February 18, 201510 yr Other cities subsidize their transit facilities to encourage Megabus and other charter operators to use them. There's no way that $1,000/mo. actually covers the full cost of Megabus using those facilities. SORTA is asking for $20,000/mo. because that's how much it would actually cost to run the exhaust fans full time, staff the facility (likely using SORTA's unionized employees), open and maintain the restrooms, etc. Now if the city were to step in and provide 90% of the funding so that Megabus could only pay $1,000/mo., that would be great. But SORTA doesn't have that in their budget. I agree on this, I think the city should subsidize the cost. Its worth the cost since CVG is a complete mess and many tourists only have megabus as an acceptable option without spending a small fortune on airfare.
February 18, 201510 yr Any discussion in Cincy of Greyhound also relocating to the riverfront transit center? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 19, 201510 yr Why are they not running buses in it them selves if that was the case? How much did they pay to construct it? I thought it was paid for by the Fort Washington way overhaul by highway funds(gas taxes). How does Metro control it now?
February 19, 201510 yr Any discussion in Cincy of Greyhound also relocating to the riverfront transit center? Greyhound likes owning their own facility. But I think it's only a matter of time before the casino (or possibly someone else) makes them an offer they can't ignore. It'll probably be the location for Greyhound and Megabus in the not-too-distant future. And possibly express buses coming from the suburbs. It would clear up a lot of space for traffic once the streetcar is running.
February 19, 201510 yr Why are they not running buses in it them selves if that was the case? How much did they pay to construct it? I thought it was paid for by the Fort Washington way overhaul by highway funds(gas taxes). How does Metro control it now? I'm pretty sure the city gave operations and maintenance of the facility to SORTA. They don't run buses out of it because that would require them to spend a significant amount of money on operations. They at least break even using it for parking but currently see it as a loss if they run out of it. I imagine they are waiting for the Banks to be more developed, the streetcar to be operational, and Greyhound/Megabus to help offset costs of regular operations.
February 19, 201510 yr Greyhound likes owning their own facility. But I think it's only a matter of time before the casino (or possibly someone else) makes them an offer they can't ignore. It'll probably be the location for Greyhound and Megabus in the not-too-distant future. And possibly express buses coming from the suburbs. It would clear up a lot of space for traffic once the streetcar is running. BTW, many Greyhound stations aren't owned by "transportation Greyhound" but by "real estate Greyhound." The two were split up in the 1990s bankruptcy of Greyhound. And it's more than a paper separation... "Transportation Greyhound" wanted to move its Toledo station to MLK Plaza which is the historic central railroad terminal used by Amtrak and numerous civic offices. But "real estate Greyhound" wouldn't let them out of their lease until this year! The move to the Toledo Amtrak station should occur later this year as construction is due to start in May. More: http://allaboardohio.org/2015/02/15/ohio-amtrak-stations-going-intermodal/ I also ask because the City of Cleveland is doing the same thing on behalf of an as-yet-unconfirmed developer, and just signed an agreement with Greater Cleveland RTA to develop a multimodal center to unite Amtrak, Greyhound, Megabus, Akron Metro RTA, Laketran, Portage Area RTA and Stark Area RTA. More: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,17673.0.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 19, 201510 yr Unfortunately, the Cincinnati Amtrak station is pretty far from everything, so putting the Greyhound station there and united intercity travel wouldn't be a great idea.
February 19, 201510 yr Unfortunately, the Cincinnati Amtrak station is pretty far from everything, so putting the Greyhound station there and united intercity travel wouldn't be a great idea. Yes it is. I wouldn't put Greyhound there either although Greyhound might like the highway access. :-P It seems that Greyhound tends to favor bus access over customer access to some of its newer stations, some of which are next to a remote highway ramp outside of town! All Aboard Ohio is urging cities to consider how best to unite as many transportation modes as possible (including car-share, bike-share, transit etc) into a single location with on-site food/newsstand/services, good pedestrian access and spin-off development potential. It's a shame to leave out some modes, but we realize it's not always possible to include all of them. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 13, 201510 yr http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-man-arrested-after-firing-gun-inside-megabus-on-i90-20150513-story.html Now that is scary. This is reminiscent of an unnerving Chicago-Cleveland Greyhound incident last month where a psycho was running up and down the aisle screaming for his neighbor to sit somewhere else. F words and N words at full volume. Complete maniac. The bus driver had to pull over and threaten to turn around as the people by me and I were about to jump on the freak. He was truly menacing and distracting the driver and everyone on the highway at night. Very unfortunate scene, though thankfully uncommon, and the nutter did settle down. Guess these things happen once in a blue moon.
