Motorcoach Trips and Tours from Syracuse New York Motorcoach Trips and Tours from Syracuse New York Motorcoach Trips and Tours from Syracuse New York
Motorcoach Trips and Tours from Syracuse New York Motorcoach Trips and Tours from Syracuse New York Motorcoach Trips and Tours from Syracuse New York
Motorcoach Trips and Tours from Syracuse New York

Frequently Asked Questions



General FAQ's | General Public Tour FAQ's | Group Tour FAQ's | Charter FAQ's | Safety FAQ's



General FAQ's

I left something on one of your motor coaches, do you have a lost and found?

Yes. Please note, we are not responsible for any lost items that you may leave on our coach or around our coach (i.e. luggage left unattended on a curb or next to our motor coach). Call our office during normal business hours to inquire about your lost item.

What destinations do you serve?

Anywhere in the United States or Canada.

When searching for a motorcoach carrier - what do you look for?

An excellent question! Many people base their decision solely on cost. While cost is often a factor, especially in today’s economy, it shouldn’t be the only factor when considering your next motor coach carrier. Dependability, safety, professionalism, and experience should all factor into the equation. We adhere to a strict preventative maintenance schedule where we never sacrifice safety to save a few dollars. To say the least, we’ve got a lot riding on our buses! We spend annually over $200,000 on parts to maintain our fleet. Unlike other carriers, we don’t wait until it breaks – we keep to “useful life” guidelines. Because of this, roadside breakdowns rarely occur at Onondaga Coach, thus giving you peace of mind. We have our own garage and full time maintenance staff so we inspect and service our buses day in and day out. We encourage you to visit NYSDMV as well as USDOT websites to view our bus inspection results, safety records, and insurance coverage. Compare our impeccable ratings to those of other carriers – you might be surprised at what you find! Our USDOT # is 15288. Lastly the experience of the company should stand for something, from the office staff you speak to on the phone to the professional driver you have for your trip – this is our life and we take pride in helping you have a successful journey! While you might be able to find a cheaper quote, how much is your safety really worth?

What size are your buses and what amenties do they have?

Our deluxe motor coaches have 47, 55, or 56 seating capacities. The amenities include: comfortable plush padded reclining seats with foot rests, reading lights, TV monitors to watch DVD movies, climate controlled, and a clean onboard restroom. We currently have two motor coaches with seat belts, several have 110V outlets to charge phones and laptops, and most have free complimentary wi-fi. View our photos: Comfortable Interiors.

Are there time limitations as to when Onondaga Coach will pickup a group to begin a trip?

Yes. Due to safety concerns, Onondaga Coach is taking a proactive stance on this issue and is no longer taking trips that begin at odd hours of the night that would require a driver/bus to drive through the night to reach a destination. There are some exceptions to this rule, but for most trips that request a departure between 10pm and 2am that requires through-the-night driving to reach your destination, we will not book the trip. Safety is our top priority!

Are you fully handicap accessible?

Yes, we currently have four motor coaches to serve your needs. These buses have ADA compliant wheelchair lifts for those individuals who are wheelchair bound. 48 hours notice must be given in order to accommodate these types of requests.

Is smoking allowed on your buses?

No. Smoking is prohibited on motor coaches by federal law.

Do you offer Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi)?

Yes! It's complimentary 3G/4G. Most of our motor coaches have this service available.

Can you bring oxygen tanks aboard the bus?

Oxygen canisters and bottles cannot be stored or placed in the aisle or used in a manner that in any way obstructs or impedes passenger’s freedom of movement inside the coach. Passengers can simply retain and use the oxygen at their seat. If spare bottles are being stored, follow these guide lines. Overhead storage is acceptable if the bottles are stowed so they cannot roll, collide or fall. Baggage area Storage (under the coach) is acceptable when blocking & bracing of the bottles is possible (this may mean placing other objects around the bottles making them generally inaccessible during a trip.) Large cylinders should not be transported if any other means of supply is possible. Motor coaches do not have racks or blocking and bracing capabilities, nor do they have lifts and hoists to move heavy objects. Such Oxygen cylinders can be hazardous unless handled and transported correctly, so carriage of these cylinders is strongly discouraged. Enroute resupplies or refills are nearly always a possibility. The passenger should make arrangements for these needs through networks or local supplies. Single bottles meet the definition of personal use and would seem reasonable. The risks of transporting large quantities or large containers of oxygen are serious.

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General Public Tour FAQ's

Do your buses travel in inclement weather?

Yes. While safety is our number one priority, we do travel in inclement weather. The only way a trip would be cancelled is if the roads were shut down by law enforcement. Any "travel advisories" or "no unnecessary travel" alerts still allow travel and would not cancel one of our trips. We may us an alternate route or need to delay times so please plan accordingly. Traffic/weather is unpredictable and therefore Onondaga Coach cannot be held responsible for delays. We make every attempt to allow ample travel time to avoid such delays, but cannot predict an unforeseen circumstance. Please be aware that any trip that has tickets or non-refundable portions of the tour are non-refundable to Onondaga Coach and therefore the policy is enforced to our customers as well. Any no shows the day of departure are non-refundable for any reason.

Are food and drinks allowed on the bus? Are coolers permitted?

Passengers are more than welcome to bring food and non-alcoholic drinks on board the bus. We kindly ask that all garbage be picked up and placed in one of our garbage bags. Plastic re-sealable bottles and cans are permitted. Glass containers are not allowed. Larger personal coolers are not allowed on board the coach - you could store your cooler in one of our underneath luggage bays so you can access it once we arrive at our destination. Smaller (6-pack) coolers that can fit underneath your seat are allowed on board the motor coach. We strive to keep our General Public Tours "Family Friendly" so alcoholic beverages are not permitted!

