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In the current issue of the AARP magazine, an article extols the virtues of bus travel on the likes of Bolt Bus, Megabus, Peter Pan, and even some Greyhound routes. It says it is cheaper than plane/Amtrak and "surprisingly comfortable" for trips less than 500 miles. It cites improved amenities including wireless internet, outlets at seats, video entertainment etc.
While these attributes are debatable, it did make me wonder why Amtrak doesn't seek some coordination with bus routes that would compliment Amtrak service. I believe Continental Airlines tries to do this with Amtrak NEC service.
With a little imagination, wouldn't it make sense for coordinated bus/train schedules expanded beyond Amtrak's current Thruway routes. Some segments that come to mind: Asheville/Greensboro (I-40), Birmingham / Nashville (I-65), Atlanta/ Chattanooga/Cincinnati (I-75). Jacksonville/Miami (I-95). It would seem that the bus lines would gain some train riders, and of course Amtrak would get passengers from destinations not currently served.
To make this work well, an Intermodal Terminal serving local transit, Amtrak, and intercity bus is certainly desirable. Of the cities I mentioned, only Greensboro now has that. Is there any regulatory restriction on Amtrak expanding into a coordinated bus/route with some of these discount bus companies?
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Atlanta-Cincinnati I think would be better served by a train. But I do think Amtrak needs to expand those routes. CA should serve as the example
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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There used to be a great connection from Durango, Colorado to Albuquerque, New Mexico via Greyhound that would connect to the westbound Southwest Chief.
But the bus keeps changing the schedule.
The sad thing is the bus depot and the train station are in the same building in Albuquerque. Yet there is no really good connection to Durango.
So easy to do, yet it doesn't seem anyone has ever thought of it. I took it the bus once to get to ABQ to meet the Chief and the bus ticket person said what a great idea I had to take the bus to meet the train. Duh
If they did it right (meaning a good connection both east and west) imagine the railfan package the two could archive. Take the train to ABQ, and take a bus for the ride to Durango to take the famous steam train the next day.
-------------------- Matt Visit gallery for photos of our train layouts Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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Part of the problem is that Greyhound changes the schedule like every few days it seams. The next is in my area they subcontracted it out, and it is crazy.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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Greyhound has been in full retrenchment for years. They are kind of like the network of passenger trains circa January 1970 right now.
Very little of what once was remains and who knows how much longer it will last.
Currently there is only one Greyhound station (and it is the only Greyhound stop) being served in all of Western North Carolina.
That one stop is Asheville which has two buses a day each way to Knoxville. Going eastward one of these two buses goes to Charlotte via Spartanburg, SC. The other goes to Greensboro via I-40. Neither schedule offers a convienant interface with Amtrak. By comparison, as recently as 20 years ago each of these routes offered three to five buses each way every day.
Completely missing is direct bus service to Greenville, SC, Chattanooga, TN, and Bristol, TN - all routes that had multiple departures daily when I was twenty-five years younger. There used to be another route from Asheville down to Columbia and on to Charleston, SC which I used in the late 1980's. A nice Trailways departure from Asheville just after supper to Columbia where I had a short 90 minute layover until the (at that time) 11:30pm Silver Star passed through....
But back to the point - Greyhound in it's present shape is unable and unwilling to coordinate through service with Amtrak.
It can be done, it should be done.....but if it's going to happen it's going to be because Amtrak or some state DOT contracts with some agency other than Greyhound to make it so.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Amtrak does have some connections with buses still. Excellent ones are usually those not Greyhound!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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I used to make use of a Cleveland and Columbus connecting Greyhound bus. (Actually had pick up at the Cleveland train station). The problem was it was also a regularly scheduled Cleveland to Cincinnati route. If the LSL was late into Cleveland it made the Greyhound late --- much to the annoyance of the Greyhound driver (and other non-Amtrak bus riders). Such connections would only work well with a smaller private company that can designate it as an Amtrak connector only route. One such is the Bus connection between Emeryville and San Francisco where they are willing to wait on the trains arrival. Similar is one I make frequently, the bus/van connection between Williams Junction, AZ and Williams, AZ. In that case the William Junction "station" is on private property and they run a shuttle into town. Amtrak alerts the Driver as to how many passengers are coming and going so he can provide an appropriate size vehicle.
