Good Companies for transporting fans

[charic]

Hi all,

My band have been approached for a good opportunity to gig in london but it's a case of buying tickets ahead of schedule and then selling them on (I know, I know...). We're looking at trying to get as many people along as possible obviously and was looking at Minibuses and the like.

Anyone know of any decent/cheap companies?

[Mykesbass]

If you are looking at firms who supply bus and driver be careful, these days they all need to be licensed for hire & reward, otherwise they won't be insured. This is even the case for van and driver if they take a passenger. I looked in to getting a splitter bus a few years back and would have had to go through the licensing process for that with the local council. Also, if you are hiring just the bus you will need someone with category D on their license which doesn't come as standard these days.

[ambient]

Possibly a bit if a silly suggestion, but train companies usually offer good discounts for groups.

[charic]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1406196435' post='2509175']
If you are looking at firms who supply bus and driver be careful, these days they all need to be licensed for hire & reward, otherwise they won't be insured. This is even the case for van and driver if they take a passenger. I looked in to getting a splitter bus a few years back and would have had to go through the licensing process for that with the local council. Also, if you are hiring just the bus you will need someone with category D on their license which doesn't come as standard these days.
[/quote]

Noted! Thanks

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1406198197' post='2509199']
Possibly a bit if a silly suggestion, but train companies usually offer good discounts for groups.
[/quote]

Not a silly suggestion at all, I'll look into it

[discreet]

Some fans awaiting transportation yesterday. Yes I know, it's hot isn't it..?

[charic]

Off to bad jokes with you!

[discreet]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1406200019' post='2509221']
Off to bad jokes with you!
[/quote]

Hee, hee. Sorry. Another vote here for public transport. It's not perfect but it's better than trying to drive and park in town.

[Number6]

In London Town public transport is without doubt the best option.....whereabouts in London are we talking about?

[ambient]

Don't forget National express too, possibly better than trains they run later.

[charic]

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1406203108' post='2509260']
In London Town public transport is without doubt the best option.....whereabouts in London are we talking about?
[/quote]

Bethnal Green I think it was, I'm rubbish at keeping track though

[Number6]

Bethnal Green has very good transport links. Only a tube stop from Liverpool St station and lots of buses.....

[charic]

Excellent

How's the music scene round there these days? (Derailing my own thread haha)

[TheRev]

My band has taken a couple of minibusses of fans from Dorset to Lon-Don but we drove them ourselves. Because of the length of time involved (2.5 hour each way plus 4 or 5 hours at the venue) we would have needed two drivers for each bus, which made the whole premise uneconomical.

[Number6]

Still pretty good in that part of E London.....

[Roger2611]

Back on the topic of minibuses, you have Rent Direct in Peterborough and Cambridge who may offer minibuses, you also have Long Marsh in Kettering / Corby who definitely rent minibuses, bear in mind that following the crash for cash scams that have been rattling around for the last few years a lot of daily rental companies don't run minibuses and those that do will usually be "customers own insurance only" all of the Long Marsh ones will be fully tracked and may well have both front and rear facing cameras fitted by now (1 crash for cash claim on a minibus can make the rental company un-insurable the following year!)

Both Rent Direct and Long Marsh are members of the company I work for I would happily recommend either

[4-string-thing]

Slightly off topic, but some years ago, the originals band I was in was offered a gig in Fulham, which we decided to do. The deal was that we had to bring people, pay for the sound engineer and print our own flyers. The idea being that we got the admission money of anyone who handed in our flyer. So, we hired a van for the band, and 2 minibuses for our "fans" (aka mates) The band drove down in the afternoon and the minibuses later on (2 mates roped in to driving) Costs went something like this, bearing in mind it was 1994/5. Van: £60. Minibuses:£120. Finishing work early: £20 each. Petrol:£100. Parking for the minibuses:£14. Engineer £25. Beers for our "fans" £20. There was also food/drinks for the band etc. Total cost was well over £300, door receipts were in the region of £12 as most of our mates forgot that they were supposed to hand in the flyers as they paid their £3. Good crowd though, the same 20 people that we could play to any time we liked in Leicester!

Sad thing is, we did it 3 times in total.... I quit the band after the third time.

[lurksalot]

Why didn't you stand at the door giving out flyers to all and sundry

[4-string-thing]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1406232867' post='2509681']
Why didn't you stand at the door giving out flyers to all and sundry
[/quote]

I wish I knew