Bus Travel Making a Big Comeback

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/bus-travel-making-big-comeback.html?id=12039147

Riding the bus is no longer the last travel resort for students and budget travelers. Several big bus operators are competing for a share of the mainstream travel market with improved buses and faster schedules.

The bus "renaissance" in the United States was kicked off in 2006 by Megabus, a unit of Coach USA and a subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group, a big British rail-and-bus operator. It follows principles evolved in the United Kingdom since 1980:

• Buses are modern (many are double-deckers) with onboard restrooms, Wi-Fi, and power outlets.
• Typical route patterns radiate from a major city to cities within a radius of approximately 400 miles or less. Longer routes generally operate at least twice daily (one daytime, one overnight) with higher frequencies on busy routes.
• Stops are limited; trips typically stop at no more than three intermediate cities between terminals.
• Schedules are fast: Megabus competes head-to-head with Amtrak on many of its routes, and it usually either meets or beats the rail schedule.
• Fares are capacity controlled, generally starting out with at least one seat for $1, with the price for the remaining seats increasing as more and more seats are sold.

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Not only in the US, in Ireland too!

 

i prefer train over bus...for some routes. for others, the bus is a great alternative.

 

Given the dearth of effective train routes in the US, having a non-Greyhound (aka the Jerry Springer Roadshow) option is most welcome.

 

Haha. I remember when everyone wanted to ride Greyhound because they had the luxury of AIR-CONDITIONING!. Back when I was a kid, the local bus company was still running service between small towns, sometimes in 1940s buses. I remember(before ipads and ipods) what a thrill it was to look out into a starry winter's night sky from my seat on a Scenic Cruiser, and try to imagine a world of unlimited possibilities.
Back then bus stations were nice, not sleazy, and safe.
Nowadays as a senior citizen, I would still consider taking the bus. But I would be concerned about where you had to go to catch the bus (are you essentially just standing on an unprotected street corner?), where you were let off the bus; and I would also be mindful of what time of day you would be arriving at your destination.

 

Bus travel may be increasing in some parts of the US, but anyone who has ever taken Trailways or Greyhound through Dixie and Texas, probably will not look favorably upon Bus Travel.

 

Haha. That takes me back about 35 years or so; when I used to walk downtown to the Macon bus station and catch the Trailways over to Milledgeville, Ga. to go to college.
One December day the Trailways back to Macon was delayed and got stuck behind the local Christmas parade; a small town style parade with beauty queens and floats pulled by tractors!
That night the moon was full over the countryside; and I still remember that ride as one of the most beautiful trips I have ever taken in Georgia.

 

Does Houston to El Paso count? That was in 1989 and I don't recall any particularly bad experience (or different from other trips I took).

 

Mine was mid 80's. Waco, Texas to Sardis, Mississippi. Waco to Dallas was okay. Dallas to Shreveport, the A/C in the bus was not working. Shreveport to Jackson, MS. Seems like everyone who got on the bus had saved for their bus ticket by not buying soap or deodorant. Jackson, MS to Sardis. Bus stopped in the middle of nowhere just north of Yazoo City. Ten minutes later three passengers get on the bus with new blue jeans. The stop was the State Prison. 3 hours later, was dropped at a gas station in Sardis (9PM) had to walk about a mile to the Holiday Inn where the company truck I was to use was parked.

Oh Yeah, in Waco, the bus station closed at 10PM and everyone had to leave the building. My bus left at 11:30PM.

But the entire ticket was only $42.50. But the company COULD have flown me from Dallas to Memphis for $79!!

 

I think I paid something like $200 for four weeks of unlimited Greyhounding. Actually was a good trip around the US when I couldn't afford rental cars or hotel rooms every night

 

Wow, some cool old bus memories in this thread!
Sounds like stuff you see in the movies!