There are a good bit of people looking for 17, 18, and 20 passenger van rentals. Our research has shown that the best vehicle to rent, if you have more than 9 passengers to seat, is a small bus. There are several reasons you should rent a bus instead of a van for a large group of passengers.
Buses are designed to carry large groups of people. The wheel base is wider on buses. And in most cases, they have dual tires in the back which provide better traction are safer when there is a blowout. Buses are also designed to be better in crashes than large vans.
Most large vans are designed with a thin shell on the outside and very little fortification for rollovers. This can cause the exterior to crumble in a crash and passengers can be seriously injured. A bus does not guarantee that no one will be seriously injured if there is a crash, it only greatly lessens the possibility.
To our knowledge, there are no manufactures making 17 – 20 passenger vans. Do not be tempted to overload a smaller van. This is very dangerous and could make it very hard for the driver to control the van. In addition, the heavy weight could cause the tires to become overheated and blowout.
A small bus will allow you, your friends, and your family to travel in comfort. It will also provide you the opportunity to travel together and arrive safely. If a bus is not an option, you should look at renting a few smaller vans. Smaller vans will provide the safety you need and will also give you a few vehicles to drive around your destination. This is what we did in Hawaii and it worked out great.
We had two vans. It was probably the best decision we could have made. On some days we went as a group to the beach or some other place. On other days we would split up and take the two vans to different places.