FAQ
1. Are all Limousine Companies the same? Can I just shop by price?
2. What questions should I ask when shopping for a limousine?
3. How much does it cost to rent a limo?
4. Can I book a limo for 1 hour? What is gratuity?
5. Can I get a 'deal'?
1. Are all Limousine Companies the same? Can I just shop by price?
Like most things in life the old saying holds true - you get what you pay for. A limousine rental is a luxury experience, like selecting a 5 star hotel or restaurant, and is usually reserved for a very special occasion. If you are only shopping on price you run the risk of being taken advantage of, usually resulting in serious disappointment on that special day. Read on to be sure you know all the right factors to consider before choosing your limousine company...
Why are some companies priced so low? The way we look at it - each limousine company in town knows what they are worth and they charge accordingly! .
A very low price may be a warning flag for such things as:
1) Very old vehicle - the biggest tip-off the car is old (and shows it) is a low price
2) Inadequate maintenance - things we commonly see in Houston from 'low-budget' limo services include: air conditioning not functional; exterior and interior lights not all working; TV/stereo broken, ripped roof (in and out), dirty vehicle, frequent breakdowns, no glassware
3) No insurance
4) Not licensed with the City (operating illegally, no semi-annual inspections)
5) Underpaid chauffeurs - an unhappy employee almost always results in poor service for you
6) Company does not show up on time, does not show up in the promised vehicle, or does not even show up at all (after your 'great-deal' low-price reservation was made they found another client who was willing to pay more and they never bothered to call and let you know) - and yep - these are the same folks who won't give you a written confirmation either!
Owning, operating and maintaining a fleet of limousines properly is almost impossible to do at lowball rates. Is it worth saving $30-$50 on a special night out for this type of risk?
At Aloha Limousine not only do we operate one of the most well maintained fleets in town, we probably have the most courteous and friendly chauffeurs you will find.
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2. What questions should I ask when shopping for a limousine?
If you ask the following questions and sense any sort of hesitation, evasion or incomplete answers you should take it as a warning sign. Any properly operated transportation company should be able to answer these questions for you.
1) Are you licensed with the City of Houston? Does your car have a current city license sticker on it? Don't be afraid to ask about permits! The Yellow Pages does not require limousine companies to provide proof of permits or insurance to advertise. Call the City of Houston's Regulatory Services, Department of Transportation at 281-233-7860 to double-check on your company.
2) Are you fully insured? Can you fax me a copy of your insurance binder and your agent's phone number? Do you mind if I call your agent to verify your policy?
3) How large is your fleet? (Did you know most companies in Houston only have one car? - This may not seem like a big deal until they have a breakdown on your special day and there is no backup car!) At Aloha we own one of the largest and most diverse fleets in Houston.
4) What age is the car I am renting? What condition is it in? Is anything broken or not working?
5) Can you arrange for me to view the vehicle prior to making my reservation? If the price seems to good to be true or something doesn't feel right be sure to go view the vehicle. You will be shocked at some of the limos out there. Don't let the shock be when it pulls up for your scheduled pick-up time...
6) Will you guarantee my reservation with a written contract? Don't get caught in the classic story of "The Limo Broke Down" or "We Don't Have Your Reservation". We hear this several times per month from customers of other companies calling us in an emergency. If you didn't get it in writing there is no proof of a contract. Unscrupulous companies will drop low-price or 'one hour' reservations in a heartbeat if a better paying or longer rental fare comes in.
7) Can you please tell me about your chauffeur training and certification program?
8) Is gratuity included in the price you are quoting me? Does the chauffeur receive all of the gratuity or does the company keep a portion of it? If you don't ask you'll find out too late that the price you were quoted did not include gratuity. Also, some companies gyp their chauffeur's by keeping 5-10% of the gratuity for themselves (you'll sometimes see this called a 'service charge'). You can bet that the service will be poor as you will never find the best chauffeurs in town working for such a company.
9) Is there a sales tax charge? We are seeing some unscrupulous companies in Houston quoting or charging their customers sales tax. There is no sales tax in Texas on limousine service. This is simply a way to cheat you out of more money.
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3. How much does it cost to rent a limo?
Average limousine rental costs vary based on a variety of factors. Your exact costs will depend on the factors listed below:
Time of year (spring, summer, etc.)
Type of vehicle (larger vehicles cost more)
Day of week (weekends cost more, weekdays less)
Distance traveled (Longer travel times may be more expensive)
Here are national hourly rate averages of the most commonly rented limousines and ground transportation. These figures are examples only and these rates do not construe an offer to solicit for ground transportation.
Vehicle Type National Rate Averages (based on a 3 hour rental):
Luxury sedan (1-4 passengers) $45-$65/hr + gratuity
Stretch limousine (1-8 passengers) $65-$125/hr + gratuity
Stretch SUV (1-14 passengers - Excursions, Hummers, etc.) $100-$300/hr + gratuity
Mini-buses / LimoCoaches / PartyBuses (22 passengers and up) $60-$200/hr + gratuity
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4. Can I book a limo for 1 hour? What is gratuity?
According to the experts at Limos.com it is estimated that 95% of the limousine industry does not offer limousine service for 1 hour, and there are good business reasons for this. To maintain a high quality of service for the consumer there is usually 1-2 hours of total prep (before the job) and cleanup time (after the job) for any booking regardless of length, and it simply is not cost effective for most companies to send a stretch limo out for only one hour.
At Aloha Limousine we do offer one hour bookings in some instances - please call or email to inquire about your specific situation.
To hire a limousine, most services require a minimum hourly booking, typically 3 hours. In high demand months, such as the spring, hourly minimums can increase to 5, 6, and sometimes 8 hours.
In addition, each limousine service charges a standard gratuity which is based on the total fare. Gratuities averages are 15-20%. If your total rental bill is $300, expect to be charged a $45-$60 gratuity charge. Some companies automatically include gratuity in their fare estimates, while others do not. Be sure to ask if it is not made clear. Either way, it is customary to budget gratuity in your rental cost. Limousine chauffeurs earn their living by providing excellent service in exchange for gratuities, much like waiters do in fine dining establishments.
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Most companies will offer deals on different types of packages, however the availability of deals mostly depends on the time of week and the time of year. Check our home page for our current specials.
Deals on Mondays, but not Saturdays...
For example, you won't find special deals or discounts on a Friday or Saturday night, nor for a rental on New Year's Eve or during Prom season. In fact rates and minimum hours will be higher than normal. During these high-demand times the supply of limousines simply can't meet the overwhelming demand which drives prices and minimum hourly rates up.
