The maths on splitting a group across cars looks fine until you try it. Here is what actually happens, and what a van costs instead.
The hidden cost of splitting up
Three cars for nine people means three pickups, three routes, three arrival times and at least one driver who takes a wrong turn. Across an evening with three stops, that is nine separate journeys to coordinate by group chat.
What the van is
A high-roof Mercedes Sprinter seating up to 14, with room for luggage. You can stand up in it. Everyone hears the same conversation and arrives in the same minute.
Per head, it is often cheaper
A Sprinter carries a $500 minimum because taking it out puts a driver and a 14-seater on the road whatever the distance. Split across ten people on a night out, that is $50 each — about what three rideshares across the same evening cost, without the coordination.
Book it earlier than you think
There is one van. Group bookings are confirmed by the office rather than promised automatically, and the date is checked before anything is final — so a Saturday in spring is worth asking about weeks ahead, not days.