Guide · Choosing a vehicle

SUV, Sprinter, mini bus or coach? How to choose for your group.

Group transportation quote

Gratuity included. We reply by phone or text, usually within the hour.

Name Phone Email Service Passengers Vehicle Date and time Pick-up Destination Message

Your details are used only for your quote and never shared.

The headcount is only the starting point. Luggage, the length of the drive, the venue’s rules and the road to the door all change which vehicle is right. Here is how we decide.

Call (800) 515-0319

Start with the headcount

Seats by vehicle

Cadillac Escalade or Chevrolet Suburban: up to 6

Families and small groups. The Suburban carries more luggage.

Mercedes Sprinter: 12 to 14

The most popular group vehicle: upright seats, standing room, one group together. It suits a private Bourbon Trail tour well.

Mini bus or party bus: up to 28

The mini bus for getting a big group there; the party bus when the ride is part of the night.

Motor coach: 46 or 56

Reclining seats, a restroom and under-floor luggage bays.

Then count the bags

Luggage changes the answer

An Escalade seats six but takes five comfortably once full-size cases are in the back. A Sprinter carries about twelve with checked bags, fourteen without. A coach’s under-floor bays mean nobody holds a case on their lap. For airport runs, give us the bag count along with the headcount.

Mercedes Sprinter group vehicle in Kentucky

Then check the venue

Venue rules can decide it for you

Keeneland

SUVs drop off freely; bigger vehicles need a bus-lot permit

Keeneland treats longer Sprinters, vans carrying twelve or more and mini buses like coaches. For a group of ten, two SUVs can be simpler than one Sprinter. See Keeneland transportation.

Churchill Downs

The Derby pass matches the vehicle

In 2026 the Derby Drive drop-off pass was sold by vehicle type, so the vehicle has to be settled before the pass is bought. See Derby transportation.

Farms and country venues

Narrow lanes, tight gates

A coach goes only where the venue allows it and there is room to turn. Sprinters and mini buses go almost everywhere. See horse farm tours.

Then the distance

Long runs favour the coach

On a two- or three-hour run, from Indianapolis or Cincinnati to Lexington for example, the restroom on a coach lets the trip run non-stop, which can save close to an hour each way against a vehicle that has to stop. On short city runs, the smaller vehicle is usually quicker to load and park.

Cost

Think per person, not per vehicle

A larger vehicle costs more by the hour but usually less per seat once it is full, so the per-person figure is the one to compare. Send us the headcount and we will quote the options side by side so you can compare.

Questions

Choosing a vehicle: questions

What is the difference between a mini bus and a party bus?

Both seat up to 28. The party bus has lighting and sound for a night out; the mini bus is the plainer choice for simply moving a group.

Should we book one big vehicle or two smaller ones?

One keeps the group together. Two can be better when venue rules favour smaller vehicles, as at Keeneland, or when part of the group wants to leave early.

Which vehicle has a restroom?

The motor coach. Restrooms can differ by coach, so ask if you need one confirmed.

Can you recommend the vehicle for us?

Yes. Leave the vehicle as “Not sure” on the quote form and we will recommend one, with the reasons.

Our fleet

Choose the vehicle for your group

Seven vehicle types, all chauffeured and all quoted at one flat rate with gratuity included. Pick one, or leave it to us and we will recommend the right size.

12 to 14 passengers