There seems to be some confusion/short attention spans (a troubling trend in general) so let me clear this up: Megabus DID NOT go bankrupt. Coach USA did. Coach USA was responsible for many different things, from government contracts to charter buses to Megabus. Megabus’ low fares DID NOT cause the bankruptcy. And nowhere in this video is that ever suggested.
Actually Megabus was the biggest thing dragging down CoachUSA, and was the primary division to be closed in the restructuring. Most of CoachUSA continues to operate, and is profitable
@@lukethompson5558 also all of Coach USA’s other US operations have been transferred to other companies. So no, they are not “operational and profitable.”
Are there more than one coach bus services. They come here every year. Granted they compliment mega bus for college commuters, it's still mega bus not coach
Sid his name was Sid. He was born in Perth, Perthshire. Along with the parent company. You would have liked Megatrain Megabuses wholesale rail services from London to Portsmouth/Bournemouth/Exeter/Sheffield/Nottingham and Derby. Plus they had Megabus Plus a train to East Midlands Parkway and onward coach connections to poorly served railway station less towns in the east
Rip. But double decker Intercity buses live on elsewhere. In my home country of Denmark almost all Intercity bus services use double Deckers. Mainly Setra and Neoplan buses
@@drdewott9154 Double-decker intercity buses also live on in the British Isles, at least among routes that depart from or arrive in the metro area of the British capital London.
I think they'll continue to live on, just not as Megabuses. The buses still have many years of service left in them. A small operator could buy them at auction and just repaint them.
I rode Megabus a few times and I remember waiting on a corner, in a freezing wind for a bus that was three hours late. Most of the folks waiting had just given up and left.
The Megabus mascot is so cursed....it should be turned into the mascot of a horror movie franchise. While Megabus's mascot in the UK is named Sid, he was named Chuck in the US! Because Sid for a quid, Chuck for a buck! I enjoyed my first and only true Megabus experience in December 2023 (I booked a Megabus trip to Atlantic City from NYC in 2012 but the bus was operated by Academy), it was a great experience! We took Megabus to Philly for a day trip and then took Amtrak NER back. We arrived an hour early for our 10:15 bus and the lady that was there at the stop was like "Oh we still have seats for the 9:15, if they don't show up, you can just get on" and while we initially took the offer, we noticed the windows looked very bad and it smelled quite bad too, so we got off. We also considered the fact we reserved upper deck front row seats in advance, and we didn't want those seats to go to waste. Glad we waited because it would've changed the experience if we didn't. The views were wonderful, the bus wasn't crowded at all, got a landing shot at EWR, and we even arrived earlier than expected! NO traffic! That said, I personally believe the federal government should step in when it comes to intercity buses. We are a huge country, we have united in our name, and yet it doesn't have the true connectivity that it deserves, and when services are cut and prices are increased, then many people are affected and lose needed access! Yes, there are politicians that care about trains, but having buses are just as important! Especially for the places the trains can't go, and it's especially great to have options that are cheap! Also, worth mentioning that Trailways took over their NYC-Pittsburgh route and have continued Megabus's former NYC-Toronto and NYC-Montreal routes. Besides Megabus, Coach USA once operated a number of NJ Transit routes, NJ Transit took direct control of the three Hudson County routes they operated, the 2, the 84, and 88, while Academy took over 17 other routes in Passaic and Bergen counties on behalf of NJ Transit.
I think what California is doing with all the Thruway buses to connect to the Amtrak services is really interesting. There could be some better coordination, and they need to get rid of that law that says on certain routes Amtrak can't sell bus-only itineraries.
As someone from the area, I am convinced the only reason the "Baltimore" stop is at White Marsh is because people from Harford county are so deterred by going into Baltimore for things, and the White Marsh Mall has buses that go towards the city
I prefer White Marsh over going downtown mostly because parking downtown your car might get broken into 😂 just a fact, White Marsh is definitely safer to leave your car for hours even days when I’m in New York
1:34 That blue bus with the white patch on the front is an Ex-Disney Magical Express bus once owned by Mears Transportation later sold to Academy Bus. I use to drive for both companies!
Entering out of the Lincoln Tunnel on the NJ side be like *"Woke up this mornin', got yourself a gun"* 😂. Sorry, had to make that Sopranos joke. That Lincoln Tunnel Helix is pretty cool from an engineering perspective! The Helix was built in 1937 and it is an oval-shaped 270-degree loop between the Palisades cliffs and the tunnel’s toll plaza on the NJ side of the Hudson River. The Helix was built in order to connect a highway at the top of the Palisades to the portals at the bottom, and to put things into perspective, are about 300 feet (90 m) high at Weehawken where the tunnel is! They originally thought about building a tunnel, but they realized it wasn't feasible and would disrupt the urban landscape above. They also had to make room for the toll plaza and merging lanes, hence why the Helix is absolutely an engineering feat. The Lincoln Tunnel was first called the Midtown Hudson Tunnel, but to avoid confusion with the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, they renamed it to the Lincoln Tunnel because the Port Authority believed that the tunnel was "parallel to the importance of the George Washington Bridge". The Lincoln Tunnel was designed by Ole Singstad, who also designed the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and Queens-Midtown Tunnel. He advanced the use of the immersed tube method of underwater vehicular tunnel building, a system of constructing the tunnels with prefabricated sections. The Lincoln Tunnel has a rush hour bus lane, and averages over 1,850 daily buses, which translates to over 463,000 buses and over 18.5 million passengers a year. The George Washington Bridge and Holland Tunnel crossings of the Hudson are just as interesting! The George Washington Bridge carried a traffic volume of over 104 million vehicles in 2019 and is the world's only suspension bridge with 14 vehicular lanes! It was named such because it sits near the sites of Fort Washington (in New York) and Fort Lee (in New Jersey), which were fortified positions used by General George Washington and his American forces as they attempted to deter the occupation of NYC in 1776 during the American Revolution. Unsuccessful, Washington evacuated Manhattan by ferrying his army between the two forts. It was the longest main bridge span in the world from its 1931 opening until the Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937. The GWB's GWB Bus Station was designed by Pier Luigi Nervi from the Italian province of Sondrio. He also designed the Norfolk Scope arena in Norfolk, VA, the PalaLottomatica and Palazzetto dello Sport arenas in Rome (which hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics basketball tournament), UNESCO Headquarters in Paris (as part of a collab with Bernard Zehrfuss from France and Marcel Breuer from Hungary), Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco (collab with Pietro Belluschi), and the Paul VI Audience Hall which is part of the Vatican complex. The Holland Tunnel on the other hand goes between Jersey City and Lower Manhattan. You might be thinking "Oh they named it the Holland Tunnel to honor the region's Dutch roots", right? WRONG! It was named after Clifford Milburn Holland, a civil engineer who oversaw the construction of a number of subway and automobile tunnels in NYC, including the Holland Tunnel. Construction began in 1922, and Holland designed four ventilation shafts that would bring 3,500,000 cubic feet of fresh air into the tunnel every minute. Unfortunately, all the stress from it led to him dying from a heart attack in 1924, so he didn't get to see it completed in 1927. After he died, Milton Harvey Freeman and lastly Ole Singstad oversaw the tunnel's completion. Ole designed its ventilation system, making it the world's first mechanically ventilated tunnel!
