About OurBus Charters
We're the operations team behind more than 15,000 group trips. OurBus Charters arranges private charters through DOT-compliant operators we vet ourselves, and one coordinator stays with your trip from the first quote to the final drop-off.
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OurBus Charters at a Glance
Every block in New York has its own rules — loading zones, curb access, tunnel timing, event closures. We plan group transportation around these realities so your arrival is never a guessing game.
What we are
A managed charter bus rental and group transportation company, headquartered in New York City.
Operating since 2023
Part of OurBus Inc., which has run scheduled intercity routes since 2016.
Coverage
Nationwide across the United States, plus Toronto, Canada. Dedicated local coverage in 40+ metros.
Headquarters
66 Hudson Boulevard East, New York, NY 10001
Contact
Phone: 844-200-2364 • Email: [email protected]
Credentials
Registered with the FMCSA and operating to Department of Transportation standards. Every carrier we assign holds active FMCSA operating authority and carries a minimum of $5 million in liability coverage for vehicles seating 16 or more passengers. Certificate of Insurance available on request.
A Group Transportation Company, Not a Bus Directory
OurBus Charters is a managed charter bus rental company that arranges private group transportation across the United States and in Toronto, using a network of vetted, DOT-compliant local operators. Corporate teams, schools, wedding parties, churches, sports teams and event planners come to us when they need a bus, or twelve, and need the logistics to hold up on the day. What that looks like in practice: you tell us the date, the route and the headcount. We match the trip to an operator we have already vetted and to the right vehicle, anything from a sprinter van to a 56-passenger coach, then quote you one all-in price and build the itinerary around your actual schedule rather than a generic hourly block. One coordinator owns the trip from that first quote through to the final drop-off, and there is a live team on duty if something moves on the day. What it does not look like: a search result that collects your details and sells them to whoever pays the highest referral fee. A lot of the sites competing for your search are doing exactly that. We coordinate the trip, we stay accountable for it, and we tell you which carrier is operating your bus.
OurBus runs scheduled, ticketed intercity bus routes you book a seat on. OurBus Charters books private buses for a group that travels together, on a route and schedule you set. Same company, same operating standards, two different ways to travel. If you're looking for a ticket on a scheduled route, you want ourbus.com.
Our Story in Four Milestones
The same team that built scheduled routes now manages private charters with the same dispatch discipline.
- 01
OurBus launches in 2016
Our parent company starts scheduled intercity routes in the Northeast, built on a simple idea: run buses where people actually want to travel, and use technology to prove demand before a route exists.
- 02
Scaling the network
OurBus grows across the Northeast and Midwest, moving millions of passengers and building dispatch, tracking and operator management in-house. Along the way we learn what separates a reliable operator from a cheap one — because when a route runs every day, you find out fast.
- 03
Charters launches — year to confirm
Groups already traveling with us start asking for buses of their own: conference shuttles, campus trips, wedding transport. OurBus Charters is created to handle private group travel properly, with the same operator standards and the same dispatch discipline.
- 04
Today
More than 15,000 group trips managed, dedicated local coverage in 40+ metros, and a nationwide network of vetted operators.
The Numbers Behind the Service
Group trips managed end to end
Live trip support, reachable by phone on the day you travel
Metros with dedicated local coverage, plus nationwide service anywhere in the US
Ratings for OurBus, our parent brand, across 14,000 Trustpilot and 7,000 Google reviews
Three Ways to Book a Bus, and Where We Fit
There are three kinds of company in a "charter bus near me" search, and they are not the same business. Knowing which one you're talking to tells you what you're actually buying.
Who they are
OurBus Charters
A managed network - we coordinate the trip and assign a vetted operator
A local fleet operatorOwns buses, employs drivers, works a home region
A lead-generation siteOwns nothing. Collects your enquiry and sells it on
Coverage
OurBus Charters
Nationwide, with dedicated local coverage in 40+ metros
A local fleet operatorStrong locally, limited beyond it
A lead-generation siteClaims every city in the country
Who vets the carrier
OurBus Charters
We do, before the operator ever enters the network
A local fleet operatorThemselves - it's their fleet
A lead-generation siteNobody. Whoever answers first gets the job
Who owns your itinerary
OurBus Charters
One named coordinator, from quote to drop-off
A local fleet operatorTheir dispatcher
A lead-generation siteNobody. You're now the other company's customer
What you pay
OurBus Charters
One all-in price, locked at booking
A local fleet operatorTheir own rate
A lead-generation siteWhatever the operator who bought your lead decides to charge
If something changes on the day
OurBus Charters
Call us. 24/7, same team that booked it
A local fleet operatorCall their office
A lead-generation siteCall whoever you ended up with
| A local fleet operator | A lead-generation site | OurBus Charters | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who they are | Owns buses, employs drivers, works a home region | Owns nothing. Collects your enquiry and sells it on | A managed network - we coordinate the trip and assign a vetted operator |
| Coverage | Strong locally, limited beyond it | Claims every city in the country | Nationwide, with dedicated local coverage in 40+ metros |
| Who vets the carrier | Themselves - it's their fleet | Nobody. Whoever answers first gets the job | We do, before the operator ever enters the network |
| Who owns your itinerary | Their dispatcher | Nobody. You're now the other company's customer | One named coordinator, from quote to drop-off |
| What you pay | Their own rate | Whatever the operator who bought your lead decides to charge | One all-in price, locked at booking |
| If something changes on the day | Call their office | Call whoever you ended up with | Call us. 24/7, same team that booked it |
We'll be straight about the trade-off: we don't own the buses. For a simple local trip, a good operator in your own city is a perfectly sensible choice, and we'd tell you so. What a network gives you is coverage no single fleet has, one contract across multiple cities, and a vetting standard applied consistently to every operator who touches your trip. Here is exactly what that standard is.
