Jump to content

Miscellaneous Greyhound discussion


Tom1122

Recommended Posts

I thought I should start a miscellaneous discussion to cover lesser discussed topics involving Greyhound like how there's a miscellaneous TTC discussion.

I noticed on Greyhound's website you can no longer travel directly from Sudbury to North Bay like I did in 2007 and 2011. If you try to go between those cities, it puts you on two former Ontario Northland routes connecting in Barrie or Toronto.

I'm surprised Greyhound dropped the service. They had three buses per day in each direction running between the cities. The times I rode the routes, the buses were pretty full as well. I wonder why Greyhound cut the service.

Edit: I checked Greyhound's site again and the service is once again showing. Must have been an error of some sort.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are 3 round-trip schedules a day between Sudbury and North Bay. Ensure you didn't select Sudbury Ont, ON as this is the Sudbury Ontario Northland terminal, seperate from the GCTU terminal. These funnel freight and passengers from Sudbury onto Ottawa/Montreal.

Uwe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Does anyone know of any recent Greyhound bus wraps? (Eastern Ontario)

The reason i'm asking is i caught a glimpse of the 5 pm Greyhound Commuter link to Cornwal and the bus (a Mci coach) had a full wrap and a rear wrap for a Radio Stn (10x.x last 2 numbers covered by dirt)

(I've checked the wiki and no info could be found)

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Does Greyhound Canada own any new buses? The few we see coming into New York are all old. If GLI is getting new X3's and some D4505's, why isn't GLC? Hard to believe the two are owned by the same conglomerate........

My opinion on the matter is that Greyhound has known for a few years now that their service in the US would need to be provided with 100% accessible vehicles. Meanwhile, they have a huge stock of non-accessible buses halfway through their lifespan (500 buses in the 6xxx numbering, all ordered in 1998/1999) that are in relatively good shape and run well but could use a refresher. New buses would almost certainly come with wheelchair lifts regardless of which country they were given to. Therefore, it's good business sense to give all the new buses with wheelchair lifts to the US so they can make their fleet 100% accessible (well mostly) and then refurbish the older non-accessible 102-DL3s, get them into 'good-as-new' condition, and send them up north to Canada to retire older stock not being refurbished. From a passenger's perspective, they're new buses with fresh paint and new seating, so that's all that matters.

This arrangement works well for the company - they don't need to sell/scrap their older non-accessible US stock, and can revitalize the Canadian fleet with more reliable buses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My opinion on the matter is that Greyhound has known for a few years now that their service in the US would need to be provided with 100% accessible vehicles. Meanwhile, they have a huge stock of non-accessible buses halfway through their lifespan (500 buses in the 6xxx numbering, all ordered in 1998/1999) that are in relatively good shape and run well but could use a refresher. New buses would almost certainly come with wheelchair lifts regardless of which country they were given to. Therefore, it's good business sense to give all the new buses with wheelchair lifts to the US so they can make their fleet 100% accessible (well mostly) and then refurbish the older non-accessible 102-DL3s, get them into 'good-as-new' condition, and send them up north to Canada to retire older stock not being refurbished. From a passenger's perspective, they're new buses with fresh paint and new seating, so that's all that matters.

This arrangement works well for the company - they don't need to sell/scrap their older non-accessible US stock, and can revitalize the Canadian fleet with more reliable buses.

Your opinion sounds very logical. Lucky for them that Canada's accessability laws don't mirror the U.S. law, or at least the timetable for full compliance....

Still...you would think they would at least throw GLC 'a bone', so to speak, with a few new buses here and there, if for nothing other than driver morale.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your opinion sounds very logical. Lucky for them that Canada's accessability laws don't mirror the U.S. law, or at least the timetable for full compliance....

Still...you would think they would at least throw GLC 'a bone', so to speak, with a few new buses here and there, if for nothing other than driver morale.....

With the number of runs being cut recently in Alberta and now BC, there's no need for new equipment as the required fleet size is shrinking. Driver Morale (unfortunately) has no dollar value attached to it, so the corporate bigwigs don't really care so long as the buses are still running.

