We hope you find our site easy to use, however just in case, we have answered some of the frequently asked questions. Please select your question from the list below. If your question is not answered here then please feel free to contact us.
GENERAL: What is the difference between Coach USA and ShortLine?
GENERAL: Is smoking or alcoholic beverages allowed aboard your vehicles?
GENERAL: What kind of identification is needed for crossing the US / Canadian border?
GENERAL: What is Worldpay?
SCHEDULED SERVICE: How close to schedule do the buses run?
SCHEDULED SERVICE: Where can I find information on schedules, ticket agent locations, routes, etc?
SCHEDULED SERVICE: Do I need a reservation to travel on your scheduled services?
SCHEDULED SERVICE: What forms of payment do you accept?
SCHEDULED SERVICE: How do I get my local bus schedule?
SCHEDULED SERVICE: I've entered my origin state / province and city, so why can't I pick the destination I'm looking for?
CHARTER & TOUR: What is the difference between Charter Services and Tour Services?
CHARTER: What is a charter and how much do they cost?
CHARTER: Where do you have authority to travel?
CHARTER: What kind of vehicles are available for charter?
CHARTER: Who drives your vehicles?
CHARTER: How far ahead should I make arrangements?
CHARTER: Where can I load my bus?
TOUR SERVICES: What time will I arrive home after the trip?
TOUR SERVICES: When do I get my tickets and/or confirmation?
GENERAL: What is the difference between Coach USA and ShortLine?
Answer: Coach USA owns over 25 local companies in North America that operate scheduled bus routes, motorcoach tours, charters, and city sightseeing tours. While owned by Coach USA, ShortLine is independently managed and operated to meet the specific needs of the communities we serve. Coach USA is a division of the Stagecoach Group, a Scottish-based leading global transportation company.
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GENERAL: Is smoking or alcoholic beverages allowed aboard your vehicles?
Answer: Answer: For the health and safety of our passengers and drivers, smoking is not allowed on any of our vehicles. Groups that have chartered our buses may transport unopened alcoholic beverage containers in the luggage bays for use at their destination.
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GENERAL: What kind of identification is needed for crossing the US / Canadian border?
Answer: If your trip involves crossing the US / Canadian border, be sure to carry your birth certificate with raised seal of the state of birth or a valid passport as proof of citizenship. Any other international travel requires a passport valid for 6 months after the return date of trip. Married women using a birth certificate for identification should also carry their marriage or divorce certificates with them since the name on their birth certificate will be their maiden name. Non-U.S. citizens must have proper travel visas and travel documents for entry into Canada and re-entry in to the U.S. as they are frequently asked to show their travel papers.
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GENERAL: What is Worldpay?
Answer: Worldpay is our trusted and secure online payment processor and part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, the 5th biggest banking group in the world. In an age where protecting online credit card information is so critical, we have made a strategic decision to team up with Worldpay. Near the end of an online purchase from our website, your browser will be redirected to the secure Worldpay website, which will collect and process your credit card information.
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SCHEDULED SERVICE: How close to schedule do the buses run?
Answer: We strive for on time performance and reliability while providing professional and courteous service. Occasionally there can be delays caused by traffic or weather. Please choose a bus schedule that permits ample time to for unforeseen delays.
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SCHEDULED SERVICE: Where can I find information on schedules, ticket agent locations, routes, etc?
Answer: Use the Origin - Destination search box under scheduled services to verify service exists. If nothing comes up, regrettably that area isn't served, but you can look for other nearby towns among the options. Once you have pulled up your particular schedule, look for links to relevant details.
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SCHEDULED SERVICE: Do I need a reservation to travel on your scheduled services?
Answer: Reservations are not required on most of our routes. Please look for details using the route toolbox when planning your journey to see if you must make a reservation. Although you may be required to select a day of travel when buying tickets online, you are not guaranteed a seat on a specific departure. Passengers requiring a wheelchair accessible vehicle must make arrangements by contacting their local company 48 hours in advance.
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SCHEDULED SERVICE: What forms of payment do you accept?
Answer: We accept MasterCard, Visa, and American Express on our website. Details about acceptable forms of payment vary from route to route. More information can be found linked from specific schedule data found through the Origin - Destination search.
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SCHEDULED SERVICE: How do I get my local bus schedule?
Answer: Use the Origin - Destination search on the 'Search & Buy' page under the 'Scheduled Services' section of our website. If you are starting and ending in the same town, enter the same state / province and town in the origin and destination area.
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SCHEDULED SERVICE: I've entered my origin state / province and city, so why can't I pick the destination I'm looking for?
Answer: We don't serve that location at this time, or your destination requires interlining and our system does not contain the partner carrier's schedule information.
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CHARTER & TOUR: What is the difference between Charter Services and Tour Services?
Answer: Charter Services should be used if you only needed a bus to complete your travel plans. The Tour Services section of this website allows you to make all of your group's arrangements; hotel reservations, tours, etc., browse a list of sample group tours, or purchase individual seats on a scheduled tour.
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CHARTER: What is a charter and how much do they cost?
Answer: A charter is a temporary lease of our vehicle and driver. When a group wants to take a trip somewhere they will reserve a coach for the trip that they have planned. This is a charter. Charter prices depend on the mileage, destination, days of charter service, and coach usage. We invite you to submit a free quote request with no obligation. Chartering is generally a very economical mode of group travel.
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CHARTER: Where do you have authority to travel?
Answer: We have the authority to travel across the entire United States and Canada.
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CHARTER: What kind of vehicles are available for charter?
Answer: We operate a modern, clean, and meticulously maintained state-of-the-art fleet. 47-49 and 55-57 seat Motorcoaches are available in all locations we serve. 24-30 seat Minibuses, Executive motorcoaches, 'Old-Fashioned' Trolleys, Double Deckers, Vans, and School Buses are available at other select locations. When submitting a charter quote request you be able to choose from a list of the vehicles generally available in the area you selected.
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CHARTER: Who drives your vehicles?
Answer: We take tremendous pride in our professional drivers. They are specifically trained to drive the vehicle you have chartered and must complete medical reviews, background checks, driving record checks, training and testing, drug and alcohol testing and safety meetings.
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CHARTER: How far ahead should I make arrangements?
Answer: It is never too soon to organize your charter. There are some times during the year when we are extremely busy, so book early! The weekends are usually they busiest with weddings, football games, holiday shopping, etc. so don't hesitate to book a year in advance.
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CHARTER: Where can I load my bus?
Answer: We can load your group anywhere that our vehicle can fit. Some residential streets are narrow, so please take that into consideration when planning your pick-up location. If you want to use a public parking lot, please call the manager of the establishment and get permission from them.
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TOUR SERVICES: What time will I arrive home after the trip?
Answer: Although we are happy to give you an estimated time that we expect to arrive home, it is very difficult to be exact. The arrival time home is affected by many factors including weather, traffic, rest stops, meal stops, unexpected road construction, etc. If you need to get a ride from home to pick you up when you get back, we suggest that you use the estimated time and then you can call them from the last stop on the way home to advise your ride of any changes.
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TOUR SERVICES: When do I get my tickets and/or confirmation?
Answer: Your receipt of payment in full is your confirmation and ticket. On multi-day tours, you will receive your final information 5-14 days prior to departure, which will include luggage tags, final itinerary details, departure times and hotel information. In the case of late bookings, departure information will be sent once final payment has been received.
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