Side note regarding NYC infrastructure: Have you read Robert Caro's biography of Robert Moses, "The Power Broker?" First published half a century ago, it packs quite a punch regarding NYC history and politics and how even an idealist can be thoroughly corrupted by power. Ole Singstad, the brilliant tunnel and ventilation system designer, was one of Moses' many victims.
I loved Megabus. I used to take it from Philly to NYC and could always find cheap trips. The buses were always clean and there was usually wifi and electric plugs. Many of the other more expensive companies, like Greyhound, can't even guarantee that on all their buses. Megabus will be missed.
Megabus was really awesome, especially being able to ride up front and above in your own little compartment. I’m sorry it’s gone, but I’m glad you got to experience it.
Coach USA was leasing a lot of their coaches. It's the same way budget airlines don't buy their planes. It wouldn't surprise me if Peter Pan took on some of those same buses.
My friend been scraping old worn out buses down in Dallas, mostly Greyhound, but he did a few damaged & worn out megabus buses too ,a Greyhound gets about $1200 in scrap copper along & a megabus gets about $1500 in scrap copper, plus all the scrap steel & thousands for the diesel engines & transmissions & tons of usable parts
@@KevinWindsor1971 Probably not. Peter Pan's bus fleet is sourced from MCI, that is Motor Coach Industries located in Winnipeg. I think those Megabus units were buit by Van Hool, a Belgian manufacturer. Parts and service would not be compatible. I don't see Mr. Picknelly picking up non-MCI buses, it would cause a lot of complexity in the maintenance garages.
I took a Megabus once from Houston to Baton Rouge and it was the most cramped and uncomfortable ride I have ever taken so when I had to get back to Austin I happily paid the extra for a Greyhound ticket. The only good thing about the trip was I sat on the upper level so when we were crossing the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge I could get a really good view of the swamps below and saw at least a dozen alligators out sunning themselves something I've never really been able to get a good view of from a car or even semitruck. If I had to take a bus again I don't think I would even consider them unless maybe I was planning a trip in advance and could book one of the bigger and cushioned seats, how ever I don't think they even run in Texas anymore.
Wow, saddened to hear Coach USA took MegaBus down when they went under. I am hoping someone snaps MegaBus up and returns their service. Going to be interesting to see how their (Coach's) assets get carved up.
Bummer. Affordable transportation is getting harder to find (as is affordable anything). It's kind of wild how many buses ply the Northeast Corridor given the amount of train service. Seems like a lot of redundancy that would be rectified if trains weren't so pricey.
Not a fan of Peter Pan CEO Peter A. Picknelly as he's lobbied against HSR in Massachusetts between Boston and Springfield (East-West Rail). Besides Megabus, at one point in time, Coach USA also operated the Gray Line sightseeing buses in NYC, ONE buses (ONE = Orange Newark Elizabeth; taken over by NJT in 2023) and a brand called "Red & Tan in Hudson County" with once having routes between Hoboken and Eltingville and Arden Heights on Staten Island, the PABT and Bayonne (now NJT route 119), Journal Square and Bayonne (now NJT route 10), etc! And yup, should've taken the 7! That 34th St-Hudson Yards station is pretty cool! It has majestic mosaics above you as you descend into the station, and there's also inclined elevators! The station and that whole Hudson Yards redevelopment was originally a part of NYC's bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics! Originally, part of the plan was for the redevelopment to be anchored by a new stadium that would've hosted the ceremonies and athletics events for the games and become a home for the NY Jets. It was envisioned as an all-weather facility with a retractable roof, allowing it to be used as either a 200,000-square-foot indoor convention hall, or an 85,000-seat (75,000 post-Olympics) indoor-outdoor sporting event stadium, built on a platform over the LIRR's West Side Yard. It was supposed to host Super Bowl XLIV but after the NY government declined to approve 400 million in funding for the stadium, it was later moved to Miami. And scrambling, the NYC bid proposed what would become Citi Field as a new baseball stadium for the Mets that could be converted for Olympic events during the games (similar to the former Turner Field in Atlanta). Making this drastic change within a week, with only one month remaining before the final vote damaged the city's chances. After NYC lost to London in 2005, Shea Stadium was demolished in 2009, and Citi Field simply became a baseball stadium. While NYC wasn't awarded the 2012 Summer Olympics, the failed bid still reshaped the area! Like the Barclays Center, Citi Field, the MetLife Stadium being built in NJ (which would later host Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014) as a 50/50 partnership between the Giants and Jets after the Jets's stadium plan in Manhattan failed, Flushing Meadows still building an aquatics center in 2008 (which would've been the water polo venue during the games), and of course the Hudson Yards redevelopment with the High Line, Javits Center renovations, the construction of multiple buildings and mixed-used developments and 34th Street-Hudson Yards station! Not to mention a stadium for NYC FC being built next door to Citi Field with affordable housing as part of redeveloping Willets Point. Flushing Meadows would've been the Olympic Park of the games, besides athletics events at the stadium, archery would've taken place against the backdrop of the Unisphere, the Fountain of the Planets would've become part of a canoe slalom venue, Meadow Lake and Willow Lake would've been reclaimed to form a rowing and canoe sprints venue and restore wildlife and wetlands, and tennis at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Bro’s lobbying against HSR yet most of Massachusetts owns a car, making riding the intercity bus useless. The East-West Rail would have definitely attracted hundreds of thousands of passengers within months
Okay, so this answers _some_ questions. I took Megabus to West Virginia to visit relatives a few times, back in 2012. I tried booking with them to go to my great uncle's funeral a couple months ago, only to see that Morgantown no longer shows up on their map at _all,_ and Boston, while technically an option, had no fares to select from, as though they weren't leaving from there, anymore, either.
From Portland, Maine, to Boston, Massachusetts, whatever was operated by MegaBus, is operated by Concord Coach Lines. A one way trip is about $30.00, only slightly cheaper than booking directly. Peter Pan does not operate in Maine. We otherwise have Greyhound from the East Bayside district of Portland, as well as Flixbus, which offers a $28 one way trip, operating out of Portland's Greyhound depot, terminating at Boston South Station.