On an unrelated note: I was going over the Wiki, and Greyhound Canada has 65 G4500 buses on the roster, yet I've never seen one pass through Toronto, and the few mentions of them from out West seem to involve being in the boneyard. Are they still being run out west (and not mentioned), or have they all been removed from roster?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't answer about Western Canada, but some dreaded G's still find there way into New York now and then. Saw a couple at Academy's lot in Hoboken last week.

They try to get them back to Western U.S. on New York to St. Louis/Denver schedules....

Some times hard to do, as most drivers will thoroughly scrutinize them, looking for any possible excuse to refuse them......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could be the US Coach with Canadian Driver?

Can't answer about Western Canada, but some dreaded G's still find there way into New York now and then. Saw a couple at Academy's lot in Hoboken last week.

I was wondering how the buses in NYC are serviced... I know Greyhound Canada and Trailways NY has their buses serviced at Academy. I thought Greyhound Lines buses were not serviced at all or now recently Peter Pan services them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Board Admin

 

On an unrelated note: I was going over the Wiki, and Greyhound Canada has 65 G4500 buses on the roster, yet I've never seen one pass through Toronto, and the few mentions of them from out West seem to involve being in the boneyard. Are they still being run out west (and not mentioned), or have they all been removed from roster?
They generally were always run in the west (I think Alberta/BC mostly). They are still around, but a lot seem to have been involved in accidents. I honestly can't remember the last time I saw one in service and not at the Edmonton shops. The build quality on them was nothing to brag about on them either.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They generally were always run in the west (I think Alberta/BC mostly). They are still around, but a lot seem to have been involved in accidents. I honestly can't remember the last time I saw one in service and not at the Edmonton shops. The build quality on them was nothing to brag about on them either.

In Calgary, I rarely see the G4500's lately....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could be the US Coach with Canadian Driver?

I was wondering how the buses in NYC are serviced... I know Greyhound Canada and Trailways NY has their buses serviced at Academy. I thought Greyhound Lines buses were not serviced at all or now recently Peter Pan services them.

Unfortunately, GLI lost their lease on their New York City garage facilities a couple of years ago. The current practice is to clean the vehicles interior and windshields in the terminal. The buses are usually fueled at the last servicing stops prior to New York, to insure an adequate supply to get back out to at least the first outbound servicing point. Occasionally, they will have to buy some fuel at Academy, and in severe cases, have the toilets dumped there as well.

Since GLC buses are no longer operated by Trailways NY, in the pool, but only by GLI, they are serviced the same way. Greyhound does store some buses both GLI and GLC at Academy's lot number three, along with Trailways NY....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately, GLI lost their lease on their New York City garage facilities a couple of years ago. The current practice is to clean the vehicles interior and windshields in the terminal. The buses are usually fueled at the last servicing stops prior to New York, to insure an adequate supply to get back out to at least the first outbound servicing point. Occasionally, they will have to buy some fuel at Academy, and in severe cases, have the toilets dumped there as well.

Since GLC buses are no longer operated by Trailways NY, in the pool, but only by GLI, they are serviced the same way. Greyhound does store some buses both GLI and GLC at Academy's lot number three, along with Trailways NY....

I can see them sericing at Peter Pan as well but have not seen a GLI bus at their facility yet. I saw a photo of a GLC NeOn branded bus parked at Academy. Well, your explanation helped!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can see them sericing at Peter Pan as well but have not seen a GLI bus at their facility yet. I saw a photo of a GLC NeOn branded bus parked at Academy. Well, your explanation helped!

I have not been over to Peter Pan's Secaucus garage for quite some time. The last time I was there, the only GLI connected buses based there were the GLI-PPB jointly owned "Bolt" buses.

Sometimes, a GLC bus may be visitinig New York on a GLC operated charter, In that case, the driver is free to service his bus at any garage he can

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have not been over to Peter Pan's Secaucus garage for quite some time. The last time I was there, the only GLI connected buses based there were the GLI-PPB jointly owned "Bolt" buses.