July 10, 20159 yr Not midwest, but I wonder if this is the start of a trend for megabus: http://austin.culturemap.com/news/city-life/06-25-15-megabus-austin-service-downtown-san-jacinto-terminal/
November 19, 20159 yr GoBus offers cheap but solitary rides around Ohio November 19, 2015 Grant Miner Six o’clock on Sunday morning is one of the worst times of the week to be up. Think about it: At around 4 or 5 a.m., chances are the few people you see have been partying the whole night. But at six? Those are the poor souls who have just woken up. On a recent October morning, I was one of those poor souls. After dragging myself out of bed, showering and printing my tickets, it was 6:45 a.m. — GoBus time. GoBus is an organization created under the Ohio Rural Intercity Bus Program, a government initiative designed to provide cheap transportation to major cities for those living in rural areas. It came to Kenyon this semester and offers daily trips to several destinations around central Ohio at a $10 fare each way. Students looking for a ride to Columbus can get dropped off at Port Columbus International Airport or the Greyhound bus station downtown. GoBus will even bring students to Gambier from as far away as Cleveland and Cincinnati, though you should expect at least eight hours of travel time, multiple transfers and ticket prices of up to $45, depending on the date. MORE: http://kenyoncollegian.com/2015/11/19/gobus-offers-cheap-but-solitary-rides-around-ohio/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 4, 20169 yr Megabus Ends Columbus-Cleveland Service By Walker Evans, Columbus Underground February 3, 2016 8:00 am The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported yesterday afternoon that intercity bus service Megabus has recently ended its Columbus-to-Cleveland service as a part of a larger route cut between Cleveland and Atlanta. The PD reports that the scale back in service comes from declining ridership due to low gas prices across the US. A Megabus Customer Service Specialist confirmed the route discontinuation with Columbus Underground via email yesterday evening, but provided a different explanation. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/megabus-from-columbus-to-cleveland
February 4, 20169 yr That's very sad. I'm hoping low gas prices won't completely ruin megabus (or prospects for intercity rail for that matter).
November 12, 20168 yr Megabus expanding Cleveland operation, hiring drivers http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20161111/NEWS/161119954/megabus-expanding-cleveland-operation-hiring-drivers
January 17, 20178 yr Megabus Quietly Discontinues Columbus Service If you haven’t noticed one of the big blue Megabuses running through Columbus recently, it’s because they’ve ended the service. No official notice was given publicaly, but a Columbus Underground reader tipped us off when an inquiry to customer service about the absent Columbus routes yielded the following response: ”At this time the service has been discontinued until further notice.” Columbus Underground followed up with Megabus customer service, which confirmed the end of the local routes as of January 9th. More below: http://www.columbusunderground.com/megabus-quietly-discontinues-columbus-service "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 17, 20178 yr It seems like Barons Bus is looking to pick up where Megabus left off. I took two round trips on Megabus, once to Cincinnati and once from NYC to Boston. The Cincinnati trips all were on Lakefront buses but the NYC Boston route was on one of their coaches. They were good for what it was, low fare transportation. It seems that bus transportation has an undeserved bad reputation. It fits a niche that serves those without their own automobiles.
November 17, 20177 yr Perhaps Ohio is on their radar? Not quite sure where this belongs, but I came across an interesting table (see attachment) in the following article about Flixbus entering the U.S. market. https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2017/11/europes-intercity-bus-juggernaut-is-rolling-into-the-us/545558/ Of routes with neither express coach nor rail service, Cleveland is the origin or destination in two of the top four most heavily traveled. Meanwhile, Columbus is the origin or destination in four of the top 10. With 1.4 mil trips taken annually between Cleveland and Columbus and 1.9 mil between Cleveland and Detroit, one could only imagine the demand for high speed or even conventional rail along the routes... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 21, 20187 yr Greyhound was in need of hundreds of drivers last year and things apparently are not improving.... Worst Greyhound bus ride ever departs Cleveland for New York hours late and winds up in Toledo https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-cuyahoga/worst-greyhound-bus-cleveland-new-york-late-toledo "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 21, 20187 yr Greyhound was in need of hundreds of drivers last year and things apparently are not improving.... Worst Greyhound bus ride ever departs Cleveland for New York hours late and winds up in Toledo https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/oh-cuyahoga/worst-greyhound-bus-cleveland-new-york-late-toledo All Aboard Ohio should use that--if it had been a train, this would have never happened!
