Daily, Hourly and Monthly Vehicle Hire with Driver: Which Model Suits When?
The differences between transfer, hourly, daily, weekly and monthly hire with driver; what determines the price in each model and how to choose the right one for your needs.
In vehicle hire with driver, the same vehicle can be hired in different ways: for a single transfer, for a few hours, for a whole day or for regular use lasting weeks or months. Which model suits you depends on how long the vehicle will stay with you and how fixed your programme is.
1. Transfer (point to point)
The vehicle picks you up at one address and drops you at another. Airport meet-and-greet, hotel–venue transport and one-way intercity journeys are examples of this model. The main factors that determine the price are the distance and the vehicle’s empty return.
For details, see our airport transfer and city transfer pages.
2. Hourly hire
The vehicle and driver follow your programme for a set period. It suits business meetings at several addresses during the day, short city tours and guest hospitality programmes. A minimum number of hours usually applies; if this is exceeded, an extra hourly charge may apply.
3. Daily hire
The vehicle stays with your group from morning to evening. It is the most popular model for day trips, wedding day shuttles and event days. With daily hire, it is important that the quote clearly states:
- The daily usage time (e.g. how many hours) and what happens if it is exceeded
- Whether there is a mileage limit
- Whether fuel, motorway, bridge and parking costs are included
- How programmes running late into the night are assessed
You can find a sample day trip plan in this guide.
4. Multi-day and weekly hire
On tours with overnight stays, trade fair and congress weeks or multi-day events, the vehicle and driver stay with the group for several days. In this model, the driver’s accommodation and meals and daily working and rest periods are important parts of the quote. Notes on driver rest on long journeys are in our intercity travel guide.
5. Monthly and term hire
Transport carried out every day at the same times on the same route (for example, staff or student shuttles) is usually run under monthly or term contracts. Here the price is determined by the route length, the number of runs, working days and the contract period. Holidays, shift changes and replacement vehicles need to be set out in the contract.
Which model suits you?
| Need | Usually the right model |
|---|---|
| Flight meet-and-greet, one-way transport | Transfer |
| A business programme of a few hours | Hourly |
| Day trip, wedding day | Daily |
| Tour with overnight stays, trade fair week | Multi-day |
| A route repeated every day | Monthly / term |
Be careful when comparing prices
Figures seen when searching for “daily minibus hire price” or “hourly Vito hire rate” are based on assumptions about duration and distance. When comparing two quotes, make sure they include the same duration, the same mileage limit and the same included items. We explain the factors that set the price in this article and the items a quote should include in this one.
If you share your programme in the quote form, we can decide together on the hire model that suits you best.
