How Many Americans View Traveling By Bus
Bus travel takes a different role in the car-driven culture of the United States Than it does in most states. Because the area of the US is so massive, flying is often the most interesting transportation option for traveling between cities and can be priced quite competitively when factoring in time and convenience. For shorter distances driving is generally the first choice for US domestic travelers. However, for routes that are under 5 – 6 hours, the bus is almost always the most cost effective and often the most convenient form of travel. Additionally , as Amtrak ( the nation’s rail service) continues to see cuts in government funding, bus service is often the only ground transportation option for many destinations. Visitors who are planning to adhere to major towns will most likely find having a car to be inconvenient, expensive, and needless. Therefore, taking the bus between destinations is a great option.
Many US citizens view traveling by bus with some terror, and, whether deserved or not, bus service In America frequently has the States frequently has the reputation of being rather basic. In truth, the standard of service varies significantly among bus carriers. Some carriers, like LuxBus in California or Transfloridian in Florida, offer luxury buses and feature services that are rarely even found on airlines today, like on-board entertainment and complimentary food and beverage service. Still, standard bus service is sometimes more about the budget level and offers few comforts. Food options are more likely to be a ten minute stop at a roadside fast food restaurant than on-board meal service.
The bus industry in the US is controlled by Greyhound, which is the only remaining across the nation bus carrier. Several other companies such as Trailways and Coach USA are made from independently owned bus firms that share marketing functions and branding. In addition there are many powerful regional players in the bus industry. Whilst these companies compete with Greyhound, they often end up sharing service on routes that don’t have enough traffic to sustain two carriers. This is analogous to “code sharing” in the airline industry.
The most fresh development in the U.S. Bus industry has been the “Chinatown bus” phenomenon. Many years back some enterprising entrepreneurs in New York’s Chinatown started running buses from Chinatown in NY to Chinatown in Boston, charging less than half of what traditional what traditional bus corporations did and a fraction of what it cost to catch the train or fly. They targeted Asian immigrants who wanted to shop or visit relatives and required cheap and convenient transportation. Although the buses were modern and comfortable, the service was bare bones-no advertising, consumer service, or bus stations. Purchasers simply went to the bus stop, waited for the bus, and paid the driver on boarding. For those prepared to do without frills, these companies offered just about the same service as Greyhound at a significantly lower cost.
Soon more bus companies duplicated this model and started offering service in other markets. Now you will find this type of bus service in Philadelphia, Virginia, Washington DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco. At about that point the term “Chinatown bus” is employed more loosely to describe this kind of low-cost/low-frills service. Many, if not most, of the firm’s don’t have Chinatown as there main location and may not cater to the immigrant population at all. When these companies first started operating, concerns were raised about safety standards. There is still controversy within the industry about if these low-cost bus firms are obeying the same rules as the traditional firms. Nevertheless , all bus corporations operating in the U.S. Must bear the same inspection standards and must comply with the same rules.
Finding info about scheduled bus service is not always easy for visitors to the US. Traditionally bus firms have sold tickets at on-site ticket booths. Many now sell through their own web sites too. While for plane travel there are a few online booking sites that allow travelers to compare different carriers, it is more difficult to find route information for bus service. GotoBus.com is a centralized booking site focused bus bus travel. It offers search capacity like Expedia or Travelocity and sells tickets for many different bus and tour companies.
Overall, the bus is a great option for visitors to the US who are looking for transportation between major US cities. For most cities, a car is not necessary and will be inconvenient and expensive. Particularly for shorter distances, it is the best way to go for the budget minded traveler.
If you find this article useful, you may also visit famouswonders.com to read more about some of the best places to visit and have a look at Yosemite National Park pictures.