By Allan Lynch
While Steppenwolf celebrated unscripted adventure, sports teams have schedules to keep and no time for unplanned diversions.
After years of pandemic disruption which parked buses, sports are mobile again, but there are changes, including reduced motorcoach availability. Vince Accardi, president of Motor Coach Canada (MCC) says, “The number of coach companies and number of available coaches across Canada dropped about 25%. However, our fleet today is about 90% of what it was pre-pandemic.”
The squeeze on motorcoach availability means sports teams should consider chartering as far out as possible. Accardi says, “There are periods throughout the year when there is very little coach availability” as teams compete with the tourism sector and conference season. Advance booking also provides the opportunity for price flexibility.
The other pandemic decline is a team-level loss of experience in booking transportation. To help, MCC and the Ontario Motor Coach Association launched a website, motorcoachcharters.ca, as a one-stop resource to help sport event organizers find reputable suppliers and know their rights.
The website provides guidance on how to charter a motorcoach, offers a list of appropriate questions to ask of any coach company, cross-border information, driver hours and quote request form. “We will send their request to all the motorcoach operators in our network,” Accardi says. “Operators… have to apply to be members, so they’re vetted. That helps our industry know they are working with good quality partners and reliable operators.”
INSURANCE AND COSTS
From the client perspective, Andy Campbell, communications manager with the University of New Brunswick’s (UNB) athletic department and UNB REDS sports teams, which have 40 road trips planned for the 2024-25 season, advises, “Ensure your carrier is adequately insured. Organizers may want to explore or engage further insurance for the individuals who will be travelling.”
“Costs will vary depending on how long you’re gone and how long your days will be. Most carriers, after 10 hours, will start to charge you overtime. If you need a second driver because your day is longer than a driver is allowed to work, it will cost you more,” Campbell adds.
SAVE DRIVING
It’s important to understand that, like airline pilots, Transport Canada restricts the number of hours a driver can work each day. Transport Canada’s Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations stipulate no driver shall drive after accumulating 13 hours of driving, or 14 hours of work, in a day.
Allowances are made for emergencies and adverse driving conditions. Campbell recommends including 15-20 minutes to pack and board the bus in judging timelines, and “in the winter, allow time for slower travel time due to road conditions and be prepared for road closures and/or detours.”
The UNB REDS have an annual charter contract with Trius Group in Fredericton. “I get an itinerary for every trip that leaves this place,” says Trius’s Charter Bus Service manager Angie Thibault. The itinerary is deeply detailed, stipulating the start and stop point and everything in between: route, rest stops, departure and arrival times, game times, facility details, including bus access, drop-off, and parking details.
“They sign a service agreement that under no circumstances is the itinerary changed. If they decide instead of going to McDonald’s they want to go to Wendy’s, no big deal as long as they consult with the driver first. But adding hours to the day or making abrupt changes can’t be done,“ Thibault says.” On-road requests can be considered if they’re within the driver’s hours of service and if Thibault and the driver agree.
In return for the itinerary, Thibault provides the client with paperwork “explaining our maintenance schedule for every bus,” including the frequency of inspections for each motorcoach.
Otherwise, Thibault says, “The driver knows best.” Whatever the road conditions appear to be, “my driver has the last say. If the road conditions don’t deem fit for travel, I pull those buses into the first hotel they find.” The detail equates to a surprise-free, safer experience.
Pre-charter Checklist
- Ensure the operator has sufficient insurance by asking for the names of their insurance companies and policy numbers. Canadian provinces and territories require $8 million in public liability insurance for buses.
- Ask for references attesting to the company’s safety performance and service quality.
- Find out about the fleet’s most recent mechanical inspections.
- Ask questions about driver training and evaluation. Ask about 24-hour backup measures and contingency plans to minimize potential disruption and delays enroute.
Visit Motor Coach Charters Canada.
Published March 2025
