Group Booking: The Options Available in Transport
Day in and day out our QNA section of IHR community page is flooded with queries that are with regard to group travel. In India people find it very difficult to get authentic information about the various options available to them when they prefer to travel in groups.  Especially if the groups  are big enough or prefer not to travel in passenger cars.
Through this post we would like to clear the air about the various traveling options available to people going for sight seeing, educational trips, pilgrimage tours, corporate outing, excursions , Airport transfers et al.  Let`s have a take on what are the options available. Generally  the buses in India falls under Ordinary, Semi Deluxe, Deluxe, Hitech(the state transport runs a lot of these) and Luxury Coaches. Under the ambit of Luxury coaches are the likes of Tempo Traveler, Mini Coaches, Deluxe Coaches, Tata Globus,  Mercedese Benz and off course the Volvo. Luxury Coaches are best for long drives as well as city transfers when you do not mind to loosen the purse string a bit. Before we discuss the options available in terms of group bookings let`s  study a few cases  and the most viable solution.
Case 1: 5  Adults and 4 kids(0-14) needed to go from Delhi to Amritsar
They require comfortable seats with AC.  As the number of passengers in this group comes to a total of 9 a one on one type of seating capacity with pushback seat  is best since they would be traveling for 9- 10 hours.  So the most viable option here would be an air conditioned 9+1 Seater Tempo Traveler
Case 2 : A group  of 22 adults wants an Airport Transfer with AC
For them the right option is to hire a 23+2 Seater Mini A/C Coach
Case 3: A group of 41 adults with 7 infants wants a bus for Bangalore to Ooty

They requure the bus say in the month of November.  Our suggestion is that (a) as  it is winter (b) the journey involves spending close to 8 hours on the bus  (c) With infants around   a comfortable travel is an absolute must. Our suggestion is as infants need no extra seating the best option would be a 45 Seater,  2x2 Pushback Seat Deluxe AC Bus.
Tempo Traveller
Tempo Traveller can be compared to minibus is an ideal option to travel for small groups or a big family. Tempo Travellers are safe have Spacious and comfortable seats with excellent legroom and shoulder room to enhance comfort, ample luggage space. They are a good option for journeys not extending beyond 10 hours. They are available as 5 +Driver, 6+Driver 9+ Driver,12+ Driver, 13+ D seaters. One of the advantage of hiring a Tempo Traveller is that they can reach the areas which are too constricted for a Coach.

(Tempo Traveller)

Toyota Coaster
A Toyota Coaster is a modern vehicle equipped with latest passenger amenities to make the journey comfortable. Sliding doors, seats with arm and lumbar support. Shock absorption and suspension for maximum passenger comfort.  Both 13 +2(Driver plus front seat)  and 17 +2 are popular for group travel.

Mini Coach
Mini Coaches are Buses with a seating capacity which starts from 12 and can go up to 27 persons. They are best for city transfers as well as long distance travels. Seating arrangement is generally 2x1 or 2x2 with comfortable push-back seats. Both AC and Non AC options are available. Other facilities include music system, mobile charger, DVD player, First aid box, Mic facility etal. Some of the choices available in terms of seating capacity include 12 Seater, 15 Seater,16 Seater, 18 Seater, 22 Seater, 23 Seater, 25 Seater and 27 Seater. A recent launch in the mini coach category is the Globus, an 18-seater Air conditioned bus from Tata Motors. Other players in this segment includes Swaraj Mazda Minibus with 18, 21, 23 Seaters and Eicher MiniBus with 18,22, 21 Seaters, Tata 407 Bus 16 and 21 Seater.

Deluxe Buses
Semi Deluxe and Deluxe Buses/Caoches are very popular in India. They come with various seating capacity, option of 2x2 /2x1 Pushback seats, AC and Heating. Seating capacity can be anything between 32 to 56 seats.
Luxury Bus
For groups larger than 27 it is better to go for bigger buses that are more spacious. After the arrival of Volvo Buses the whole concept of Luxury has undergone a sea change. Fully air conditioned these high-end buses can come in as seater, semi sleeper and sleeper. In the seater category following options are available. 29 Seater 35 Seater, 42 Seater, 45 Seater, 49 Seater(mostly 2x2), 56 seater(3x2) in AC and Non Ac category.