July 24, 20186 yr Interesting news.... Megabus this week is starting an overnight Cleveland-New York City service, with eastbound/westbound trips on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Eastbound buses leave Cleveland from STJ Transit Center, 2115 East 22nd Street, at 11:59 p.m. and arrive NYC at 7th Ave and 27th St at 8:45 a.m. Westbound buses leave NYC at 34th St b/t 11th Ave and 12th Ave at 10:15 p.m. and arrive Cleveland at STJ Transit Center at 7:00 a.m. One way fare is $59.99 and Round trip is double. Two questions -- why arrive New York City in the middle of rush hour? Why not come in at 7 a.m. into NYC and arrive Cleveland at 8:45 a.m.? And, why arrive and depart NYC at two different locations? Very confusing. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 25, 20186 yr ^ This is a guess but I always assumed strange times (the Chinatown bus I've taken from Cincinnati had odd times, too) were the result of NYC's bus stop permit system. There can't be all that many spots in Manhattan to load/unload an intercity bus and there has to be at least some competition for those spots and time slots in them. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/ferrybus/intercity-bus.shtml Also, those stop locations seem to be pretty convenient for quickly getting off/on the Lincoln tunnel. Inbound it dumps you right onto 30th, and it's easy to get over to 7th Ave. Outbound, it's pretty easy to get into the tunnel from 11th Avenue at 40th.
October 15, 20186 yr Kickstarter company cancels plans to connect campuses with bus service http://www.newsrecord.org/news/kickstarter-company-cancels-plans-to-connect-campuses-with-bus-service/article_7a7fb02c-d078-11e8-85fe-6fce557004cc.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 4, 20196 yr Study highlights premium bus service growth in intercity bus industry http://www.metro-magazine.com/motorcoach/news/732900/study-highlights-premium-bus-service-growth-in-intercity-bus-industry "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 20, 20196 yr To benefit riders, Sandusky shifts its Greyhound bus stop SANDUSKY — Sandusky officials sniffed out what they consider a great new spot for the local Greyhound bus stop. Beginning March 1, Greyhound will drop off and pick up passengers at the Amtrak station on North Depot Street. Passengers can expect four stops a day seven days a week. At 1230 N. Depot St., people can board a train or a bus: be it out of town, on Greyhound, or around Erie County, via Sandusky Transit. FULL STORY: http://www.sanduskyregister.com/story/201902130018
November 7, 20195 yr New Intercity Bus Company to Offer Columbus Routes Nearly three years after Megabus quietly discontinued service in Columbus, a new alternative to Greyhound is set to launch service next week to Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. FlixBus, a German-based company that began operating in the U.S. in 2018, announced today that the two new routes will start running on November 14. Columbus passengers can book tickets online now for the trips, which will leave from the Central Ohio Transit Authority’s Spring Street Terminal downtown (located at 33 W. Spring St., just west of High Street). More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/new-intercity-bus-company-to-offer-columbus-routes-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 6, 20205 yr The "Chinatown Bus" that provides service from Cincinnati to NYC, via Dayton and Columbus, was the bus that crashed this weekend on the Pennsylvania turnpike, killing 5 and injuring 60+ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/05/us/Pennsylvania-Turnpike-accident.html
February 24, 20205 yr New bus route to connect Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City A new regional bus service is launching next month in Columbus, meaning spring breakers will have a new way to travel between Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. FlixBus USA on March 5 will launch a new bus route between Columbus and New York City, with stops in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia. FlixBus USA is the American brand of German mobility company FixBus, which serves 2,500 locations in 30 countries. The service, which costs about $29.99 to go to from Columbus to New York City and $9.99 to go to a shorter distance to Pittsburgh, says it sets itself apart from other providers because it has free wifi on board, power outlets at every seat, free on-board entertainment through an app and free carry-on and checked luggage. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/02/24/new-bus-route-to-connect-columbus-pittsburgh.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 13, 20214 yr A pretty big deal! Wonder how soon this metastasizes across the border? Greyhound shutting down all bus service in Canada permanently Company will no longer offer domestic service, but American affiliate will still offer cross-border routes https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/greyhound-canada-1.6025276 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 1, 20213 yr FlixBus Returns to Columbus, Offering Service to Four Cities Starting today, July 1, bus riders looking for an alternative to Greyhound will have a new option for travel to Dayton, Indianapolis, Chicago and Milwaukee. FlixBus, a German-based company that began operating inter-city bus routes in the U.S. in 2018, is returning to Columbus after operating here for several months in late 2019 and early 2020. