Frequently Asked Questions

We want to provide you the best service possible! As such, our drivers need the kind of information you can provide us in an itinerary to pre-plan for the trip.  Also, we require our drivers to strictly follow the Hours of Service Rules.  These rules tell us how many hours drivers can drive and be on duty while at work, and how much rest they must receive between work assignments.  Your detailed itinerary, provided to us no later than 14 days in advance, will help us determine if any adjustments need to be made to stay in compliance with these laws.

Yes.  There are rules the driver must follow regarding how long they can work in a day, how many hours they can drive in a day, how much time they must have off each day, and the maximum time that the driver can work in a week – amongst other rules.  These Hours of Service regulations are different for Canada and the United States.   The only real limit to distance driven in a day depends on how many hours the driver can drive during the day.  For more information, please look at the following links:  Canada: https://www.motorcoachcanada.com/hours-of-service/ or in the United States:  https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/HOS_VisorCard.pdf 

A valid Canadian Passport is required for Canadian Citizens to enter the United States at land border crossings.  Citizens of other countries will require passports for their country of citizenship, plus any visas or other documentation which may be required.  We suggest this documentation is applied for by your passengers well in advance of departure to avoid disappointment.  Nagel Coaches will require that a list of all passengers, with passport and other information as necessary, be sent on a manifest to the US border crossing point of your choice.  This must be done no less than 72 hours before the crossing is scheduled to take place.  For more information, please talk to our charter reservations specialists regarding border crossings.

Nagel Coaches has licenses from the Province of Alberta for trips both within the province, and outside of the province.  We also have operating authority with the United States Department of Transport.  As such, we can take you anywhere within Canada, and anywhere withn the United States that can be reached by a land crossing.

We include all costs associated with the bus and driver. EXCEPTIONS include bus parking, highway tolls, airport pickup fees, any admittance fees for the coach to places like national parks, cost for the coach to ride in the vehicle hold of a ferry, and any hotel room(s) for the driver in the case of a multi-day trip.

We need a deposit at time of booking to secure a motor coach assignment for your trip.  14 days before your departure, we require payment in full for your service as outlined on your invoice.  Any payments made are non-refundable. 

The Province of Alberta requires us to carry a minimum of $2 Million liability policy, but we made the responsible decision to carry $5 Million.

At times, your passengers may want to bring along a minor child without the child’s parents accompanying them on the trip.  This can be challenging, even if the trip only travels within Canada!  The party that is accepting responsibility is going to require a detailed letter giving the unaccompanied minor permission to travel with you,.  This needs to include specific details as to dates, times, and locations for travel.  Please discuss these needs with our charter reservations specialist ahead of departure.

No,  these are up to the charter group to organize themselves.

Smoking tobacco or cannabis products on board a motor coach are forbidden by Federal Law in Canada, so you cannot smoke on our motor coaches.  We also do not allow vaping.  Drinking alcohol is also generally against the law on a motor coach, although there are ways where a chartering party can get an alcohol license for their event while the motor coach is within Alberta.  Ask our charter reservation experts for more information regarding how you can get such a license.

Yes, we do allow food and drinks on board the coach.  We ask that all drink containers have a lid to prevent spillage.  We also prefer that foods like nuts and seeds in the shell are not brought on board the coach. 

It is customary to show appreciation to your driver at the end of the trip.  All gratuities are, of course, at your discretion, and should reflect the level of service you received.  For this reason, we do not include a gratuity as part of your charter quote or payment.  As a suggestion, $2-$3 per person would be reasonable for a day trip, with $3-$4 per person per day being appropriate for a trip that covers more than one day.

Yes, our motor coaches are equipped with an onboard washroom for emergency use only.  Our toilets are chemical toilets only, and although they are equipped with separate holding tanks there is limited capacity.  Our drivers take pride in keeping the toilets serviced, but sometimes service locations are not readily available. Therefore, we suggest regular washroom breaks so that your group is comfortable and able to use washrooms off of the coach as much as possible.

Our drivers are assigned coaches and take care in keeping their coaches clean.  We ensure they are cleaned in depth before each trip, and are cleaned each night while away.  Drivers will also do periodic cleaning tasks throughout the day at breaks and stops.

We take our coaches to the best local independent heavy truck and coach shops available to us on a regular basis.  Not only do we complete the mandatory 6 month Commercial Vehicle Inspections for the Province of Alberta, we also do monthly inspections which ensure our vehicles are kept in top-notch mechanical shape.  Our drivers are responsible for daily inspections, as per the law, and are also responsible for ensuring our vehicles are maintained according to our corporate policies and generally accepted standards.