The biggest problem, as I see it, is the middle of the night or odd times that Amtrak is scheduled to arrive in many cities does not easily fit into a bus companies regular schedule.
Dee
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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Strange that the discount bus lines seem to be prospering but Greyhound struggles. Maybe it's more a matter of Greyhound having the legacy of lots of local routes while the discounters go from A to B only and they are generally very large cities. Sort of like the elimination of the local trains in the late 50's and 60's as David mentions.
So if the discount buses aren't interested because of the unreliability of Amtrak trains, how about an expanded Amtrak sponsored Thruway bus system in conjunction with state DOT plans. For instance, if NC contributed to an Asheville Thruway, it would be a lot cheaper than trying to start their own train and would make use sooner rather than later of the old stations they have restored but not currently used for transportation purposes. Same would be true for VA and Lynchburg to Roanoke. In both cases it would test the waters to see if there was a market for future rail service.
As DeeCT mentions, I too was impressed with how well Amtrak's Thruway from Emeryville to SF worked. It appears though, that Amtrak isn't interested in doing anything to expand service levels unless it is state financed trains.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Greyhound is getting rather odd now. Like on a trip I had to make to DC and I couldn't take the train, I was going down 95 south, I saw a bus for St. Louis somewhere near Emporia VA. Which seamed like an odd route. Greyhound one of the problems is that lack off decent times.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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The Amtrak Thruway from Emeryville to San Francisco is an excellent way to travel but I believe CalTrans made it possible. CalTrans has worked with host railroads to get the Capitols ,Pacific Surfliner, and San Joaquins to run on time. You have CalTrans to thank for the wonderful Train and Thruway Service in California. I find it more reliable than Greyhound. I KNOW I have a seat when I book a Thruway from Medford to " Oakland or Sacramento"....With Greyhound you never know when the bus is full and it's hard to make a connection that way.
Posts: 139 | From: myrtle creek oregon | Registered: Jul 2006
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If you take the City of New Orleans to New Orleans, there is an Amtrak Thruway connection to a Greyhound bus to Baton Rouge. Greyhound is right by train terminal in New Orleans, so that is good. But returning is not so good! the Greyhoung from Baton Rouge used to leave around 6AM, with fairly long layover in New Orleans before CONO left; NOW, however, it leaves Baton Rouge around 4AM!!!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Actually, in New Orleans, Greyhound and AMTRAK are in the same building (as opposed to "right by" each other)
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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In Greensboro, NC Greyhound and Amtrak are finally right by each other with Greyhound in the former Railway Express Agency Building about 75 yards from the Amtrak waiting room......but layovers from any train I might use to the lone Greyhound to/from Asheville range from 9-12 hours. The waiting room at Greensboro is a pleasant space BUT rather than spend 9-12 hours sitting on a classic wooden bench I'd instead make the three hour drive to Greensboro and park the POV (privately owned vehicle) at the station about 45 minutes before train-time. So much for the idea of reducing my carbon buttocks-print.
The idea of a Thruway bus from Greensboro or Salisbury, NC to Asheville sponsored by the NCDOT has been floated before.....but interest in Asheville seems to have waned altogether in favor of beefing up the Raleigh-Charlotte corridor in anticipation of 'high-speed' service 'someday'.
As a sidebar, my wife and I are seriously considering leaving Western North Carolina and relocating to the Raleigh area within a few years .....access to better transportation, rail and air both, being one of the considerations. (Greater educational opportunities for our daughter being another consideration...)
Finally, as Dee and others have noted - a successful connecting bus operation would work best when it specifically meets the train and is not part of some other bus system's regularly scheduled service. That way the contracting connector is not alienating it's own customer base waiting for often late Amtrak trains. This is perhaps mostly why Greyhound isn't much interested in providing connecting service for Amtrak if they can help it.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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