Continued Success for Megabus.com in USA
Following the news last month that Stagecoach Group reported that revenue from its megabus.com operations in North America increased by more than 20% in the six months ended 31 October 2013, it has been announced that $10.5m is to be invested in 15 new Van Hool double-decker coaches.
Also, further expansion is planned in the next 12 months.
The study found bus passengers saved 52% compared with trips by rail on the same route, while they paid 79% less than people who chose to fly to their destination.
Inter-city bus users paid an average of 38% less than motorists, with the savings exceeding 50% when the full costs of owning a car were taken into account.
Research by the DePaul University Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development in Chicago looked at city-to-city trips of 80 miles to 500 miles in the 50 largest metropolitan areas on the US mainland.
On average, bus customers saved more than $36 per one-way trip relative to other transport modes, with cumulative savings of $1.1 billion annually.
The report, entitled Motoring into the Mainstream1, found that inter-city bus carriers expanded their number of daily operations by 4%, exceeding growth rates in city-to-city rail and airline services.
Previous studies by the transportation institute have found that the launch of megabus.com in the United States in 2006 sparked a renaissance in inter-city bus travel after decades of decline.
"Travellers are flocking to the bus. Not only for [the obvious benefits of] the low fares, but also to avoid the stress of flying and driving, said Joseph P. Schwieterman, co-author of the new report. "Bus travel continues on an impressive upward trajectory."
Megabus.com now operates in more than 30 states in the United States and two provinces in Canada, serving more than 120 destinations. Around 10 million customers travel on more than 200,000 trips with megabus.com every year, with more than 50% of passengers previously driving by car.
Customers benefit from the most modern fleet of double-decker buses in North America. The state-of-the-art, green-certified and wheelchair accessible double-decker buses are equipped with free Wi-Fi, power outlets, seat belts and toilets. megabus.com has also created more than 1,000 new jobs over the past seven years.
Dale Moser, President and Chief Operating Office of megabus.com, said: "megabus.com has again been recognised for leading the way in transforming inter-city bus travel. Travellers can make huge savings by leaving their car keys at home and taking the bus to get to work, make a business trip, travel with friends or go on a vacation.
"Our on-board Wi-Fi means customers can make the most of their time travelling. We have also developed an app our customers can use to get real-time information on the progress of their service and any issues affecting their trip."
USA Route Map
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Colin Sellers has added a few more images to the 'Farewell to Doyles' set and can now be viewed here
