Charter Terms

Thank you for selecting Exploration Coach Lines for your upcoming Charter. We are committed to providing you with the best experience possible. Your original receipt serves as confirmation and enters you into a contract for services. It refers you to our website where our policies and conditions are can be reviewed in full. Please read them to fully understand of the services we will provide and the responsibilities of the chartering party.

We must receive your payments, by the due dates shown on the confirmation, deposit or final payment of the charter means acceptance of all policies. Final payment is due at least 30 days before departure unless the trip is booked under 30 days prior to departure. In this case payment is due at the discretion of Exploration Coach Lines management. Payments made within 14 days prior to departure must be cash, wire transfer or credit card. Cost is based on the original services detailed and is subject to change in accordance with your actual itinerary provided. An itinerary with times, meal stops, rest stops, hotels and addresses must be sent with deposit or final payment due date. Final price is determined by the actual final written itinerary. Additional use of the coach beyond the miles or hours stated on the confirmation may result in additional charges and will require a signature from your group leader before the driver will transport them.

Driver gratuity and room is not included in all charter prices. Please consider tipping your driver in advance or at the conclusion of your trip. Our drivers work hard to provide you a safe journey, clean bus ( it is your responsibility to pick up your groups garbage and remove it at the end of each day) and excellent service. Standard gratuity is between 10% and 20% of the contract charges. Idling – Drivers are instructed not to have the bus idle unless necessary.  Driver will only drive allotted DOT hours. 10 hour on duty driving, 15 hours total on duty and off duty (this includes breaks and waiting time) and a full 8 hours off between these. The booking client is responsible for the driver’s hotel accommodations on overnight trips. Driver Coercion – Clients or anyone in a chartering party are prohibited from inducing a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle under conditions which would require him or her to violate one or more of the regulations, which the driver identified at least generally, i.e. hours of service, that are Federally codified at 49 CFR parts 171–173, 177–180, 380–383, or 390–399, or §§ 385.415 or 385.421.

Cancellations – If payments are not received by the due dates on the confirmation, your charter is subject to cancellation without notice. All cancellations must be made in writing, no exceptions. Cancellations must be received 30 days prior to the departure to insure a full refund. Charters cancelled after final payment date are non-refundable. Charters will be performed as ordered unless affected by safety, traffic, or weather conditions. Exploration Coach Lines will not be held liable for loss of time due to inclement weather, mechanical break-down or construction. Exploration Coach Lines will not be responsible for reimbursement for missed ticketed events or hotel reservations due to any of the above reasons or additional costs while waiting for a repair or weather to improve. Some, but not all vehicles operated by Exploration Coach Lines have Wifi, CD, DVD or #110 charging stations. We will not be held responsible for any equipment malfunctions or lack of these services on a coach.

Smoking, alcohol consumption, marijuana and other illegal drugs are prohibited on all coaches. The chartering party is held responsible for any damage to the coach and will be charged accordingly for any damage done by them or their passengers.

Wifi – Some of our coaches are equipped with complementary wifi. Due to bandwidth constrictions many streaming websites are blocked. We are not responsible and will not be held liable for what passengers on the vehicles browse online. We do not guarantee wifi will be available or work properly 100% of the time and will not issue refunds if it does not.

Exploration Coach Lines will not be held liable for any lost or damage items brought on to or underneath any of the vehicles. Fuel Surcharge – Exploration Coach Lines reserves the right to charge up to an additional 5% of the total charter cost to cover an increase in the cost of fuel due to sudden price shocks in the market. You will be notified in the event this surcharge is required at least 14 days prior to departure. Please budget appropriately.

Arbitration, mediation, and dispute resolution – In the event of a dispute in which arbitration is required the chartering party will be responsible for all fees including that of Exploration Coach Lines. If a chartering party utilizes our transportation services and does not pay the bill due for services rendered, Exploration Coach Lines reserves the right to take that party to court or arbitration to re-coup Exploration Coach Lines costs. If Exploration Coach Lines must go to court or arbitration, against the chartering party, to have payment remitted, the chartering party agrees to pay all legal fees of their own and Exploration Coach Lines. In the event the chartering party is found liable and is ordered to pay Exploration Coach Lines, the decision will be biding and final. No electronic or social media harassment is acceptable during arbitration or civil lawsuits and additional defamation charges will be requested. Furthermore, the chartering party waives their right to appeal the decision. If a client / chartering party or any passenger on an Exploration Coach Lines vehicle is involved in an accident in which Exploration Coach Lines is not deemed liable, the chartering party and any passenger on the Exploration Coach Lines vehicle agrees to waive their right to sue or hold liable for any reason Exploration Coach Lines.