It sounds like Mega Bus may have set their rates to low to survive. To note here is that their rates seem lower than Amtak . Amtrak uses a sliding scale rate - lower prices when booked early and higher rates with late booking. Also, as with air travel, airlines, they do not reduce rates at the last minute to fill seats. My guess is that Mega Bus/ Peter Pan is trying to get their prices below Amtrak . One downside of the bus , unlike Amtrak is one could get delayed if there is a problem on the interstates like an accident or traffic jam . I need to check out their rates !
I used Peter Pan bus when in college in Boston going home to Springfield area. Ironically for you, the owner PPB is anti train. As an aside, you could have done a piece on the PPB to Springfield and on the Springfield to new Haven line in Connecticut.😊
@@DouglasEllis-y3q I'm not the OP so why should I do a piece on Peter Pan Bus runs from Boston to Springfield and Springfield to New Haven especially since I never rode those?
According to all the news on this that I can find, Megabus' operations in Canada will not be affected by the bankruptcy and they will continue to run their fleet of double-decker busses. You had me worried there for a second, because Megabus is my only way to get from Montreal to Ontario whenever I can't afford Via Rail's wild prices.
Not yet, but I probably will at some point soon because I travel between Quebec and Ontario at least a couple times a year. I'm kinda waiting to hear when they'll have baggage cars on the Quebec-Windsor corridor again because I used to take my bike on that train to go on bike/camping trips in Ontario, but all the information I can get from Via has been vague and the email I sent them a month ago asking this has gone unanswered.
Megabus is completely gone in Texas, not that the Texas services were great. The last time I took Megabus was from Dallas (actually, Grand Prairie) to Houston's Hillcroft Park and Ride lot which is well west of Downtown Houston. The bus was about an hour late because the drivers swapped out at Conroe (north of Houston) and that seemed to take forever. It also didn't help that the driver clearly didn't grasp the concept that 610 Loop West in Houston is a parking lot on a good day or was apparently allergic to taking the much faster toll roads which would've gotten us to our destination on time. Not only that, the bus used on this trip, an older MCI single deck, was, to be blunt, garbage - felt old, seemed to run slow. Megabus seemed to lose a lot of their remaining market share in Texas not only to Greyhound/Flixbus, but to upscale carriers like Red Coach (which has become my go-to for travel between Dallas and Houston as of late) and Vonlane. (Side note: If you live in Florida or Texas, Red Coach is very underrated and they tend to be more reliable than Greyhound).
I was commenting from when you did the piece on the green ext in Boston recently. It would have been a way back to to DC. The Vermont runs up thru Connecticut to Vermont thru Springfield. The only east west trip thru Massachusetts is the Boston section of the Lake shore limited
My daughter used to take the Megabus from NYC to buffalo for 4 years. She went to college in buffalo and would come home during the holidays. She loved the long rides, she is saddened that they went bankrupt
While the bus is still the cheapest way between NYC and Philly, Taking SEPTA and NJT via Trenton is cheaper than Amtrak. Will miss Mega bus though, even if their bus stop was in a weird place.
I had no idea they were no longer in service. I used Megabus for years to travel to Maryland to visit my best friend but eventually stopped because the drive from her house to White Marsh is 45mins whereas Amtrak (although way more expensive), from Baltimore Penn Station, is less than 10mins. I actually took the bus from DC TODAY and was told by a former Megabus employee that they shut down as of 8/16. I was looking forward to riding on the upper deck. Not anymore 😢
9:58 I always figured the Baltimore stop being White Marsh Mall was to avoid any traffic delays that going into Baltimore. All the NYC busses that stop there began in Washington DC. During the daytime, NYC to Washington or Washington via White Marsh didn't stop in Philly.
I will miss Megabus. I used it a lot over the years and yes many times I got the $1 fares. I liked their DC-NYC schedule because I could leave DC at midnight and get to NYC in the morning or vice versa.
It really is too bad that Coach USA went bankrupt. My sister was previously a bus operator and eventually became a supervisor/dispatcher for the company right up until the very end. Unfortunately, she lost all her benefits, including retirement savings and healthcare when the company folded. She and her co-workers weren't offered the option to transition over to Peter Pan. They were all told that they'd have to apply as complete new hires at Peter Pan which largely operates out of NYC. Still, she seemed happy with her old job and many of the folks with whom she worked at Coach USA. I've just shared the link to this video with her. As always, thanks so much for sharing...
Did she work out of the Paramus garage? I don't understand how she lost her retirement savings unless she wasn't fully vested when receiving the company match. But her own deductions would be available. She should apply to NJ Transit and receive decent pay, benefits and a real pension.
I'd always wanted to take a Megabus trip if for no other reason than to sit in the front upper seats, so its pretty disappointing to know that I won't be able to do that now, at least not here in the US.
Initially i was thinking here in uk then i heard your American accent it supprised me megabus in.usa its bit mental here aberdeen too glasgow Edinburgh we have megabus still as far as i know scottish citylink flixbus and just about too add too it another operator commimg soon electric coaches thats 4 operating which is memtal citylink does 31 coaches a day between aberdeen and glasgow yea coach travel can be cheap here £5 city too city enjoyed your content thank you ps just subbed keep up good work
About 15 years ago, I took a Megabus on a Friday evening from Minneapolis because I had to work the next day in Chicago, IL. When we got into Eau Claire, Wisconsin the bus driver pulled over and had a heart attack. Thankfully for the driver, she survived. But, we were stranded. See they didn't have anyone to come rescue us until Monday. Such a nightmare, and swore would never take them again.
I believe the reason they use that parking lot for Baltimore is because it's right off the highway, and creates a minimal detour for travellers going between NY and DC, since that's their main market, and anyone needing to get to downtown Baltimore can use one of several other bus companies. Also, that parking lot is an MTA park & ride lot, so probably pretty easy to get permission to use it compared to other lots. Living in Suburban Baltimore, I actually used that stop a few times, and can confirm it did get reasonable ridership. It wasn't for New Yorkers visiting Baltimore, it's for suburban Baltimoreans visiting New York
Yeah. White Marsh is a great location. Just that MTA need to do their part to enhance service between the park & ride and downtown. But, nonetheless, the majority of potential commuters in Baltimore, live within 10 miles of White Marsh than do if it were downtown.
Van-Gelder/Coach USA used to be my go-to transport from Chicago airports to Indiana. They closed down those lines shortly before covid. Then I learned how to use the CTA and South Shore Line and came out ahead. I prefer trains to a bus.
thanks for the Video!!! I was getting ready to plan a trip to DC -> NYC mid September. I am sad to hear that my old reliable Mega bus is gone. it will be missed!
