How to Rent a 15 Passenger Van

Renting a 15-passenger van is an excellent and cost-effective way to take the whole family on an epic road trip. Instead of pumping fuel into two or three vehicles, your family members and friends can travel together in one vehicle. Taking one large vehicle should give you more drivers to switch off the driving hours with, and you won't have to constantly look in your rear view mirror to take sure that trailing vehicle is still following you. If you have between six and 10 passengers, renting a 15-passenger van will allow you to travel comfortably in one vehicle and fit your camping gear and sporting equipment in as well.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Valid driver's license
Valid driver's license

Step 1

Think about how many people and how much gear you plan to bring on your trip. If your vehicle will be maxed out with 15 passengers, you won't have much space for luggage or gear. You may want to consider renting two vans or asking the rental company if a storage compartment can be attached on the roof.

Step 2

Decide on your pick-up and drop-off locations. Usually you get cheaper rates if you bring your rental vehicle back to the same location where you picked it up.

Step 3

Check with different rental car companies to check rates and availability. You can use online sites like Orbitz.com to compare rates, but 15-passenger vans are not the most popular vehicles and may not be available at all pick-up and drop-off sites. Rental companies tend to offer the Chevrolet Express or the Ford E350 for customers seeking 15-passenger vans. Popular car rental companies in the United States include Avis, Alamo, Budget, Hertz and Enterprise.

Step 4

Tally up the base rate plus the mandatory taxes to compare total costs. For example, in 2009 the base rate of a 24-hour rental of a Chevrolet Express van from Avis at Boston Logan International Airport had a base rate of about $79. Continue through with your order and the price rises by $35 in mandatory taxes. This makes the basic rental price for one day $114. Keep in mind that the rates vary by the age of the driver. If your driver is 25 or older you will get the cheapest rates available. Make sure to check if you have to pay extra for mileage and how much each mile costs.

Step 5

Decide if you want to add any insurance to your rental plan. Rental companies usually offer Loss Damage Waiver, which covers the rental vehicle; Personal Accidental Insurance, which covers all passengers; and Personal Effects Protection, which covrers your belongings and the belongings of your passengers. Call a representation of the rental company for more information on the insurance they offer. In some locations insurance may be mandatory.

Step 6

Make your booking. You will need to provide your driver's license information as well as your personal information.

Article Written By Heather Carreiro

Heather Carreiro is a certified English teacher who has been writing since 2008. The editor of Matador Abroad, her work has appeared online at BootsnAll, Matador Network, GoNOMAD, Journey Beyond Travel and Expat Women. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics and Middle Eastern studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is pursuing a Master of Arts in English at Bridgewater State University.

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