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/flixbus-returns-to-columbus-offering-service-to-four-cities-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 30, 20213 yr "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 25, 20213 yr On 7/1/2021 at 7:24 PM, ColDayMan said: FlixBus Returns to Columbus, Offering Service to Four Cities And now FlixBus has bought out the competition, becoming Greyhound's new owner https://www.dallasnews.com/business/local-companies/2021/10/21/dallas-based-greyhound-sells-to-europes-largest-long-distance-bus-network/ On 2/19/2015 at 2:43 PM, KJP said: BTW, many Greyhound stations aren't owned by "transportation Greyhound" but by "real estate Greyhound." The two were split up in the 1990s bankruptcy of Greyhound. And it's more than a paper separation... "Transportation Greyhound" wanted to move its Toledo station to MLK Plaza which is the historic central railroad terminal used by Amtrak and numerous civic offices. But "real estate Greyhound" wouldn't let them out of their lease until this year! I'm guessing that the sale was only for "transportation Greyhound" and not "real estate Greyhound."
October 27, 20213 yr On 9/30/2021 at 10:23 AM, KJP said: Pandemic aside... When you are a company like Greyhound that operates a service that, in many ways, just plain sucks, it's not a recipe for success. It's not difficult to make seats comfortable, for instance. Or give your employees customer service training so they aren't rude when interacting with customers. Or offer robust wifi. On a related note, I've often wondered if there is a market for a more upscale bus service-- seating with more legroom, free coffee and snacks, etc.
October 27, 20213 yr I would like to see a company that can figure out how to service small cities and towns again.
October 28, 20213 yr 6 hours ago, Htsguy said: I would like to see a company that can figure out how to service small cities and towns again. I would like to see a bus company that can offer a modicum of customer service again. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 10, 20223 yr USA: American Airlines is getting into the bus business April 8, 2022 Fort Worth-based American Airlines has inked a deal with bus company Landline to replace some short-hop connecting flights to Philadelphia International Airport from Allentown, Pa., and Atlantic City, N.J., with bus rides. By Kyle Arnold Source The Dallas Morning News (MCT) https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/news/21263445/usa-american-airlines-is-getting-into-the-bus-business "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 10, 20223 yr 24 minutes ago, KJP said: USA: American Airlines is getting into the bus business April 8, 2022 Fort Worth-based American Airlines has inked a deal with bus company Landline to replace some short-hop connecting flights to Philadelphia International Airport from Allentown, Pa., and Atlantic City, N.J., with bus rides. By Kyle Arnold Source The Dallas Morning News (MCT) https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/news/21263445/usa-american-airlines-is-getting-into-the-bus-business There needs to be a LOT more of this from hubs. Would be even better if the connection was via high frequency train. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
July 27, 20222 yr @KJP said: "I would like to see a bus company that can offer a modicum of customer service again." I've always wondered if any entrepreneur would try offering a first class bus experience. It is happening: The Jet (WAS-NYC) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh1ULPYMQhI Napaway (Sleeper Bus, WAS-Nashville): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ygWEAY4WE Cabin: LA-San Fran overnight bus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRTzEJ8znL0 These buses put Amtrak to shame. Time will tell if they succeed. I hope they do. Edited July 27, 20222 yr by gildone
July 27, 20222 yr 11 minutes ago, gildone said: @KJP said: "I would like to see a bus company that can offer a modicum of customer service again." I've always wondered if any entrepreneur would try offering a first class bus experience. It is happening: The Jet (WAS-NYC) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh1ULPYMQhI Napaway (Sleeper Bus, WAS-Nashville): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ygWEAY4WE These buses put Amtrak to shame. Time will tell if they succeed. I hope they do. Ehhh, I wouldn't say they put Amtrak to shame. Same price and the trip is an hour longer than the Acela with similar amenities. And that's assuming you don't end up in traffic hell on the Jersey Turnpike. One bad traffic experience and you'll be regretting not taking the train. Also, only holds 14 people? If these busses start taking customers away from the Acela that would be a climate disaster.