@@Thom-TRA Having driven that tunnel in a 45-footer (MCI 102DL3), I can tell you it was nervewracking the way those guys sat on each other's tails. I asked another driver in the Port Authority when we pulled in, how do those guys not crash into each other? He replied with a grin, "Nobody touches the brakes!"
my first time viewing your video. GREAT explanations during your trip. I have done it and would again, DO you use service out of Worcester or Boston, I always bring a little snack with me Great job looking to see more!
-- If I had a nickel for every time Thom uploads about busses shutting down, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. -- As someone who grew up near White Marsh Mall, I've never considered it the middle of nowhere, but you're right it's not close to Downtown Baltimore. The 'Baltimore Downtown Bus Station' is also in a pretty inconvenient location. It's sandwiched between a Waste-to-Energy trash burning plant, the Casino and a lot of industrial stuff. So maybe White Marsh Mall and IKEA don't sound so bad. lol There are 3 MTA bus routes at the mall stop at least.
I have traveled on Megabus from Philadelphia to DC, NYc, Boston, and Rochester. Sad to know that their services are dis continued. Next time will try Peter Pan.
I was wondering what happened to them, now a company in Brooklyn on flushing Avenue have 2,3 of the ex mega buses, I think they use them in Manhattan for tea drinkers, their wrapped in pink paint. It looks cool to me and I'm glad they're kept in Brooklyn not to far from where I live
I think some of it was a case of biting off more than you can chew for Coach USA. When Dillon's Bus Service (Baltimore/Washington) sold to Coach, I knew it was gonna be burning bridge for MTA commuter lines [I wish I was wrong]. In regard to the pricing. I think Peter Pan is strategizing with the concept of doubling the price in-relation to further increase demand and to justify making your booking more "reserved" than before with MegaBus. Not having those double-deckers in their fleet is driving up the cost even more because loading capacity in one journey is now smaller. Its a shame.
just to help with understanding about the stop in white marsh. its basically a park and ride...you could park in the white marsh parking lot for free I believe so you can still work in philly or New York and drive back home when you get to baltimore
@@Thom-TRA oh...I'm talking about riding to to Philly which is about an hour and a half away ..or even park and ride to New York for the day parking is limited at that Greyhound station...so the appeal I think is that the stop is out of the way of the city for drivers who don't want to drive to Philly or New York...or even Washington DC on a occasion...by the way like your channel...I'm a bus driver with Peter Pan and I can tell you this whole switch to Peter Pan has been a trip lol
@@Thom-TRA I take it that a majority of the ridership in Baltimore area are within arm's-reach of I-695 Beltway and more residents, as well as, potential commuters live in the northeast Baltimore metro area. White Marsh is a prime locale than just downtown. Another assumption is because Baltimore (the city itself) does NOT prioritize "transit buses" all too well, so intercity buses are backed into a corner. There's a reason the Greyhound Terminal in "Downtown Baltimore" is 1.5 miles away from "downtown" with a quick access ramp onto I-95 and MD-295.
Even Peter Pan's prices are cheap compared to what I used to pay. Back in 1983-85, I would travel from Baltimore to my home in Bloomsburg, PA. The bus fare was between 23 and 27 dollars. (i.e. 100-150 dollars today) and that route is only 155 miles.
So it seems that White Marsh Mall is a major park and ride for way-the-heck-out Baltimore commuters. Bus station, tick. Parking for Americans who can't do without their cars, tick. And hey, if you're arriving at oh-my-Robin-Williams-it's-early, you should be able to transfer to a commuter bus into Baltimore-proper.. the 56 runs from 4:35am to 1somethingam both ways, and the 120 runs commuter hours and directions... And also that Peter Pan now *also* serves the main Downtown Baltimore bus station (2100 Haines, next door to Greyhound, right on the water). MUCH better for those of us who actually wanna go *downtown*.
Unlike Baltimore Penn Station which is relatively safe and well policed, the bus station in Baltimore is a crime ridden location much like NYC's Port Authority terminal. It's unsurprising no one wants to catch the bus in downtown Baltimore, preferring the White Marsh location at the Mall.
The coach usa bankruptcy hit me hard. Cus I live in New Jersey, and in nj some of the Nj Transit local (not commuter to nyc ) bus routes were under the Nj Transir Umbrella but operated by Coach USA. As a collage student who’s working to save up for a car, the bus route I take to work/school several times a week has been suspended for 2 weeks while nj transit finalizes a deal with another bus company to take over the routes (still under nj transit). A few of the routes effected did get taken over and have the operations and drivers by NJT thsmwfles but alot of them will be NJT routes under NJT but operated by another bus company (the busses and fairs will still be NJT busses tho)
I remember this being the case with Route 31, which was the only bus route that went by Seton Hall University when I was a student there. I only had to use it once to go to Livingston Mall, but not having that will stink for anyone that needs it, especially people that live in nearby Newark.
@@Troggle84 -- Coach USA ONE Bus had long ago cut back the western portion of the South Orange Avenue line. Now only the legacy NJ Transit routes go to Livingston Mall. NJ Transit took over the 24, 31, and 44 (NJ Transit had already owned the Coach USA buses but needed to repaint them back into its own livery.)
RIP Megabus. I took it between DC and Raleigh, NC to visit family. It was much cheaper than the train and more comfortable/less sketchy than Greyhound. I hope there will still be cheap tickets on Peter Pan.
I never got the chance to ride Megabus, I rode Bolt a couple of times, and it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I don't take busses often but am not opposed to bus travel. As for CoachUSA, I recently had an interesting exchange with their customer service (much of which was AI) that makes me see why they went bankrupt. Any idea what happened to the buses from MegaBus? They were some of the only double-deckers in service in the USA. It would be a shame to see them get scrapped.
Ugh i hate when the customer service is bad. Greyhound once kept calling me “ma’am.” And no, I’m not sure what will happen to those buses. It would be a shame to see them go. They’d look pretty good in Peter Pan colors.
Being in the part of the country where Megabus still "exists" I have to head down to Florida Mall and see what is going on. Also a ton of the fleet was shipped down to Daytona Beach for eventual transport to ABC Companies for decommissioning and sale from what I understand.
I hope this doesn't lead to the discontinuation of the Virginia Breeze, which is operated by Megabus. It's a surprisingly good service, at least from looking at the schedules and reviews. I'm not sure how it's funded, but I hope it ends up like the MTA (of Maryland) Commuter buses.
Not every ticket was $10. And they were in business for a really long time, popular until the end, so yes, they did make money. $40 dollars for a bus ride seems very unreasonable to me when you realize it’s the corridor with the fiercest competition, and the train, which is faster and more comfortable, is often cheaper.
