Intercity bus travel is no longer the exclusive domain of the down-and-out. The likes of BoltBus and Megabus have, over the past few years, brought a new level of service to the open roads.
"Upstarts Megabus and BoltBus began service in the U.S. in 2006 and 2007, respectively, just in time to serve the iPhone generation. Megabus began in the Chicago area while BoltBus first developed service in the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C. Essentially copycats of each other, Megabus and BoltBus rolled out brand new coaches, appealing liveries, easily navigable websites, relatively low prices, and, not insignificantly, curbside pick-up and drop-off. They endeavored to be everything that the conventional bus companies, such as Greyhound, Trailways and Peter Pan, were not (though BoltBus is actually a subsidiary of Greyhound/Peter Pan)."
"Since 2008, DePaul University’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development has carved out a singular niche by conducting an annual survey of intercity bus service. The most recent findings, covering the year 2012, revealed an industry on the rise. In 2012 alone, intercity bus service increased 7.5 percent, the second-highest rate on record, after 2008. But this year’s numbers represent a significant increase in gross activities, with 3,879 daily operations at the beginning of 2013, up from 3,608 at the beginning of 2012."
“I think it’s great,” said Cato [Institute's] Randall O’Toole. “Since about 1964, transportation in America has been increasingly…bureaucratized, subsidized, regulated and so on. They’re figuring out ways to rely on shared infrastructure—highways are used by cars, trucks, buses and so forth—and not have a lot of their own infrastructure.”
FULL STORY: Ahead of the Curb
Intercity Bus Passengers See Service Evaporate
Facing financial troubles, intercity bus operators are leaving passengers stranded without services in many U.S. markets.
Intercity Bus Ridership Grows Despite Service Cuts
Passengers continue to rely on intercity bus lines, even as cities shutter bus terminals and bus companies restructure to avoid financial failure.
Despite High Ridership, Intercity Bus Lines Are Eliminating Stations
Riders on the ‘forgotten stepchild’ of the U.S. transportation system find themselves waiting for buses curbside as Greyhound sells off its real estate in many U.S. cities.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
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Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
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Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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