The full-size coach, for when everyone's coming

When one coach beats several minibuses

Once a group passes about 35 people, one coach is usually simpler than juggling two or three smaller vehicles. Everyone arrives together, and suitcases go in the underfloor bays rather than on laps. It's the natural choice for cruise and airport transfers with lots of luggage and for multi-day tours.

The exact seat count varies by vehicle, so the quote will state it.

Who can drive it, and for how long

A full-size coach takes a heavier licence than a minibus, plus a state bus driver authorisation on top, so the operator assigns someone who holds both for that vehicle. If your numbers grow and the booking moves up from a midi coach, that can mean a change of driver as well.

In every state and territory that runs the Heavy Vehicle National Law, a coach is a fatigue-regulated bus, and standard hours cap the driver's work at 12 hours in any 24. Western Australia and the Northern Territory manage fatigue under their own schemes. Either way, a very long day may need two drivers or an overnight stop, and the operator plans for it.

On board

• ADR 68 sets seatbelt and seat-strength rules for heavy buses and coaches built from 1 July 1994; route-service buses are excluded
• Western Australia and the Northern Territory have not adopted the HVNL and apply their own fatigue rules
• HVNL standard hours: no more than 12 hours' work in any 24 hours, with at least 7 continuous hours of stationary rest
• A fatigue-regulated bus under the Heavy Vehicle National Law: over 4.5 t GVM and built to carry more than 12 adults, including the driver
• Drivers also need state bus driver authorisation, such as a NSW Bus Driver Authority or Victorian bus driver accreditation
• Two-axle coach over 8 t GVM: MR (medium rigid) licence; three or more axles: HR (heavy rigid), which also covers articulated buses

Where a big coach struggles

Size has trade-offs. On Sydney toll roads, a vehicle over 12.5 m long or 2.8 m high pays the heavy-vehicle toll. At Scenic World in Katoomba, a 2 m clearance keeps coaches out of the car park, so they set down on Violet Street. Narrow hinterland roads, such as the Blackall Range behind the Sunshine Coast, may suit a smaller vehicle better.

Seat belts on board

Touring coaches built since mid-1994 come under the national design rule for seat belts and seat strength, so a coach of that age should have belts fitted. A quick reminder from the driver before setting off means they actually get used.

Your questions

Should we book one coach or two minibuses?

It depends on the day's length, the stops and what's available. Tell us your numbers and bags, and your quote names the vehicle or pair that suits.

Can a coach reach every venue?

Not every one. Tight driveways, low car parks and narrow roads can rule it out, so tell us the addresses and the operator will check the route.

Does a coach have a toilet?

Some coaches have one, but it is not standard on every vehicle. If it matters for a long trip, say so in your request and we will ask.

More trips we can arrange

• Getting your team to the offsite, the dinner and home again
• School excursions and camps, planned around the class
• Getting the team, the kit and the supporters to the game
• Wedding transport that gets every guest there on time
• A day among the vineyards, with someone else driving
• Day trips out of the city, at your group's pace
• From the gangway to your hotel, with the whole group together
• Travelling together when someone uses a wheelchair