A couple of transit agencies out west use double-decker buses: AC Transit (Oakland), RTC Las Vegas and Community Transit north of Seattle. Other than a few "mom-and-pop" operators using second-hand ex-Megabus coaches, they're pretty rare in the US.
Although I didn’t even know coach USA was bankrupt until I saw this video and it’s sad that maga bus is not there anymore back in march of 2022 I took it from DC to NYC and it’s was not bad at all and had a great price
I'm lucky I can afford an Amtrak fare, because riding Megabus became such an unpleasant experience I'm not going to miss it at all. (Worst part of it was sitting atop a sloshing tank of sceptic water in the bus's bathroom.) Occasionally I can snag a $30 NY-DC Amtrak ticket, but the overall experience is so much better than Megabus it's worth the extra $: plenty of room to stretch my legs out, or get up & walk to the dining car and purchase anything from a hot meal to a candy bar, so I'm not stuck in a cramped seat for 4+ hours. (It's only 3 1/2 hours between NY & DC on Amtrak.)
I say a nap is any rest from 30mins-2hrs, less than is a power nap, over 4hrs is true rest, and 2hrs-4hrs is a grey area. If you are flying and don't feel like Jetlagged, I guess 3hrs is considered true rest but IDK
Always enjoy your videos! I will say that these ultra low cost bus services aren't sustainable unless the passenger volume remains quite high. Megabus gone, BoltBus gone and Flixbus is failing and taking down Greyhound with them. Peter Pan and several Trailways affiliates have far more traditional business models that can better withstand the current economic challenges we are facing.
Interesting video, thank you. I took Megabus a few times between Philly & NYC. Never had a bad experience, was always on time within a few minutes. What annoys me now that it's bankrupt, is why didn't it just raise fares 20-50%? That would be $5-10 additional on most routes most of the time between NYC, PHILA, DC--not a killer if there are few or no options. I don't know for sure, but it sounds like a hedge fund move to just run something into the ground and screw employees, and suppliers. Of course, the hedge fund would get a tax write-off in the millions. We expect employees everywhere to be paid a decent wage--well, that means that we need to pay a little more. Unless you expect someone to work for less.
So it’s the mother company, Coach USA, that went bankrupt. It didn’t have much to do with Megabus’ low fares, Coach USA had a ton of government contracts and other businesses.
I am going to miss Mega bus. I took a last minute trip to Philly because I had tickets to see a show and I paid like $10-$15 round trip. I took the bust DC as well and was cheap. Sad to see it go. At $40 per trip on Peter Pan I think I rather go with Amtrak.
Back in the day (2009 etc.) I had to drop my son at the Megabus "terminal" for the 1:30 a.m. bus to Pittsburgh. (The "terminal"was an otherwise vacant, semi-paved lot on K Street behind Union Station.) Since my office was right next to Union Station, I wore my office togs and spent the rest of the night nodding off at my desk, rather than driving home in the wee hours and then inching back downtown in the morning rush, a few hours later. Saved time and reduced my carbon footprint, too!
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There seems to be some confusion/short attention spans (a troubling trend in general) so let me clear this up:
Megabus DID NOT go bankrupt. Coach USA did. Coach USA was responsible for many different things, from government contracts to charter buses to Megabus.
Megabus’ low fares DID NOT cause the bankruptcy. And nowhere in this video is that ever suggested.
Well it looks like everything is good for now 👍
Actually Megabus was the biggest thing dragging down CoachUSA, and was the primary division to be closed in the restructuring. Most of CoachUSA continues to operate, and is profitable
@@lukethompson5558 unless you are a bookkeeper at Coach USA, I see absolutely zero evidence to support what you are saying.
@@lukethompson5558 also all of Coach USA’s other US operations have been transferred to other companies. So no, they are not “operational and profitable.”
Are there more than one coach bus services. They come here every year. Granted they compliment mega bus for college commuters, it's still mega bus not coach
That’s terrible to see Megabus no more. I love their coaches so much.
Thom: “I would do that again”.
Megabus: “No you won’t.”
The Megabus guy sighed. If only Thom knew how precious these last few memories would be…
RIP Megabus and the DC Circulator.
@@kjrehberg all my favorites
Megabus isn't gone we megabus in the UK owned by Stagecoach
@@David-ts8zn Yeah and Megabus UK (the original) had some mental versions like Megabus Gold lol.
RIP to *the guy*™
Sid his name was Sid. He was born in Perth, Perthshire. Along with the parent company.
You would have liked Megatrain Megabuses wholesale rail services from London to Portsmouth/Bournemouth/Exeter/Sheffield/Nottingham and Derby. Plus they had Megabus Plus a train to East Midlands Parkway and onward coach connections to poorly served railway station less towns in the east
@@nixcails He was named Chuck in the US!
He is not gone we have megabus in the uk owned by stagecoach
RIP to Double-Decker Intercity Buses. 😢
Rip. But double decker Intercity buses live on elsewhere. In my home country of Denmark almost all Intercity bus services use double Deckers. Mainly Setra and Neoplan buses
No
@@drdewott9154 Double-decker intercity buses also live on in the British Isles, at least among routes that depart from or arrive in the metro area of the British capital London.
Toronto has the largest double decker intercity and intracity busses in the entire Americas. Lol.
Rip to you folks only 😂
I think they'll continue to live on, just not as Megabuses. The buses still have many years of service left in them. A small operator could buy them at auction and just repaint them.
I rode Megabus a few times and I remember waiting on a corner, in a freezing wind for a bus that was three hours late. Most of the folks waiting had just given up and left.
The Megabus mascot is so cursed....it should be turned into the mascot of a horror movie franchise. While Megabus's mascot in the UK is named Sid, he was named Chuck in the US! Because Sid for a quid, Chuck for a buck! I enjoyed my first and only true Megabus experience in December 2023 (I booked a Megabus trip to Atlantic City from NYC in 2012 but the bus was operated by Academy), it was a great experience! We took Megabus to Philly for a day trip and then took Amtrak NER back. We arrived an hour early for our 10:15 bus and the lady that was there at the stop was like "Oh we still have seats for the 9:15, if they don't show up, you can just get on" and while we initially took the offer, we noticed the windows looked very bad and it smelled quite bad too, so we got off. We also considered the fact we reserved upper deck front row seats in advance, and we didn't want those seats to go to waste. Glad we waited because it would've changed the experience if we didn't. The views were wonderful, the bus wasn't crowded at all, got a landing shot at EWR, and we even arrived earlier than expected! NO traffic!