How We Vet Every Operator Before a Bus Is Assigned
Every charter site says "vetted operators." Almost none of them says what that means. Here is our checklist, in the order we run it - and what gets an operator removed from the network.
Active federal operating authority
We look the operator up in the FMCSA system and confirm their USDOT number and operating authority are active and in good standing. We verify it at the source; we don't take the number off their letterhead.
Safety rating and inspection history
We review the carrier's SAFER record: safety rating, roadside inspection results and crash history. A Conditional or Unsatisfactory rating disqualifies an operator outright.
Insurance, verified and current
We hold a certificate of insurance on file for every operator in the network, with a minimum of $5 million in liability coverage for vehicles carrying 16 or more passengers. We re-check it at renewal. Lapsed coverage means no dispatch, without exception.
Driver standards
Drivers hold a commercial driver's license with a passenger endorsement, and the operator must run background checks and a DOT drug and alcohol testing program. Hours-of-service rules are built into the itinerary before you see it - including a relief driver where the schedule requires one.
Vehicle condition
We check fleet age, maintenance records and the operator's pre-dispatch inspection routine. The vehicle assigned to your group is inspected before it leaves for pickup.
Performance, tracked after the trip
On-time arrival, vehicle condition on arrival and post-trip feedback are recorded against the operator. Repeated failures take an operator out of the network - a good rate doesn't keep anyone in it.
Safety Standards We Don't Negotiate On
Federal compliance
Every carrier we assign holds active FMCSA operating authority and meets Department of Transportation standards for passenger service. No authority, no dispatch.
Insurance you can verify
A minimum of $5 million in liability coverage on every vehicle carrying 16 or more passengers, the federal requirement for for-hire passenger carriers, confirmed by certificate before the trip is confirmed.
Driver hours and fatigue
Federal hours-of-service limits are planned into your itinerary from the start. On long or multi-day trips that means a relief driver or an overnight, costed into the quote - never a driver pushed past the limit to save a line item.
Vehicle standards
Maintenance records reviewed at onboarding, pre-dispatch inspection before every trip, and a replacement vehicle dispatched if one fails inspection.
If something goes wrong on the road, you call one number and our dispatch team works the problem with the operator - you're not left negotiating with a company you've never spoken to. Federal guidance on chartering a bus safely is published by the FMCSA, and we'd encourage any group organizer to read it.
What Every OurBus Charters Booking Includes
A named coordinator, not a ticket number: the same person from quote to drop-off.
24/7 trip-day support, with a real person reachable by phone.
One all-in price, covering driver, fuel, tolls and mileage. No line items appearing after you've committed.
Written confirmation, of pickup times, stops and driver details before departure.
Vetted operators only, federal authority, insurance and inspection record checked before a bus is assigned.
A named coordinator, not a ticket number: the same person from quote to drop-off.
24/7 trip-day support, with a real person reachable by phone.
One all-in price, covering driver, fuel, tolls and mileage. No line items appearing after you've committed.
Written confirmation, of pickup times, stops and driver details before departure.
Vetted operators only, federal authority, insurance and inspection record checked before a bus is assigned.
- Deposit to reserve
- 10-25% of the trip total
- Changes
- Itinerary or timing changes are usually accommodated up to 72 hours before departure
- Your price
- Locked in at booking. It changes only if you change the trip - added mileage, extra hours, or a different vehicle type
- Typical rates
- $130-$350 per hour with a 5-hour minimum. A five-hour booking typically totals $650-$1,750 depending on the vehicle
- Balance
- Due 15 days before the trip
- Cancellation
- Full refund if you cancel at least 15 days before travel. Inside 15 days, partial charges may apply depending on operator commitments
Rates vary by vehicle, distance, city and season. Our pricing guide explains what moves a quote up or down before you ask for one.
The Groups We Move
We plan trips with the city's streets, timing, and venue restrictions in mind.
Corporate Transportation
Offsites, conference shuttles and client events, with loading windows planned around your agenda rather than ours.
Wedding Bus Rental
Guest shuttles that run on the timeline the venue actually enforces, including the late loop back to the hotel.