Outstanding balances – the chartering party defaults on payment or does not pay the final balance due; Exploration Coach Lines reserves the right to charge the chartering parties credit card for any outstanding balance. In addition, the chartering party waives their right to dispute any charge to their charge card for an outstanding balance. If Exploration Coach Lines needs to go to court or arbitration, against the chartering party, to have payment remitted, the chartering party agrees to pay all legal fees of their own and Exploration Coach Lines. In the event the chartering party is found liable and is ordered to pay Exploration Coach Lines, the decision will be biding and final.  Furthermore, the chartering party waives their right to appeal the decision.

In case of an emergency or urgent change during non-business hours please text 360-388-7781. Our office is open Monday through Friday from 09.00 – 4.00pm PST By paying any amount of any charter or by utilizing our services, the chartering party acknowledges that they understand and agree to the general terms and conditions listed on our web page and brochure.

Current Exploration Coach Lines Covid-19 Safety precautions

  • Limiting the number of passengers per bus when possible to one person per seat or one person every other seat. This is not a requirement but is recommended.
  • A seating chart is used to maintain proper distance, 6 feet, if possible. This is not a requirement but is recommended.
  • Requiring all drivers and tour guides to wear face masks when interacting with customers and a 6ft distance cannot be maintained. We also require drivers to wear appropriate gloves when necessary.
  • It is recommended but not required that all passengers wear masks and gloves, when entering and exiting the bus, not at their assigned seats. The exception is when eating or drinking at your assigned seats or those who are medically unable to wear a face mask.
  • Hand sanitizer is placed on the coach at the entrance.
  • Buses are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after each trip, using state-of-the-art cleaning products.
  • During charters all high touch areas are sanitized to prevent the spread of Covid-19
  • To minimize the spread of Covid-19 restrooms are not in use at this time unless there is an emergency. The drivers will stop at rest areas upon request.
  • We also encourage you to visit the CDC that provides the most up to date information on COVID-19. Please visit the link https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html

WAIVER of LIABILITY. –The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has been declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 is reported to be contagious. The state of medical knowledge is evolving, but the virus is believed to spread from person-to-person contact and possibly by contact with contaminated surfaces and objects or in the air. People reportedly can be infected and show no symptoms and therefore spread the disease. The exact methods of spread and contraction are unknown, and there is no known treatment, cure, or vaccine for COVID-19. Evidence has shown that COVID-19 can cause serious and potentially life-threatening illness and even death.

Exploration Coach Lines cannot prevent you from becoming exposed to, contracting, or spreading COVID-19 while utilizing Exploration Coach Lines services or premises. It is not possible to prevent against the presence of the disease. Therefore, if you choose to utilize Exploration Coach Lines services and/or enter onto Exploration Coach Lines premises you may be exposing yourself to and/or increasing your risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19.

ASSUMPTION OF RISK.– Payment of your charter or tour is acknowledgement that you  have read and understood the above warning concerning COVID-19. I hereby choose to accept the risk of contracting COVID-19 for myself and/or my group members by utilizing Exploration Coach Lines services or by entering Exploration Coach Lines premises. These services are of such value to me that I accept the risk of being exposed to, contracting, and/or spreading COVID-19 in order to utilize Exploration Coach Lines services.

WAIVER OF LAWSUIT/LIABILITY.– I hereby forever release and waive my right to bring suit against Exploration Coach Lines and its owners, officers, directors, managers, officials, trustees, agents, employees, vendors in connection with exposure, infection, and/or spread of COVID-19 related to utilizing Exploration Coach Lines and their contracted vendors services and premises. I understand that this waiver means I give up my right to bring any claims including for personal injuries, death, disease or property losses, or any other loss, including but not limited to claims of negligence and give up any claim I may have to seek damages, whether known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen.

Share This