Choose a date, time line and destination for your charter.
Determine how many people with disabilities and what type of disability will be on the charter. Determine from this information which bus to charter, such as one that must be accessible for wheelchairs.
Contact a bus charter company and determine what size bus you need for your group. Charter a bus larger than its capacity need to help eliminate anxiety related to personal space that some disabled people experience.
Check that the company has insurance, the bus has a current inspection, the bus has state or federal registration numbers visible and the driver has a valid commercial driver's license.
Reserve the bus that suits your needs.
Make a schedule that clearly defines the destination, destination contact information for all stops, estimated departure and arrival times, and estimated stopping schedule for bathroom and food breaks. Provide a detailed schedule to help people with disabilities know what is coming next and how to prepare themselves. Use a large table format with easy-to-read sentences to reduce travel anxiety.
Prepare a packing list for the charter participants. This should include the number of each clothing item to pack, an itemized list of toiletries, cellphone, camera, entertainment items like books, puzzles or MP3 players, and any special items for swimming, hiking or dress-up events.
Provide tips for packing for the limited space on a bus charter. These include putting heavy items on the bottom of a bag, using lightweight bags such as duffel bags, packing only what is necessary and placing all toiletries in plastic bottles, in a zipper bag, in case of spills.
Give adequate warning for stops. This helps ease the transition anxiety some people with disabilities experience.
Remind participants what the stop entails and items they may need to take with them.
Complete a head count at each stop when participants get on or off the bus, to ensure all participants are accounted for. Make sure all participants have the cellphone number of the chaperone or guides in case they get lost or need help.
