This is the page most party bus companies don't write, because it hands you the tools to check them. We'd rather you check.

Group transport is a low-barrier business. Anyone can buy a used shuttle, put LEDs in it and take a deposit. The permits below are the actual line between a real operator and someone with a bus, and every one of them is publicly verifiable.

What an Austin operator is required to hold

City of Austin operating authority

The City of Austin regulates ground transportation — taxis, limousines, charter services, shuttles and similar vehicles-for-hire. Companies providing these services must hold an operating authority licence from the Transportation and Public Works Department, and vehicles carry an operating authority permit decal.

Vehicles with a capacity of 16 or more people including the driver fall under a Charter Bus Service Permit.

Chauffeur's permit

Drivers of most vehicles-for-hire in Austin need a city-issued chauffeur's permit — separate from a driving licence, and separate from any CDL requirement. It's the city's background-check mechanism for the person actually driving your group.

TxDMV motor carrier registration

Texas intrastate motor carriers operating vehicles that transport 15+ passengers including the driver must hold operating authority from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles — a TxDMV certificate number — and must have adequate commercial liability insurance on file with the state.

Commercial driver's licence with passenger endorsement

Drivers of larger passenger vehicles need a CDL with a passenger (P) endorsement. The threshold depends on vehicle weight and capacity.

USDOT number

Operators crossing state lines fall under FMCSA jurisdiction and need a USDOT number. If you're booking a trip that leaves Texas, this one matters.

Three free ways to check any operator

1. The City of Austin's permitted providers list. The city publishes a list of permitted ground transportation service providers. If a company operating in Austin isn't on it, ask why before you pay a deposit.
2. TxDMV. Motor carrier registration is searchable through the state. You can confirm a certificate number and whether insurance is on file.
3. FMCSA SAFER. For any operator with a USDOT number, the federal SAFER system shows registration status, insurance, inspection history and safety ratings. It's free and it's public.

Five minutes across those three sources tells you more than any amount of website copy — ours included.

Ask for these four things in writing

1. Certificate of insurance. Naming the operator, showing current commercial liability coverage and the policy period. A real operator sends this without friction.
2. Operating authority or permit number. So you can check it yourself.
3. Confirmation the assigned driver holds a current chauffeur's permit and, where the vehicle requires it, a CDL with passenger endorsement.
4. The specific vehicle assigned to your booking, with photos of that vehicle rather than a stock fleet gallery.

Warning signs

• Cash-only, or pressure to pay off-platform.
• No written confirmation with terms.
• Reluctance or delay when you ask for insurance documentation.
• Willingness to exceed rated capacity.
• No physical presence, no consistent phone number, no verifiable business record.
• A quote far below every other operator in the market. Insurance and maintenance are the two largest costs in this business, and they're the two things a suspiciously cheap operator has usually cut.

Our credentials

So you can verify us with the same process. More on who we are and how long we've been running if you want the background first.

Legal entity	[[REGISTERED BUSINESS NAME]]
City of Austin operating authority	[[LICENCE NUMBER]]
Charter Bus Service Permit	[[NUMBER, if applicable to your fleet]]
TxDMV certificate	[[TxDMV NUMBER]]
USDOT number	[[USDOT NUMBER, if applicable]]
Commercial liability insurance	[[CARRIER + COVERAGE LIMIT]]
Driver requirements	[[SCREENING / PERMIT / DRUG TESTING POLICY]]
Vehicle inspection schedule	[[INSPECTION CADENCE]]

Ask us for our certificate of insurance and you'll have it the same day — send the request here. If any operator you're considering can't say the same, that's your answer.

Every credential above applies across the whole fleet and every service we operate, from a wedding shuttle to a lake day. There's no tier of booking where a different standard applies.