That said, I personally believe the federal government should step in when it comes to intercity buses. We are a huge country, we have united in our name, and yet it doesn't have the true connectivity that it deserves, and when services are cut and prices are increased, then many people are affected and lose needed access! Yes, there are politicians that care about trains, but having buses are just as important! Especially for the places the trains can't go, and it's especially great to have options that are cheap! Also, worth mentioning that Trailways took over their NYC-Pittsburgh route and have continued Megabus's former NYC-Toronto and NYC-Montreal routes. Besides Megabus, Coach USA once operated a number of NJ Transit routes, NJ Transit took direct control of the three Hudson County routes they operated, the 2, the 84, and 88, while Academy took over 17 other routes in Passaic and Bergen counties on behalf of NJ Transit.
What would the name of a national bus operator be? Honestly Coach USA could work!
I think what California is doing with all the Thruway buses to connect to the Amtrak services is really interesting. There could be some better
coordination, and they need to get rid of that law that says on certain routes Amtrak can't sell bus-only itineraries.
@@Thom-TRAcan you please give me a tldr
Tbh a double decker bus horror movie sounds like it has awesome indie film potential 😂
As someone from the area, I am convinced the only reason the "Baltimore" stop is at White Marsh is because people from Harford county are so deterred by going into Baltimore for things, and the White Marsh Mall has buses that go towards the city
I prefer White Marsh over going downtown mostly because parking downtown your car might get broken into 😂 just a fact, White Marsh is definitely safer to leave your car for hours even days when I’m in New York
1:34 That blue bus with the white patch on the front is an Ex-Disney Magical Express bus once owned by Mears Transportation later sold to Academy Bus. I use to drive for both companies!
Nice! They sometimes use it for metro replacement buses here in DC when there’s construction!
Entering out of the Lincoln Tunnel on the NJ side be like *"Woke up this mornin', got yourself a gun"* 😂. Sorry, had to make that Sopranos joke. That Lincoln Tunnel Helix is pretty cool from an engineering perspective! The Helix was built in 1937 and it is an oval-shaped 270-degree loop between the Palisades cliffs and the tunnel’s toll plaza on the NJ side of the Hudson River. The Helix was built in order to connect a highway at the top of the Palisades to the portals at the bottom, and to put things into perspective, are about 300 feet (90 m) high at Weehawken where the tunnel is! They originally thought about building a tunnel, but they realized it wasn't feasible and would disrupt the urban landscape above. They also had to make room for the toll plaza and merging lanes, hence why the Helix is absolutely an engineering feat. The Lincoln Tunnel was first called the Midtown Hudson Tunnel, but to avoid confusion with the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, they renamed it to the Lincoln Tunnel because the Port Authority believed that the tunnel was "parallel to the importance of the George Washington Bridge". The Lincoln Tunnel was designed by Ole Singstad, who also designed the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel and Queens-Midtown Tunnel. He advanced the use of the immersed tube method of underwater vehicular tunnel building, a system of constructing the tunnels with prefabricated sections. The Lincoln Tunnel has a rush hour bus lane, and averages over 1,850 daily buses, which translates to over 463,000 buses and over 18.5 million passengers a year.
The George Washington Bridge and Holland Tunnel crossings of the Hudson are just as interesting! The George Washington Bridge carried a traffic volume of over 104 million vehicles in 2019 and is the world's only suspension bridge with 14 vehicular lanes! It was named such because it sits near the sites of Fort Washington (in New York) and Fort Lee (in New Jersey), which were fortified positions used by General George Washington and his American forces as they attempted to deter the occupation of NYC in 1776 during the American Revolution. Unsuccessful, Washington evacuated Manhattan by ferrying his army between the two forts. It was the longest main bridge span in the world from its 1931 opening until the Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937. The GWB's GWB Bus Station was designed by Pier Luigi Nervi from the Italian province of Sondrio. He also designed the Norfolk Scope arena in Norfolk, VA, the PalaLottomatica and Palazzetto dello Sport arenas in Rome (which hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics basketball tournament), UNESCO Headquarters in Paris (as part of a collab with Bernard Zehrfuss from France and Marcel Breuer from Hungary), Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco (collab with Pietro Belluschi), and the Paul VI Audience Hall which is part of the Vatican complex. The Holland Tunnel on the other hand goes between Jersey City and Lower Manhattan. You might be thinking "Oh they named it the Holland Tunnel to honor the region's Dutch roots", right? WRONG! It was named after Clifford Milburn Holland, a civil engineer who oversaw the construction of a number of subway and automobile tunnels in NYC, including the Holland Tunnel. Construction began in 1922, and Holland designed four ventilation shafts that would bring 3,500,000 cubic feet of fresh air into the tunnel every minute. Unfortunately, all the stress from it led to him dying from a heart attack in 1924, so he didn't get to see it completed in 1927. After he died, Milton Harvey Freeman and lastly Ole Singstad oversaw the tunnel's completion. Ole designed its ventilation system, making it the world's first mechanically ventilated tunnel!
I’ve missed you Kim. Never stop sharing all the facts.
Side note regarding NYC infrastructure: Have you read Robert Caro's biography of Robert Moses, "The Power Broker?" First published half a century ago, it packs quite a punch regarding NYC history and politics and how even an idealist can be thoroughly corrupted by power. Ole Singstad, the brilliant tunnel and ventilation system designer, was one of Moses' many victims.
Took advantage of a $15 NYC-Toronto round-trip on Megabus and finally got to visit Canada for the first time back in 2016.
Nice!
If Megabus was losing money with their low fares, we have to expect higher fares from any company that replaces them.
Additionally, their weird stop locations (like in NYC) were to cut the costs of using the terminal, so that adds cost too.
@@jonathanbott87Is waiting for a bus on a sidewalk in the rain, snow, or heat worth saving money?
They did this for affordability, hence why MegaBus lasted until this month
peter pan taking over the megabus routes
Megabus didn’t go bankrupt, the parent company did. The low Megabus fares weren’t the reason for Coach USA to go belly-up.
I loved Megabus. I used to take it from Philly to NYC and could always find cheap trips. The buses were always clean and there was usually wifi and electric plugs. Many of the other more expensive companies, like Greyhound, can't even guarantee that on all their buses.
Megabus will be missed.
Couldn't you just do SEPTA to NJT?
That’s not that cheap. NJT alone was like 16 before the fare hike.
@@robertlunderwood SEPTA to NJT is about 35 bucks or so, and takes an extra hour, assuming everything connects properly.
Megabus was really awesome, especially being able to ride up front and above in your own little compartment. I’m sorry it’s gone, but I’m glad you got to experience it.
Thank you!
I wonder what will become of MegaBus rollling stock. The buses were pretty neat.