Sometimes, a GLC bus may be visitinig New York on a GLC operated charter, In that case, the driver is free to service his bus at any garage he can

I wonder if the GLI-PPB "Yo Bus" service fleet would be based out of the Secaucus garage of Peter Pan?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone know if it's the Canadian or American Greyhound who operate the Seattle-Vancouver route?

It is Greyhound Lines Inc (the U.S. company) that operates Vancouver to Seattle. Occasionally a Canadian bus and driver will find their way to that corridor on an overload though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if the GLI-PPB "Yo Bus" service fleet would be based out of the Secaucus garage of Peter Pan?

I don't know, offhand. But I see the Yo-Buses' in the Port often. I'll have to get back to you on that one, when I return to work Monday........

It is Greyhound Lines Inc (the U.S. company) that operates Vancouver to Seattle. Occasionally a Canadian bus and driver will find their way to that corridor on an overload though.

The same thing happens here in New York on major holiday's. On the New York-Montreal route, it is operated by GLI and Adirondack Trailways drivers. Based in New York, Albany, and Montreal. The Montreal GLI and ADT drivers have legal papers to work in the US, so can make local stops in the US. When a GLC (former Voyageur) driver (and bus) is used on overloads, he can only run nonstop to/from New York, handling no local passengers--only passengers that will be crossing the border.

Similar situation on the New York -Buffalo- Toronto route. When a GLC Toronto driver is used, he must not pick up any passengers after crossing the border into the US until he arrives in New York. Due to the long hours on that route, he wouldn't have time to do so anyway. When he returns, he must not drop off at any US stop, either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know, offhand. But I see the Yo-Buses' in the Port often. I'll have to get back to you on that one, when I return to work Monday........

The same thing happens here in New York on major holiday's. On the New York-Montreal route, it is operated by GLI and Adirondack Trailways drivers. Based in New York, Albany, and Montreal. The Montreal GLI and ADT drivers have legal papers to work in the US, so can make local stops in the US. When a GLC (former Voyageur) driver (and bus) is used on overloads, he can only run nonstop to/from New York, handling no local passengers--only passengers that will be crossing the border.

Similar situation on the New York -Buffalo- Toronto route. When a GLC Toronto driver is used, he must not pick up any passengers after crossing the border into the US until he arrives in New York. Due to the long hours on that route, he wouldn't have time to do so anyway. When he returns, he must not drop off at any US stop, either.

So this is why New Years eve I saw a non accessible reasigned GLI now GLC bus run on a NYC express trip from Toronto.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Non accessable buses are not supposed to be operated on line runs in the States. If one mistakenly is loaded in Toronto for New York City on a regular schedule, when it reaches Buffalo, the US driver is supposed to refuse it, and change the passengers over to an accessable one. At least that is the case if the trip is operated by New York Trailways. Not sure if the GLI drivers received the same instructions or not....

If it is to be run 'nonstop' from Toronto to New York City with a GLC driver, or vice-versa, perhaps that is legal, but I'm not sure....I do know that no New York Trailways driver will operate a non accessable bus, that is if he wants to keep his job.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Non accessable buses are not supposed to be operated on line runs in the States. If one mistakenly is loaded in Toronto for New York City on a regular schedule, when it reaches Buffalo, the US driver is supposed to refuse it, and change the passengers over to an accessable one. At least that is the case if the trip is operated by New York Trailways. Not sure if the GLI drivers received the same instructions or not....

If it is to be run 'nonstop' from Toronto to New York City with a GLC driver, or vice-versa, perhaps that is legal, but I'm not sure....I do know that no New York Trailways driver will operate a non accessable bus, that is if he wants to keep his job.....

That would explain why the Ottawa On --> NYC trip now requires a transfer in Syracuse. As in the past that trip would run with one bus from Ottawa <--> NYC with a stop in Brockville and Syracuse then express to Nyc.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a Ottawa<-->NYC bus? :unsure:

When did this start and what its schedule?

Yes not sure of how long its been operating. It runs 4 times a week.

Ottawa --> Syracuse/Nyc ,Thursday Friday ,Sunday and Monday. Returns Friday,Saturday,Monday and Tuesday From Syracuse/Nyc

The route travels via the 416 -> 401 -> I-81. And is a overnight trip both directions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...