I was walking home one day and noticed a Volkswagen people mover with a sign - Jetbus.com.au. I had never heard of this airport shuttle service before. It seems these guys are contractors for moving airline staff (Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Jetstar) between the airport and their hotels. This was their primary business structure, but over the past few weeks opened their service to the public.

The booking system
The process is quite simple, and it begins on their homepage. You select the number of tickets you want, and then fill out your travel details. The tickets are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase, and they have a range of designated pick up spots - particularly hotels in and around the CBD. They do not travel to the suburbs of Melbourne, nor Avalon Airport.

Once you fill out the pick up / drop off details, you go on to the order confirmation page. Make sure you print this page, because the printed ticket does not list these details. So if you forget, then you need to chase it up. Their email response time is quite appropriate, within 24 hours and most of their customer service is through the internet. You can book over the phone, but there is a surcharge of $2.50 (read the fine print!).

If you book for more than one person, the main person whom you book under will appear on the ticket. Don’t stress, the driver has your details.

Punctuality
When you book your ticket, and select pick up times etc - ensure you have plenty of time to get to the airport. It is your responsibility to do this, not JetBus’s. Remember, if you intend to travel during peak hour traffic - account for this. The punctuality during my trip was impeccable. In fact, the bus arrived within a minute to spare. I am not sure how they time their trips, but I had a whole bus to myself going to and from the airport. Technically, people can enter a whole range of pick up times, and it would be a technically challenging task to coordinate all the buses so they all arrive on time (particularly in CBD traffic).

The service
I had one of the nicest drivers. His name was Nick or Mick, and was very professional yet casual. He helped with our suitcases, and kept us entertained throughout the trip. Not like your average driver who listens to music while driving. He even dropped us off closer to our house on the return trip. The bus itself (I got a mini bus - not the Volkswagen) was neat and tidy and their service is Carbon neutral (read more).

Inside tips
* Confirm your booking at least 24 hours before your trip.
* Ensure you print the order confirmation page so you remember your pick up details
* Don’t be surprised to see the tickets having only the main booking name. The driver has your details.
* Allow enough time to travel in peak hour traffic.
* On arrival into Melbourne, you can wait inside the terminal for the driver to pick you up. Read more in Suggestions section.
* I hear they are playing around with their pick up structure, and perhaps even may include some inner Melbourne suburbs.

Suggestions
* The tickets must have pick up and drop off details in them.
* We got a bit confused when we arrived into Melbourne. The driver had gone in to pick us up, yet the website said we had to wait outside. So we waited outside, until I saw the driver (same guy who picked us up few days before) waiting inside. Furthermore, there were plenty of buses just outside the terminal so it can be hard to find. To avoid this perhaps a dedicated bus stop for Jetbus would help customers.
* Keep up the good work Mick (or Nick).

Rating - 8/10 (great service, will use again)
I will use their service again. There are slight elements which can make your travel confusing, but their service based on my experience is excellent. They need to work on their booking process, and make sure you get some more details onto the ticket to reduce potential hassle for customers.

Note: I am interested in publishing reviews of other airport shuttle services. Let me know!