(Volvo Bus)

Volvo Buses are great hit in this category. The new Volvo multi-axle bus 9400 B9R, is 13.7 meters in length, which is longer than the existing Volvo B7R inter-city bus. The additional length translates into additional capacity, which means as compared to a B7R with a carrying capacity of 45 this multi-axle coach can carry upto 53 passengers. These buses are available as 4x2 inter-city bus, city bus and 6x2 inter-city bus.

Volvo Semi Sleeper/Sleeper
Semi-sleeper Volvo is single Decker with 2 by 2 seating capacity. Generally they have 9-10 rows of reclining seats with ample leg room as well as  reclining thigh rests. They operate in the category of both AC and Non AC. 2 by 2 and 1+2 Volvo sleeper buses are also available. These Swedish make buses epitomize luxury and the fleet is run by both state and private operators.

(Volvo Seats)
Sleeper Buses
Sleeper Buses are best for long distances recommended for journeys beyond 14 hours. There are 2 options here the semi-sleeper variety which has a a bunk bed over regular seats. They are usually Non AC. The full sleeper buses on the other hand comes with double beds on one side and single bunks on the other. With curtains around the berths which makes it a cubicle.
According to "the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989", there is a strict law regarding the berths in sleeper buses. They are required to maintain the following standards as regards to size. The berth should be 1.75 meter in length, and width between 0.76 meter and 0.9 meter. This means only a single person can be given one berth. According to the law Air-conditioning is also compulsory. It states in no uncertain terms" "Public service vehicle shall be equipped with air-conditioning unit of adequate cooling capacity."  Seating capacity for Sleeper Buses range from 20 to 32.

Ordinary buses
Affordable no frills Buses with 2 X 3 seats. Not much of legroom though. Luggage is carried  on the root of the buses.

Group Bookings of State Buses
APSRTC (Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) rents out their fleet consisting of Volvo, Hitech, Luxury and Mini Buses for private groups. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation(KSRTC) gives a discount of 5 % to group bookings of more than 4. Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) provides a discount in fare @ 10% to a group of 10 or more passengers.
    
Things to Remember  Before Booking a Bus
Seating Capacity: This is a vital point for groups. If you are traveling without any infant and want one person one seat then you have to specify this to the Bus operator/ transport agency from which you are hiring the bus. Taking an example say for a group of 12 people with requirement of 12 seats. The situation would necessitate hiring a 13 seater(12+ Driver).  In that case the ideal option would be a 12+ DriverTempoTraveller.  

Seat Type: Seats play a very important role in comforts , especially in the long journeys. Depending on the length of the journey you have to decide what type of seats do you prefer. In the ordinary 3x2 buses do not expect nothing extra ordinary. If you want push button seats with ample legroom and thigh rest then best option is the 2x2 Deluxe or Luxury Coaches. If there are Specially designed cushions for comfortable sitting. Finally, if you want reclining seats with a considerable angle and thigh rest then indeed Volvo is the only option.
Add Ons:  In India there is no standard concept of the frills that are available to the passengers on board of the buses. As the Bus chassis offered by companies like TATA and Ashok Leyland are customized to individual preferences by private body builders. So for availability of things like fans/curtains/Mic/Music/Video/Mineral water/newspaper/white seat covers/ reading lights/mobile chargers, you have to get a nod from  the operator. Do not assume anything that by paying X amount you are automatically entitled to a set of luxuries(add ons)
Hiring Cost of Buses:  For a group Buses in India generally charge according to a combination of the kilometers run per day multiplied by the number of days of running and number of hours traveled. For a long distance travel in a day it can travel anything between 150 -300 kms per Calendar day. Beyond the designated km/hours  you have to pay for extra. The Hiring Charges are generally calculated on ``Garage out to Garage in`` basis. Other pertinent points in the hire include.

- Toll Taxes: For National Highways or Toll Roads
- State Entry Permit Tax
- Driver`s Daily Allowance or Batta(Synonym for allowance in southern India) within state/outside state
- Parking charges
- Service Tax( wherever applicable)
 - Night halt charges
- Refundable security deposit

All these points might be included in the final quote from the Agency but you should make sure they are to avoid confusions and hassles while you pay the amount.