Megabus US/Canada

[Megabus Rider]

On 8/12/2022 at 9:54 PM, Shaun said:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/megabus-crash-new-jersey-two-dead-investigation/

 

Seems to me like Megabus has a bad history of flipping over their busses.  I wonder if there is something about the design of this model that makes it suceptable to flipping over (other than the fact that it is a double decker bus).  I bet combined GO transit does more mileage with their fleet and I cannot recall a single incident where the bus flipped over. 

I wonder if it has to do with maintenance? I have seen some on the road with broken windshields and bald ties. There is no way it would pass a pre-trip inspection, but profit before safety I guess. 

I believe its more to do with new drivers being hired and think they are driving a Prevost or MCI or even worse a school bus, and forget about the vehicle being top heavy.

[MCIBUS]

From what I heard thru the grape vine these DD buses/coaches be it Dennis-Alexander, Van Hool, Setra's, or any other make, they can be difficult to handle especially when its very windy. Whether that's true or not that I can't answer as I'm not a  bus/coach driver, only going by what I heard.

[ZümmyZüm]

They are definitely top heavy and can be a pain in the a** when the winds get real bad, but you have to do something seriously reckless to tip a double decker bus. They have stringent testing to ensure tipping is near impossible. However these are “Altoona” type tests, not slamming into a barrier and potentially over correcting 

[Shaun]

On 8/18/2022 at 10:08 AM, ZümmyZüm said:

They are definitely top heavy and can be a pain in the a** when the winds get real bad, but you have to do something seriously reckless to tip a double decker bus. They have stringent testing to ensure tipping is near impossible. However these are “Altoona” type tests, not slamming into a barrier and potentially over correcting

 

Maybe it has to do with lack of driver training? Or poor maintenance? 

[Bus_Medic]

8 hours ago, Shaun said:

 

Maybe it has to do with lack of driver training? Or poor maintenance? 

No, physics.

[ns8401]

Megabus will be starting a Toronto-Detroit-Chicago run on October 16th. Supposed to have 1-2 buses a day. It’ll be stopping at the Greyhound station in Detroit for sure. It’s a state facility so they have their blessing to the whole thing. It’ll at least give folks a way to get across the border again. It’s not gonna interline however.

[Megabus Rider]

18 hours ago, ns8401 said:

Megabus will be starting a Toronto-Detroit-Chicago run on October 16th. Supposed to have 1-2 buses a day. It’ll be stopping at the Greyhound station in Detroit for sure. It’s a state facility so they have their blessing to the whole thing. It’ll at least give folks a way to get across the border again. It’s not gonna interline however.

Where did you get that from? Can't find anything on Social Media postings or news releases. Not even available on their website.

I am thinking Badder Bus will do the Toronto - London - Detroit portion of the run unless Coach Canada is getting more DD Coaches to pool with the Coach USA Chicago operator. If the DD coaches are used, The Port Huron/Sarnia Port of Entry may have to be used.

Rather see Megabus start this service than Flixbus.

[ns8401]

5 hours ago, Megabus Rider said:

Where did you get that from? Can't find anything on Social Media postings or news releases. Not even available on their website.

I am thinking Badder Bus will do the Toronto - London - Detroit portion of the run unless Coach Canada is getting more DD Coaches to pool with the Coach USA Chicago operator. If the DD coaches are used, The Port Huron/Sarnia Port of Entry may have to be used.

Rather see Megabus start this service than Flixbus.

I work out of the Detroit terminal. I’ll come back and massage some of that if need be but as of Thursday that’s the plan.

[MVTArider]

On 10/9/2022 at 12:33 AM, Megabus Rider said:

I am thinking Badder Bus will do the Toronto - London - Detroit portion of the run unless Coach Canada is getting more DD Coaches to pool with the Coach USA Chicago operator. If the DD coaches are used, The Port Huron/Sarnia Port of Entry may have to be used.

Rather see Megabus start this service than Flixbus.

Who exactly is their Chicago operator, or is there even one currently? Just checking the megabus site Chicago is not an option at all right now for trying to pick a starting point. I believe Coach USA franchisees Van Galder (Janesville, WI) and Wisconsin Coach Lines do sell/accept megabus tickets on their line run services in Wisconsin and between Minneapolis and WI. Van Galder I know runs a few J4500 with megabus decals as well. (i.e.) This actually makes it even stranger that Chicago is not an option since Van Galder runs almost hourly service between Chicago Union Station and at least Rockford or Janesville via ORD. (Service may actually all extend through to Madison, I haven't dug into the schedule much)

Coach USA Van Galder 68250 by J. Mc., on Flickr

[Megabus Rider]

2 hours ago, MVTArider said:

Who exactly is their Chicago operator, or is there even one currently? Just checking the megabus site Chicago is not an option at all right now for trying to pick a starting point. I believe Coach USA franchisees Van Galder (Janesville, WI) and Wisconsin Coach Lines do sell/accept megabus tickets on their line run services in Wisconsin and between Minneapolis and WI. Van Galder I know runs a few J4500 with megabus decals as well. (i.e.) This actually makes it even stranger that Chicago is not an option since Van Galder runs almost hourly service between Chicago Union Station and at least Rockford or Janesville via ORD. (Service may actually all extend through to Madison, I haven't dug into the schedule much)

Coach USA Van Galder 68250 by J. Mc., on Flickr

Which Coach USA Company operated the Chicago - Detroit service? Unless Coach USA shut down that company during the pandemic.

[ns8401]

8 hours ago, Megabus Rider said:

Which Coach USA Company operated the Chicago - Detroit service? Unless Coach USA shut down that company during the pandemic.

