Matric dance car hire with a chauffeur gives the arrival its moment, but most parents book it for the drive home. A professional driver collects the group from one address, waits through the evening, and brings everyone back at an agreed time, so nobody is relying on a lift from a friend who has just got their licence. A Staria seats up to 8, which means a group of friends can share one vehicle and one booking.
The rest of this guide is written for the parent arranging it, because in most cases that is who does.
Why parents book a driver for the matric dance
The school takes care of the dance itself. The risk sits either side of it: getting there, and the hours after it ends. Teenagers who have just passed their driving test are the newest drivers on the road, and the end of a matric dance is not a moment when anyone makes careful decisions about who drives.
A booked chauffeur removes those decisions. The parents know the vehicle, the driver's name and number, the pickup time and the drop-off address in advance. The driver's name, photo and direct number are sent the evening before, so a parent can check in directly if needed.
It is not the right answer for every family. If the venue is close to home and a parent is happy to do the drop-off and the late collection, a hired vehicle adds cost without much benefit. A driver makes most sense when the venue is across town, when several families want to share the arrangement, or when the after-party is somewhere other than home.
Sharing a vehicle with friends
Rates are per vehicle, never per person, so sharing is the obvious way to do it.
| Group size | Vehicle |
|---|---|
| Up to 6 | Hyundai Palisade |
| 7 or 8 | Hyundai Staria |
| 9 to 16 | Two vehicles, one driver each, on one booking |
Formal dresses take more room than everyday clothes, so a Staria with eight passengers in long gowns is full. If the group is at the upper limit and comfort matters for the photographs, consider a Palisade and a Staria together rather than one full Staria.
One parent should hold the booking. The booking is confirmed on full payment by EFT, and the families settle between themselves. The concierge deals with one contact, which keeps changes simple.
The guide to choosing between a Staria and a Palisade explains the difference in seating and space.
The pickup and the photographs
Most groups gather at one home for photographs before leaving. That is the natural pickup point. Give the concierge the address, the time you want the vehicle there, and how long the photographs are likely to take.
You can choose the colour. The Staria come in pearl white or black, the Palisade in pearl white or silver. Colours are honoured subject to availability. Every vehicle is detailed between hires, so it arrives clean for the photographs.
Plan the departure backwards from the arrival time the school has set. Leave enough margin for traffic, and remember that the N1 and N2 are busiest on weekday late afternoons if the dance is on a Friday.
After the dance: the part parents care about
This is the part to settle in writing before the night. Decide with your teenager and the other parents:
- The collection time. When the vehicle collects from the venue, and whether there is a second, later collection.
- Where it goes next. Straight home, home by home, or to an after-party address that the parents have agreed.
- The final drop-off. Each address, in order, with the time the last passenger should be home.
- Who can change the plan. Usually the parent who booked. Say in the booking that any change to the route goes back to that parent first.
Send all of this to the concierge with the booking. The driver works from the agreed itinerary. If the evening runs past the booked hours, extra time is billed per hour at the rate on the quote, and the booking parent is the one who agrees it.
For general guidance on late nights in the city, the guide to getting around Cape Town safely is worth sharing with the group.
Choosing the length of the booking
Most matric dance bookings fall into one of two patterns.
- A half day. Five hours inside the Cape Town metro, covering the pickup, the photographs, the drop-off and a collection a few hours later. This suits a dance that ends at a set time with everyone going straight home.
- Two separate transfers. One drop-off, one late collection. This can be the better choice when the dance runs long and the vehicle would otherwise wait through most of the evening.
The concierge will suggest the option that fits the timings you send. The guide to half day or full day bookings explains how the blocks work.
Common questions
Can we book for several groups from the same school?
Yes. Each group can have its own vehicle on one booking, or separate bookings if the families prefer. The full fleet is five vehicles, so book early in a busy season.
Does the driver wait at the venue?
On a half day booking the vehicle can wait near the venue for the booked hours. On a two-transfer booking it leaves after the drop-off and returns at the agreed collection time.
Should we tip the driver?
It is not required. Drivers are among the service providers commonly tipped in South Africa, and a modest amount is a kind gesture. The guide on tipping a driver in South Africa has more detail.
What if the dance is outside the metro?
A venue outside Cape Town, such as a Winelands estate, falls outside the half day distance and is usually quoted as a full day. Send the venue address and the concierge will quote it.
To get a quote, send the date, the pickup address, the venue, the number in the group, the arrival time and the collection plan you have agreed. The concierge replies with a written quote. The same fleet is used for weddings and occasions, described on the wedding transport page.