Shuttle services move groups of people on set routes or charter schedules: airport transfers, hotel and resort loops, wedding guest transport, corporate event shuttles, campus and hospital runs, and brewery or winery tours. Owners and small fleet operators invoice hotels, event planners, businesses, schools, and private groups for trips, hours of vehicle time, and related charges.
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Shuttle work is priced in a few ways depending on the job. Charter and event work is usually billed per hour per vehicle with a minimum of 3 to 5 hours, because the vehicle and driver are committed for the whole block. Airport and point-to-point transfers are often a flat rate per trip or per person, with distance zones. Recurring contracts for hotels, employers, or campuses are commonly a monthly fee or a fixed rate per run or per route-hour. Most operators add separate lines for driver gratuity (or an auto-gratuity of 15 to 20 percent), tolls, parking, fuel surcharges on long trips, wait time past a grace period, deadhead or garage-to-garage mileage for remote pickups, and after-hours or holiday premiums. Vehicle size drives the base rate: a 14-passenger van costs less than a 30-passenger minibus or a 56-passenger coach.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger van charter (12-15 passengers) | per hour | $85-140 |
| Minibus charter (25-35 passengers) | per hour | $110-180 |
| Motorcoach charter (50+ passengers) | per hour | $130-220 |
| Airport transfer, shared shuttle | per person | $20-60 |
| Airport transfer, private van | flat fee per trip | $80-250 |
| Wedding or event shuttle loop | per vehicle, per hour (3-5 hr minimum) | $95-170 |
| Extra wait time past grace period | per 15 minutes | $15-40 |
| Contract route (employer, hotel, campus) | per month | $3,000-12,000 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding guest shuttle, 28-passenger minibus, Saturday 3:00 PM-11:00 PM (hotel to venue loop), 6 hr minimum applied | 8 hours | $140.00 | $1,120.00 |
| Second minibus, same schedule | 8 hours | $140.00 | $1,120.00 |
| Saturday premium surcharge, per vehicle | 2 vehicles | $75.00 | $150.00 |
| Extra wait time past 15-minute grace, venue departure | 3 15-min blocks | $25.00 | $75.00 |
| Tolls and venue parking fee | 1 flat | $38.00 | $38.00 |
| Driver gratuity (18% of transport charges) | 1 flat | $402.84 | $402.84 |
| Total | $2,905.84 | ||
Notes: Booking confirmation #2291, deposit of $500 received 3/2 and applied. Balance due within 7 days of event date. Payment by ACH, check, or card (3% card fee). Overtime beyond the contracted end time is billed at $140 per hour per vehicle.
Clients often have to reconcile the invoice against the itinerary, and this settles disputes about when the clock started and stopped.
Rates change by vehicle size, so the client should see exactly what was provided and billed.
Most charters bill from dispatch to return, and a minimum may apply. Showing the calculation prevents pushback.
Changes made on the day are the most common source of disputes, so itemize them against the original booking.
Pass-through costs should be shown separately so the client sees they are not part of the base rate. Keep receipts.
Clients and event planners need to know whether tip is included, and drivers need a clear record of what was charged.
Corporate and school clients often require proof of authority and insurance for vendor records. Check what applies to your operation and state.
Businesses and schools often won't pay without a PO, and showing deposits avoids double billing.
Most shuttle operators take a deposit of 25 to 50 percent to hold the vehicle and driver for charters and events, with the balance due before the trip or within 7 to 15 days afterward. Corporate, hotel, and school accounts are often net 15 to net 30, sometimes net 45 for larger organizations. Cancellation terms matter: many operators keep the deposit if the client cancels within 7 to 14 days of the date. Late fees of 1.5 percent per month are common if stated in the contract. Payment is typically by ACH, check, or card, and some operators pass on a card processing fee. For one-time private clients, collecting the balance before the trip reduces the risk of chasing payment later.
State the hourly minimum and that time runs garage to garage or from first pickup to last drop-off. Repeat it on the invoice so the client sees the same terms they agreed to.
Driver trip sheets with timestamps for arrival, loading, departure, and return are your proof if a client disputes wait time or overtime. Attach or reference them when billing extras.
If an event planner adds a stop or extends the run by an hour, get it confirmed by text or email and add it to the final invoice right away. Waiting a week makes it harder to collect.
Charter groups often assume tip is included. Adding a stated gratuity percentage to the quote and invoice keeps driver pay consistent and avoids awkward conversations on the day.
For hotel, employer, or campus routes, invoice on the same day each month and list extra runs or special events as separate lines on top of the base fee.
Charters, weddings, and events are usually hourly with a minimum. Airport transfers and fixed-route runs are better as flat per-trip or per-person rates. Contracts can be monthly. Pick the model that matches how your costs behave: if the vehicle is tied up for hours, bill time.
Yes, if you say so in the quote. Many operators bill garage to garage or add a mileage charge for pickups outside their service area. If the client hasn't agreed to it beforehand, it is hard to add afterward.
It varies by state and by type of service. Some states tax charter or ground transportation, some exempt it, and some tax only certain fees. Check with your state department of revenue or an accountant, and show any tax as its own line.
Bill overtime at the rate in your contract, usually your hourly rate or a higher overtime rate, in set increments such as 15 or 30 minutes. Reference your trip log on the invoice.
That depends on your terms. Many operators make deposits nonrefundable inside a set window, since the vehicle and driver were reserved and other bookings may have been turned away. State the policy in the quote, contract, and invoice.
Send a Shuttle Service estimate for approval, then turn it into an invoice when the work is done.
Shuttle Service estimate template