I believe some are being used for the “Tea around town” tourist buses
Coach USA was leasing a lot of their coaches. It's the same way budget airlines don't buy their planes. It wouldn't surprise me if Peter Pan took on some of those same buses.
My friend been scraping old worn out buses down in Dallas, mostly Greyhound, but he did a few damaged & worn out megabus buses too ,a Greyhound gets about $1200 in scrap copper along & a megabus gets about $1500 in scrap copper, plus all the scrap steel & thousands for the diesel engines & transmissions & tons of usable parts
@@KevinWindsor1971 Probably not. Peter Pan's bus fleet is sourced from MCI, that is Motor Coach Industries located in Winnipeg. I think those Megabus units were buit by Van Hool, a Belgian manufacturer. Parts and service would not be compatible. I don't see Mr. Picknelly picking up non-MCI buses, it would cause a lot of complexity in the maintenance garages.
Nobody wants to be in Baltimore at night.
I took a Megabus once from Houston to Baton Rouge and it was the most cramped and uncomfortable ride I have ever taken so when I had to get back to Austin I happily paid the extra for a Greyhound ticket. The only good thing about the trip was I sat on the upper level so when we were crossing the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge I could get a really good view of the swamps below and saw at least a dozen alligators out sunning themselves something I've never really been able to get a good view of from a car or even semitruck.
If I had to take a bus again I don't think I would even consider them unless maybe I was planning a trip in advance and could book one of the bigger and cushioned seats, how ever I don't think they even run in Texas anymore.
Missed the time when Megabus used Van Hool double deck coaches in the Northeastern US.
Daughter used MegaBus to visit friends in Chicago and Pittsburgh from Cleveland during college. Great prices- weird hours and bus stop locales, yup.
Wow, saddened to hear Coach USA took MegaBus down when they went under. I am hoping someone snaps MegaBus up and returns their service. Going to be interesting to see how their (Coach's) assets get carved up.
Yeah I was hoping the same
@@Thom-TRA woo hoo, I just got a promotional email from MegaBus today, offering to allow me to book tickets for fall trips.
Bummer. Affordable transportation is getting harder to find (as is affordable anything). It's kind of wild how many buses ply the Northeast Corridor given the amount of train service. Seems like a lot of redundancy that would be rectified if trains weren't so pricey.
And unpredictable. I find it shameful that there’s no clockface timetable on the NEC.
Even in Europe and Asia the trains are very expensive, often costing more than flying.
Not a fan of Peter Pan CEO Peter A. Picknelly as he's lobbied against HSR in Massachusetts between Boston and Springfield (East-West Rail). Besides Megabus, at one point in time, Coach USA also operated the Gray Line sightseeing buses in NYC, ONE buses (ONE = Orange Newark Elizabeth; taken over by NJT in 2023) and a brand called "Red & Tan in Hudson County" with once having routes between Hoboken and Eltingville and Arden Heights on Staten Island, the PABT and Bayonne (now NJT route 119), Journal Square and Bayonne (now NJT route 10), etc! And yup, should've taken the 7! That 34th St-Hudson Yards station is pretty cool! It has majestic mosaics above you as you descend into the station, and there's also inclined elevators! The station and that whole Hudson Yards redevelopment was originally a part of NYC's bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics! Originally, part of the plan was for the redevelopment to be anchored by a new stadium that would've hosted the ceremonies and athletics events for the games and become a home for the NY Jets. It was envisioned as an all-weather facility with a retractable roof, allowing it to be used as either a 200,000-square-foot indoor convention hall, or an 85,000-seat (75,000 post-Olympics) indoor-outdoor sporting event stadium, built on a platform over the LIRR's West Side Yard. It was supposed to host Super Bowl XLIV but after the NY government declined to approve 400 million in funding for the stadium, it was later moved to Miami. And scrambling, the NYC bid proposed what would become Citi Field as a new baseball stadium for the Mets that could be converted for Olympic events during the games (similar to the former Turner Field in Atlanta). Making this drastic change within a week, with only one month remaining before the final vote damaged the city's chances. After NYC lost to London in 2005, Shea Stadium was demolished in 2009, and Citi Field simply became a baseball stadium.
While NYC wasn't awarded the 2012 Summer Olympics, the failed bid still reshaped the area! Like the Barclays Center, Citi Field, the MetLife Stadium being built in NJ (which would later host Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014) as a 50/50 partnership between the Giants and Jets after the Jets's stadium plan in Manhattan failed, Flushing Meadows still building an aquatics center in 2008 (which would've been the water polo venue during the games), and of course the Hudson Yards redevelopment with the High Line, Javits Center renovations, the construction of multiple buildings and mixed-used developments and 34th Street-Hudson Yards station! Not to mention a stadium for NYC FC being built next door to Citi Field with affordable housing as part of redeveloping Willets Point. Flushing Meadows would've been the Olympic Park of the games, besides athletics events at the stadium, archery would've taken place against the backdrop of the Unisphere, the Fountain of the Planets would've become part of a canoe slalom venue, Meadow Lake and Willow Lake would've been reclaimed to form a rowing and canoe sprints venue and restore wildlife and wetlands, and tennis at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Bro’s lobbying against HSR yet most of Massachusetts owns a car, making riding the intercity bus useless. The East-West Rail would have definitely attracted hundreds of thousands of passengers within months
Massachusetts only has two media markets (Boston and Springfield--Pittsfield is part of the Albany, NY market).
Okay, so this answers _some_ questions. I took Megabus to West Virginia to visit relatives a few times, back in 2012. I tried booking with them to go to my great uncle's funeral a couple months ago, only to see that Morgantown no longer shows up on their map at _all,_ and Boston, while technically an option, had no fares to select from, as though they weren't leaving from there, anymore, either.
Noooo Megabus was awesome I use it for trips between Philly and NYC what a shame
Just add Fairy dust. You can fly you can fly
I took that trip as well for like $4 round trip
From Portland, Maine, to Boston, Massachusetts, whatever was operated by MegaBus, is operated by Concord Coach Lines. A one way trip is about $30.00, only slightly cheaper than booking directly. Peter Pan does not operate in Maine. We otherwise have Greyhound from the East Bayside district of Portland, as well as Flixbus, which offers a $28 one way trip, operating out of Portland's Greyhound depot, terminating at Boston South Station.
Thanks for explaining the situation in your neck of the woods!
It sounds like Mega Bus may have set their rates to low to survive. To note here is that their rates seem lower than Amtak . Amtrak uses a sliding scale rate - lower prices when booked early and higher rates with late booking. Also, as with air travel, airlines, they do not reduce rates at the last minute to fill seats. My guess is that Mega Bus/ Peter Pan is trying to get their prices below Amtrak . One downside of the bus , unlike Amtrak is one could get delayed if there is a problem on the interstates like an accident or traffic jam . I need to check out their rates !
