Spring break is upon us again, which means many school groups will be organizing trips with their students. Bus travel can be an enjoyable and economical way to travel with such a large group. If you’re an administrator planning a student trip this spring break, here are some travel trips you should know.

Choose the time of day you will travel wisely

When traveling with a large group, the last thing you want is to be stuck in rush hour traffic. Research your origin and destination points ahead of time to find out when would be the best time to travel and avoid any unnecessary traffic.

Plan ample time for rest stops

No matter how long or short your trip is, students will need plenty of stops along the way to stretch their legs, take bathrooms breaks, and have meals. Plan these rest area stops into your itinerary and total travel time. Take into account how many students you have and how long it will take for them to wait in lines when scheduling your stops.

Plan on-board entertainment

Charter buses these days are equipped with many on-board amenities to make your trip more enjoyable. At ESCOT Bus Lines, many of our coaches offer flat-screen monitors so your group can enjoy movies or educational videos on the road, in addition to free Wi Fi. Make sure you bring any DVDs or CDs you want to view with you. We also offer 110V outlets on board so your group can plug in their own devices and keep them working at optimal performance, if they prefer to enjoy personal entertainment.

Set luggage requirements

One of the advantages of bus travel is that you’re not limited to the small luggage requirements most airlines set these days and none of those annoying baggage fees! Make sure you set clear luggage requirements for all students well ahead of time. Depending on the length of your trip, you may tell students they can bring one small bag to carry on the bus with them, and one or two larger bags or suitcases to stow underneath the bus. Inform all students of the luggage policies in advance so they have plenty of time to pack and repack. And of course, remind them that they may want to come home with souvenirs so they need to make sure they leave some space in their luggage for new items on the way back.

Wherever this spring break takes you, be sure to check back in with the ESCOT blog for more tips, how-tos, and specials about student travel. Happy travels!