July 27, 20222 yr @DEPACincyAmtrak is more than Acela, which is only a small part of their business. I was comparing to the system as a whole.
July 27, 20222 yr 1 hour ago, gildone said: @DEPACincyAmtrak is more than Acela, which is only a small part of their business. I was comparing to the system as a whole. Gotcha. I thought you meant Acela since it is a WAS-NYC route. I don't see this thing gaining a lot of traction in the Northeast Corridor because Acela is more reliable, timewise. And I don't see too many city pairings outside of the Northeast where there would be sufficient demand for a service like this. But we'll see I guess.
July 28, 20222 yr 16 hours ago, DEPACincy said: Gotcha. I thought you meant Acela since it is a WAS-NYC route. I don't see this thing gaining a lot of traction in the Northeast Corridor because Acela is more reliable, timewise. And I don't see too many city pairings outside of the Northeast where there would be sufficient demand for a service like this. But we'll see I guess. Yeah. I agree. I wish these companies the best. I'd certainly take Acela or a standard Northeast Regional train before I'd take a bus. Edited July 28, 20222 yr by gildone
November 2, 20222 yr This is a big loss. I wasn't a fan of the old station in downtown (it was very dingy and dated), but it provided a necessary service. Is the new site even accessible from METRO? Greyhound leaves downtown Cincinnati, moves station to suburbs Greyhound and partner, Barons Bus Lines, began operations Tuesday from a new temporary bus terminal in Arlington Heights Greyhound began operations Tuesday from new temporary bus terminal in Arlington Heights Owners of the old Greyhound site are seeking a developer for hotel, retail or residential development Greyhound Lines Inc., the largest provider of intercity bus transportation in North America, has moved out of its downtown Cincinnati bus terminal and joined Barons Bus Lines at a new location in Arlington Heights, the company announced Wednesday. Cleveland-based Barons announced last week that it would move its local operations from the Cincinnati Greyhound station to a temporary terminal at 398 E. Galbraith Road, just off Interstate 75 near McCluskey Chevrolet.
November 2, 20222 yr It is about a 12 minute (0.6 mile) walk from both the #43 bus on Reading and the #78 on Anthony Wayne. Both are 24 hour routes, but this is really inconvenient for almost everyone. ETA: I think the 78 route splits before this point, so the 24 hour route on the 78 might go up the Vine/Springfield Pike route, and be about a 1 mile walk.
November 2, 20222 yr Sad. You would think that if any national transportation provider would realize the benefits of being near public transit that it would be Greyhound.
November 2, 20222 yr 1 minute ago, X said: Sad. You would think that if any national transportation provider would realize the benefits of being near public transit that it would be Greyhound. Greyhound is barely hanging on financially from what I have heard. No longer the strongest brand. Cheap discount airlines have really hurt their business. Going to the burbs where the rent is cheaper is not really a bad option. Plus, Arlington heights is probably closer to their target demographic now.
November 3, 20222 yr 17 hours ago, The_Cincinnati_Kid said: According to a news release, Greyhound has begun operations at its new facility located at 398 E. Galbraith Rd., effective Nov. 2. Did Greyhound build anything on this site? Looks like 398 E Galbraith is just a surface parking lot. Is the parking lot all that the "facility" consists of?
January 12, 20232 yr Hmm. Does Greyhound still own the Cleveland terminal, or did that sell along with the surrounding parking lots? When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
January 12, 20232 yr On 11/3/2022 at 10:24 AM, jwulsin said: Did Greyhound build anything on this site? Looks like 398 E Galbraith is just a surface parking lot. Is the parking lot all that the "facility" consists of? Coincidentally, I was by there on a Saturday night last weekend. It was about 7 p.m. with one Baron Bus and one Greyhound in the lot. There’s a fence around the area and what seem to be trailers for portable toilets (but not for passenger waiting). The whole area is lit by fluorescent lights and just looks like it’s storage for surplus buses. There’s nothing around in terms of food, coffee, hotels that’s walkable. The only way to reach the “station” is via car, or, as mentioned earlier—threadbare public transit.
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