Field Trip Bus Rental
Roster counts, chaperone seating and school-approved pickup, coordinated with the people who sign the permission slips.
Church Bus Rental
Sunday services, retreats and conferences, for congregations moving anywhere from 25 to 250 people.
Shuttle Bus Rental
Continuous loop shuttles for venues, festivals and hotel-to-event transfers, with headway planned to your door count.
Private Charter Bus Rental
A bus and driver dedicated to your group only, on your route and schedule.
Where We Operate
We coordinate charter bus rentals across the United States and in Toronto, Canada. More than 40 metros have dedicated local coverage, with a city page covering pickup points, common routes and the parking and permit rules that actually affect your trip - and groups traveling anywhere else in the country are served through the same vetted operator network.
New York Charter Bus Rental
Washington DC Charter Bus Rental
Philadelphia Charter Bus Rental
Boston Charter Bus Rental
Chicago Charter Bus Rental
Los Angeles Charter Bus Rental
Orlando Charter Bus Rental
Charlotte Charter Bus Rental
The People Behind Your Trip
Group transport goes wrong in the gaps: between the quote and the confirmation, between the confirmation and the curb. These are the people whose job is to close them.
Narinder Singh - Co-Founder & CEO, OurBus
Narinder has worked at the intersection of transportation and technology for 25 years, previously running an express courier firm and a logistics company before founding OurBus in 2016.
Axel Hellman - Co-Founder & Transportation Planner, OurBus
Axel plans and builds bus networks, with prior roles at New Jersey Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and research background in private-sector transit models.
The People Behind Your Trip
Group transport goes wrong in the gaps: between the quote and the confirmation, between the confirmation and the curb. These are the people whose job is to close them.
Narinder Singh - Co-Founder & CEO, OurBus
Narinder has worked at the intersection of transportation and technology for 25 years, previously running an express courier firm and a logistics company before founding OurBus in 2016.
Axel Hellman - Co-Founder & Transportation Planner, OurBus
Axel plans and builds bus networks, with prior roles at New Jersey Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and research background in private-sector transit models.
Talk to the Team
Ourbus Charters
66 Hudson Boulevard East, New York, NY 10001
This is our registered address. We are a distributed team and do not take visitors here, so please call or email and we will get straight to you.
Contact
Phone: 844-200-2364
Support: [email protected]
Sales: [email protected]
Phone hours: 8:00 am - 8:00 pm EST
Trip day support: 24/7
Credentials
Registered with the FMCSA. Every carrier we assign holds active operating authority and a minimum of $5 million in liability coverage. You can check any carrier's safety record free on the FMCSA SAFER database.
Testimonials from New York Travelers
Monica L.
Call times were tight and crew members were coming from different hotels. The pickup list was followed exactly as shared. That level of precision matters on shoot days.
Luis C.
I’ve coordinated a lot of group movement over the years. What stood out here was clarity - timing, pricing, expectations. Nothing had to be interpreted mid-day.
Omar D.
We arranged transportation for an offsite strategy session. The vehicle size matched our group well and the pickup instructions were clear from the start. It ran exactly as outlined.
FAQs
Same company, different service. OurBus runs scheduled, ticketed intercity bus routes you book a seat on. OurBus Charters arranges private buses for groups traveling together on their own route and schedule. Both operate under OurBus Inc. and apply the same operator standards.
No, and we'd rather say so plainly. We're a managed network: we coordinate your trip and assign it to a local operator we've already vetted for federal authority, insurance and safety record. That's what lets us cover 40+ metros nationwide instead of one region, and we'll tell you which carrier is operating your bus.
We verify active USDOT operating authority in the FMCSA system, review the carrier's SAFER safety rating and inspection history, hold a current certificate of insurance on file, and confirm driver licensing, background checks and drug and alcohol testing. A Conditional or Unsatisfactory safety rating disqualifies an operator outright.
Yes. OurBus Charters is registered with the FMCSA, and every carrier we assign holds active FMCSA operating authority and carries a minimum of $5 million in liability coverage for vehicles seating 16 or more passengers. We can provide a Certificate of Insurance on request. You can check any carrier's record free on the FMCSA SAFER database before you travel.
Nationwide across the United States, plus Toronto, Canada. More than 40 metros have dedicated local coverage with their own city page, and groups traveling anywhere else in the country are served through the same vetted operator network.
Itinerary or timing changes are usually accommodated up to 72 hours before departure. Your price changes only if you change the trip itself, such as adding mileage, extra hours or a larger vehicle.
Most trips run $130-$350 per hour with a five-hour minimum, so a five-hour booking usually totals between $650 and $1,750. The final figure depends on vehicle size, distance, city and season. Our pricing guide breaks down what moves a quote, and a custom quote is free.
Your quote is all-in and locked at booking: driver, fuel, tolls and mileage included. It changes only if you change the trip itself, such as adding mileage, extra hours or a larger vehicle. Reserve with a 10-25% deposit, and itinerary or timing changes are usually accommodated up to 72 hours before departure.