I used to see a lot of Lakefront Lines buses doing it. They were shut down early in the pandemic. There were also actual Megabus branded coaches and the Coach USA ones. It seemed to be more a question of whether it had wheels and could move or not. There was no consistency except for the Megabus on the destination sign.

[ns8401]

On 10/9/2022 at 7:22 AM, ns8401 said:

I work out of the Detroit terminal. I’ll come back and massage some of that if need be but as of Thursday that’s the plan.

So apparently there were some paperwork issues. Mid-November is the new target for the service thru Detroit.

[Tcmetro]

Before the pandemic, Coach USA divested/shut down (can't remember which) Gray Line in Chicago and moved the Chicago hub operations to Lakefront Lines and Wisconsin Coach Lines.

Wisconsin Coach Lines picked up several state-subsidized routes in Wisconsin and the Megabus website is functionally their ticket portal. I think there's a similar set-up with state sponsored routes in Virginia.

[translink fan]

Megabus and New York Trailways partnering up to offer more services and coverage. 

Partnership announcement

[traildriver]

27 minutes ago, translink fan said:

Megabus and New York Trailways partnering up to offer more services and coverage. 

Partnership announcement

Wow...that's a surprise.   At least to me, that is, having been retired from TNY for five years, and out of the info 'loop'.  I wonder how other Trailways member companies feel about that?

But then again, offhand, I can't think of any other Trailways members being in competition with Megabus, so I suppose it doesn't really matter.

[Megabus Rider]

On 11/17/2022 at 10:15 PM, traildriver said:

Wow...that's a surprise.   At least to me, that is, having been retired from TNY for five years, and out of the info 'loop'.  I wonder how other Trailways member companies feel about that?

But then again, offhand, I can't think of any other Trailways members being in competition with Megabus, so I suppose it doesn't really matter.

Trailways of NY had options including Ourbus. This is the second Trailways Member to partner with Megabus, the first being Fullington Trailways.

[Megabus Rider]

On 10/26/2022 at 1:09 PM, ns8401 said:

So apparently there were some paperwork issues. Mid-November is the new target for the service thru Detroit.

I think I know who will operate Toronto - Chicago for Megabus: Trailways of New York.

My friend heard from his sources that TNY is looking to operate to Chicago from Toronto. With the recent announcement of TNY and Megabus, this might be the who.

[ns8401]

1 hour ago, Megabus Rider said:

I think I know who will operate Toronto - Chicago for Megabus: Trailways of New York.

My friend heard from his sources that TNY is looking to operate to Chicago from Toronto. With the recent announcement of TNY and Megabus, this might be the who.

The “who” is really disorganized and can’t give good details about the plans or file the correct paperwork with the State of Michigan. It sounds more like a fly-by-night carrier than anything resembling TNY. I don’t think it’s them. We will have to wait until the paperwork issues are resolved as the mid-November rescheduled start time is now gone too. 

[traildriver]

I would be truly shocked if Gene Berardi expanded all the way to Chicago.   He wouldn't even expand to Cleveland from Buffalo, when he had the opportunity a few years ago.  Nor from Albany into Vermont, when VT went under.  ADT at one time ran from Albany to Rutland VT via Whitehall, the way Amtrak does today.

[MCIBUS]

I remember when VT ran from Montreal to BVoston.

[traildriver]

4 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

I remember when VT ran from Montreal to BVoston.

That was actually Greyhound between Montreal and Burlington or St. Albans.  VT from there to Boston.  Greyhound pooled with them.  In the summer, there were express trips, and VT driver's did go into Montreal, but GL drivers operated some VT trips to Boston, where the driver mileage was prorated over a period to represent their respective portions.

The buses were also pooled and mileage prorated.

 

Greyhound had similar arrangements in several other parts of North America with pool partners, to provide thru service on multi-carrier routes.

[Rapidbus]

1 hour ago, traildriver said:

That was actually Greyhound between Montreal and Burlington or St. Albans.  VT from there to Boston.  Greyhound pooled with them.  In the summer, there were express trips, and VT driver's did go into Montreal, but GL drivers operated some VT trips to Boston, where the driver mileage was prorated over a period to represent their respective portions.

The buses were also pooled and mileage prorated.

 

Greyhound had similar arrangements in several other parts of North America with pool partners, to provide thru service on multi-carrier routes.

Didn't Greyhound just outright bought them out?

[traildriver]

6 hours ago, Rapidbus said:

Didn't Greyhound just outright bought them out?

 

They in mid '70's, but kept them as a separate subsidiary.  They were not merged in fully until the early '2000's, I believe...

[ns8401]

11 hours ago, traildriver said:

That was actually Greyhound between Montreal and Burlington or St. Albans.  VT from there to Boston.  Greyhound pooled with them.  In the summer, there were express trips, and VT driver's did go into Montreal, but GL drivers operated some VT trips to Boston, where the driver mileage was prorated over a period to represent their respective portions.

The buses were also pooled and mileage prorated.

 

Greyhound had similar arrangements in several other parts of North America with pool partners, to provide thru service on multi-carrier routes.

We had one to run buses from Flint, MI to St. Louis, MO with them from the 1970’s into the early 2000’s. I think they would stop in Chicago and swap drivers and have a meal break, reload and keep moving. I want to say some of that stuff went away when Laidlaw started chopping the system up and cutting stops in 2004-2007. If you believe the Wiki, First Group reintegrated the fleet in 2008. So maybe the separate but owned operations were consolidated around the same time.

[MCIBUS]

Back to VT/Greyhound I recall going to Boston the trips from Montreal to Boston the choach wasn't always full(at least when I took it)but it seemed to be always packed coming back from Boston to Montreal? As to why thatr was I can't answer.