Do you offer Travel Insurance?

Yes. It is available via Travel Guard Insurance and recommended due to the high cost of penalties passed on to us for cancellations. We know that unforeseen circumstances can arise and if they do, we want you to be protected.

How are seats assigned?

All General Public Tours have assigned seating to guarantee you have the same seat through the duration of your trip. Name tags will be displayed above your seats. We do our best to accommodate requests, however, assignments are done on a first come, first serve basis. We will fill the bus from the front towards the back, in order of when a person or group paid for their seat(s).

How can I book a seat(s) on an upcoming General Public Tour?

You have three options: 1. View and book online; 2. Call our office at (315) 255-2216 or 1-800-451-1570; 3. Stop by our office Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Do you have any tours to baseball or football games?

Yes, Click Here to see upcoming baseball and/or football excursions.

How can I receive your General Public Tour Brochure listing all your upcoming trips?

Simply Click Here or call our office.

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Group Tour FAQ's

Do you offer cruises? Can my group or organization take a cruise?

Yes. We typically offer at least on cruise tour each year. Clubs, organizations and corporate groups: We can work with you so call us today. For smaller groups, it is possible to add you to one of our General Public Tours cruises that we are offering. Call for details.

Does Onondaga Coach offer group tour planning for specific trips?

Yes! We have an experienced tour planner who can work with you to plan and create customized tours for individual groups. Please call our office for contact information.

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Charter FAQ's

Do you provide shuttling for weddings?

Yes. We can transport your guests safely from one or several hotels to a ceremony and/or to the reception location. Not having to worry about your family and friends driving their own cars will put your mind at ease so everyone can enjoy your very important event! One or several buses could be booked to accommodate the number of guests. Call for details.

Do you provide charter buses for school field trips?

Yes. We provide deluxe motorcoach transportation for elementary, middle, and high schools. Trips range from one-day to multi-day educational, class, or skiing trips. Please note, we do not have yellow school buses. Call us to inquire about where we've gone - the possibilities are endless!

What are the typical steps for getting a charter quote?

Please Click Here to get information and fill out our free price quote form.

Can I bring alcohol on my Charter?

When chartering one of our motor coaches, you are more than welcome to bring food and drinks on board the bus. Alcohol is permitted, however we require a refundable security deposit and the amount will be between $300.00 and $500.00 for each bus. Our full alcohol and security deposit policy can be viewed at the time you request a price quote or book a motor coach.

Do you provide shuttling for corporate events, professional teams or groups?

Yes. We can provide continuous shuttle service for corporate events that require their participants to be transported from a parking area to the event location or other local venues. Visiting professional groups or teams, we can pick you up when your plane lands and transport you to your hotel and then to the venue you are performing at. Give us a call today! With our fleet of deluxe motorcoaches, we can handle small and large events.

When should I plan to book a bus?

We recommend that you secure your bus(es) as early as possible. Typically working 1 year out from your potential departure date is a good time to start to guarantee you have your transportation set. Weekends tend to sell out first due to high demand.

Weekday vs. weekend and time of year: Do rates and demand vary for chartering a bus?

Yes. Demand and pricing does vary. Charter rates are based on a number of factors including mileage, hours, number of days, shuttle service (shuttle service is defined as usage of the bus while at your destination), what day(s) of the week you plan on traveling, and time of year. Weekends tend to have the highest demand compared to weekdays.

Finger Lakes Wine Tours: Can we charter one of your buses?

Yes. A very popular "getaway" for groups of all types. A typical amount of stops for a day trip is 5 to 6 wineries. Seneca and Cayuga Wine Trails are the most popular. Call for details.

Major League Baseball and other sports: Can we charter one of your buses?

Yes. The NY Yankees are by far our most popular destination. But we can provide your group transportation to anywhere. Whether it be a high school, college, or professional level game, call us for details!

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Safety FAQ's

Safety 101: Drivers Credentials

Again, we strongly encourage you to review our Safety Page on our website. All Onondaga Coach drivers are NYS 19-A Certified and are fully licensed to drive a commercial bus. Pre-employment FBI fingerprint background checks, annual/semi-annual driving, written, and abstract checks, as well as random drug and alcohol testing is routine and required for all NYS bus companies. We receive daily email updates from NYSDMV "Bus Driver Unit" to guarantee our drivers are qualified. Don't ever hesitate to contact us or other bus companies with these types of questions!

Safety 101: Bus Safety

We strongly encourage you to review our Safety Page on our website. One main area to consider is how safe/well maintained are the buses? All NYS buses must be rigorously inspected by a certified NYS DOT Inspector every 6 months. Click on the link above to read and learn more!

Safety 101: Safety Record/Statistics

The FMCSA & US DOT(Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which is part of the United States Department of Transportation) recently updated their website with a company profile for any carrier (bus, truck, etc) that has a US DOT Number. It breaks down the findings for the average person to understand. Take time to review any bus company's profile by visiting FMCSA's website. Go to our Safety Page and click on the USDOT link or go directly to the FMCSA website by clicking here. Onondaga Coach's US DOT Number is 15288.

Safety 101: Driving Limits for Bus Drivers

Safety is our number one priority and just like airline pilots, our professional bus drivers, by federal law, are restricted to certain "Hours of Service" before they can drive again. Setforth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the regulations are as follows: 1) A driver may drive up to 10 hours, then must have 8 consecutive hours off duty. 2) A driver may remain on duty up to 15 hours, including driving and on-duty time. After this limit is reached, the driver must have 8 consecutive hours off-duty. We strictly adhear to these rules. This is why we must approve itineraries before a trip goes out to make sure we can do the trip legally. A driver who is illegally driving beyond these set limits can be put out of service on the highway.









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