommodate, reserving a bus far in advance will help minimize the cost of offering customers this secondary service.
While planning pre-festival events in New York and the surrounding area, consider providing private transportation for patrons. Whether you’re planning in advance for TAP NYC 2019 or better yet, an NYSBA Craft Brewers Festival, a charter bus is a valued, yet often forgotten service.
