Private Driver by the Hour in Los Angeles
Book a Dedicated Driver for a Few Hours or a Full Day
Hourly private driver service across the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles — $75 per hour with a three-hour minimum, and the same driver every booking.
Hourly Private Driver Rates
Hourly service is booked by time rather than by trip. You get a dedicated driver and vehicle for the hours you reserve — multiple stops, waiting time between appointments, and changes to the plan along the way are all included.
The rate is $75 per hour with a three-hour minimum. It's quoted upfront and doesn't change with traffic or time of day.
One rate, quoted upfront. Multiple stops, waiting time, and changes to the plan are all included in the hours you book.
A few appointments in one afternoon, or an airport run with stops along the way
A family outing, a day of errands, or an event with waiting time between stops
Out-of-town visitors, a full day of meetings, or a multi-stop itinerary across the city
Your time starts at the scheduled pickup and ends at your final drop-off. Fuel and mileage within the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles are included — there's no separate per-mile charge on top of the hourly rate.
No automatic gratuity. Many services add 15 to 20 percent to your bill without asking. Tipping is appreciated but never required, and it's never added for you.
Every booking includes a dedicated driver and vehicle for the hours you reserve. There are no hidden fees, fuel surcharges, or per-stop charges added after the fact.
When Hourly Service Makes More Sense Than a One-Way Trip
Point-to-point pricing works when you're going one place and staying there. It stops working the moment there's a second stop, a wait in the middle, or an itinerary that might change once the day starts.
Hourly service is for those days. You have the car and the driver for the hours you booked, and what happens in between is up to you.
Appointments with waiting time
Medical visits, legal meetings, the DMV. Your driver waits outside rather than dropping you off and disappearing, so there's no second booking to arrange when you're finished and no wondering how long a ride will take to arrive.
Showing visitors around Los Angeles
Family in from out of town for a few days. Book the hours, string together whatever they want to see, and skip the parking entirely — which in most of Los Angeles is the actual problem.
Multi-stop errand days
Pharmacy, bank, market, a visit across town, then home. One booking covers all of it, and bags go in the car between stops instead of being carried around.
Events, dinners, and nights out
Weddings, concerts, birthdays. Your driver is there when the evening ends, whenever that turns out to be — no surge pricing at midnight and nobody in the group has to skip a drink to drive home.
What's Included in Every Hourly Booking
Fixed hourly rate, quoted upfront
$75 per hour with a three-hour minimum. No meter, no surge, no recalculation at the end of the day
Unlimited stops
Two stops or ten, it's the same rate. You're booking time, not a route
Waiting time included
Your driver stays with you between stops. Appointments that run long don't cost extra beyond the hours you booked
Fuel and mileage included
No per-mile charge on top of the hourly rate anywhere in the San Gabriel Valley or greater Los Angeles
Change the plan as you go
Add a stop, skip one, or reorder the day. Nothing needs to be finalized before you get in the car
The same driver every booking
Owner-operated, with over 9 years of professional driving experience across the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles
English & Mandarin service
Booking, directions, and conversation handled comfortably in either language
Seats up to 7 passengers
A Kia Carnival with sliding doors and a low step-in — easy in and out at every stop, which matters more on a multi-stop day than anywhere else
No automatic gratuity
Tipping is appreciated but never required, and never added to your bill without asking
Available 7 days a week
Weekday appointments, weekend outings, evenings, and holidays
How to Book an Hourly Driver
Tell Us the Day
Share your pickup address, the date, your start time, and roughly how many hours you think you'll need. A rough plan is enough — you don't need a finalized itinerary to book.
Reserve Your Hours
You'll get a quote based on the hours you're booking, with a three-hour minimum. Once you confirm, that block of time is held for you and the rate is locked in.
Use the Time How You Want
Your driver arrives at the scheduled pickup and stays with you for the booking. Add stops, change the order, or take longer at one of them — it's your time.
Hourly Driver Service Across the San Gabriel Valley
Arkwood Transportation provides hourly private driver service throughout the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles, including:
Hourly bookings cover the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles at the standard rate. For destinations beyond the area, a flat rate for the trip is usually better value than hourly — request a quote and we'll price it either way. We also offer chauffeur service and flat rate transfers to LAX, Burbank, and Ontario airports.
San Gabriel Valley. Photo by Sailsbystars via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire a private driver by the hour in Los Angeles?
Arkwood charges $75 per hour with a three-hour minimum. A three-hour booking is $225, five hours is $375, and a full eight-hour day is $600.
The rate is fixed when you book. It doesn't change with traffic, time of day, or how many stops you make.
Why is there a three-hour minimum?
Because a booking involves more than the time you're in the car. There's travel to your pickup, holding that window open against other reservations, and the trip back afterward.
If you need a single short trip rather than a block of time, a point-to-point ride is almost always cheaper than booking hourly. Tell us what you need and we'll tell you which way costs less.
What if we finish earlier than planned?
You're billed for the hours you reserved, with the three-hour minimum applying regardless. Those hours are held for you and turned away from other bookings, so they're committed once confirmed.
If you're unsure how long you'll need, book the shorter estimate. Adding time on the day is usually easier than reserving hours you don't use.
What if we need more time than we booked?
Additional time is billed at $40 per 30 minutes, added to your original quote. There's no penalty rate and no rounding up to a full hour.
The one limit is scheduling. If another reservation is booked behind yours, extending may not be possible — so if the day is running long, mention it as early as you can rather than at the last stop.
Does the driver wait with us between stops?
Yes. That's the main difference between hourly service and a series of one-way rides. Your driver stays nearby for the duration of the booking rather than leaving after each drop-off.
It matters most at appointments that run long, where the alternative is standing outside requesting a ride and hoping one arrives.
Can I change the plan during the booking?
Yes. Add a stop, skip one, reorder the day, or take longer somewhere than you expected. You've booked the time, and how you use it is up to you.
You don't need a finalized itinerary to reserve — a rough idea of the day and the hours you'll need is enough.
Is mileage or fuel charged separately?
No. Fuel and mileage are included in the hourly rate anywhere in the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles. There's no per-mile charge added on top.
Can you take us outside Los Angeles?
Yes, though hourly usually isn't the right structure for it. For destinations like San Diego, Palm Springs, or Santa Barbara, a flat rate for the trip is typically better value than paying by the hour for a long drive.
Tell us where you're headed and we'll quote it as a fixed price so you know the cost before you go.
Do you add a gratuity to the bill?
No. Many services automatically add 15 to 20 percent to hourly bookings. We don't add anything to your bill without asking.
Tipping is appreciated but never required, and it isn't built into the quoted rate.
How many passengers can you take?
Up to seven. The vehicle is a Kia Carnival with sliding doors and a low step-in, which is easier for older passengers getting in and out repeatedly over a multi-stop day.
If your group has luggage or shopping, mention it when booking and we'll confirm everything fits comfortably.
Book a Private Driver by the Hour
Tell us the day and roughly how many hours you'll need. You'll get a fixed quote, a driver held for that block of time, and the freedom to change the plan as you go.
Serving San Gabriel, Pasadena, Alhambra, and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley, with hourly service throughout greater Los Angeles.
Call or text (626) 625-2799 Available 7 days a week