Megabus didn’t go bankrupt. Their low rates had nothing to do with the bankruptcy of Coach USA…
Port Authority is obviously more convenient, but as a New Yorker I am gonna miss seeing the Megabus buses on 34th street. End of an era really.
I rode Peter Pan to Boston from New York City back in '97 (Amtrak the other way). They were affordable and the service was very good!
I used Peter Pan bus when in college in Boston going home to Springfield area. Ironically for you, the owner PPB is anti train. As an aside, you could have done a piece on the PPB to Springfield and on the Springfield to new Haven line in Connecticut.😊
@@DouglasEllis-y3q I'm not the OP so why should I do a piece on Peter Pan Bus runs from Boston to Springfield and Springfield to New Haven especially since I never rode those?
Sorry about that
@@DouglasEllis-y3q Thanks
According to all the news on this that I can find, Megabus' operations in Canada will not be affected by the bankruptcy and they will continue to run their fleet of double-decker busses. You had me worried there for a second, because Megabus is my only way to get from Montreal to Ontario whenever I can't afford Via Rail's wild prices.
Hopefully they’ll be there for a while yet! Have you been on the new VIA train sets yet?
Not yet, but I probably will at some point soon because I travel between Quebec and Ontario at least a couple times a year.
I'm kinda waiting to hear when they'll have baggage cars on the Quebec-Windsor corridor again because I used to take my bike on that train to go on bike/camping trips in Ontario, but all the information I can get from Via has been vague and the email I sent them a month ago asking this has gone unanswered.
🫡 bon voyage Megabus and The Megabus Guy (aka Sid, aka Chuck). Maybe one day, we’ll meet you down the road again. 😞
Megabus is completely gone in Texas, not that the Texas services were great. The last time I took Megabus was from Dallas (actually, Grand Prairie) to Houston's Hillcroft Park and Ride lot which is well west of Downtown Houston.
The bus was about an hour late because the drivers swapped out at Conroe (north of Houston) and that seemed to take forever. It also didn't help that the driver clearly didn't grasp the concept that 610 Loop West in Houston is a parking lot on a good day or was apparently allergic to taking the much faster toll roads which would've gotten us to our destination on time. Not only that, the bus used on this trip, an older MCI single deck, was, to be blunt, garbage - felt old, seemed to run slow.
Megabus seemed to lose a lot of their remaining market share in Texas not only to Greyhound/Flixbus, but to upscale carriers like Red Coach (which has become my go-to for travel between Dallas and Houston as of late) and Vonlane. (Side note: If you live in Florida or Texas, Red Coach is very underrated and they tend to be more reliable than Greyhound).
I was commenting from when you did the piece on the green ext in Boston recently. It would have been a way back to to DC. The Vermont runs up thru Connecticut to Vermont thru Springfield. The only east west trip thru Massachusetts is the Boston section of the Lake shore limited
My daughter used to take the Megabus from NYC to buffalo for 4 years. She went to college in buffalo and would come home during the holidays. She loved the long rides, she is saddened that they went bankrupt
Now I guess it’s Amtrak
While the bus is still the cheapest way between NYC and Philly, Taking SEPTA and NJT via Trenton is cheaper than Amtrak.
Will miss Mega bus though, even if their bus stop was in a weird place.
I had no idea they were no longer in service. I used Megabus for years to travel to Maryland to visit my best friend but eventually stopped because the drive from her house to White Marsh is 45mins whereas Amtrak (although way more expensive), from Baltimore Penn Station, is less than 10mins. I actually took the bus from DC TODAY and was told by a former Megabus employee that they shut down as of 8/16. I was looking forward to riding on the upper deck. Not anymore 😢
Yeah I’m sad too
9:58 I always figured the Baltimore stop being White Marsh Mall was to avoid any traffic delays that going into Baltimore. All the NYC busses that stop there began in Washington DC. During the daytime, NYC to Washington or Washington via White Marsh didn't stop in Philly.
Yeah it’s probably just close to the highway
The thing is, I don't think there was any transit connection there. You couldn't get into Baltimore from that mall parking lot.
Like the picture display behind you in your apartment.
I will miss Megabus. I used it a lot over the years and yes many times I got the $1 fares. I liked their DC-NYC schedule because I could leave DC at midnight and get to NYC in the morning or vice versa.
That’s gotta feel good to get the $1 fare
It really is too bad that Coach USA went bankrupt. My sister was previously a bus operator and eventually became a supervisor/dispatcher for the company right up until the very end. Unfortunately, she lost all her benefits, including retirement savings and healthcare when the company folded. She and her co-workers weren't offered the option to transition over to Peter Pan. They were all told that they'd have to apply as complete new hires at Peter Pan which largely operates out of NYC. Still, she seemed happy with her old job and many of the folks with whom she worked at Coach USA. I've just shared the link to this video with her. As always, thanks so much for sharing...
Ugh that sucks! I hope she finds something soon
Did she work out of the Paramus garage? I don't understand how she lost her retirement savings unless she wasn't fully vested when receiving the company match. But her own deductions would be available. She should apply to NJ Transit and receive decent pay, benefits and a real pension.
@@Railfan56 -- Who got the Passaic routes? The Bergen routes went back to Academy.
@@AEMoreira81 I read that Academy has already taken over both the Passaic and Bergen routes. NJ Transit took 3 routes in Hudson County.
I missed the skits glad they are back
Did them just for you
@@Thom-TRA best train channel on RUclips
@@Thom-TRA also RIP mega bus
But also now I won’t have to look at the nightmare fuel that is the Megabus logo
RIP Sid. The logo guy actually has a name and it is Sid.
The US version is named Chuck! Because Sid for a quid, Chuck for a buck!
And I didn’t know either!
I'd always wanted to take a Megabus trip if for no other reason than to sit in the front upper seats, so its pretty disappointing to know that I won't be able to do that now, at least not here in the US.
Initially i was thinking here in uk then i heard your American accent it supprised me megabus in.usa its bit mental here aberdeen too glasgow Edinburgh we have megabus still as far as i know scottish citylink flixbus and just about too add too it another operator commimg soon electric coaches thats 4 operating which is memtal citylink does 31 coaches a day between aberdeen and glasgow yea coach travel can be cheap here £5 city too city enjoyed your content thank you ps just subbed keep up good work
Question:
What happens to all the double decker buses that megabus used?
I’m not sure. Someone will either buy them or scrap them.
About 15 years ago, I took a Megabus on a Friday evening from Minneapolis because I had to work the next day in Chicago, IL. When we got into Eau Claire, Wisconsin the bus driver pulled over and had a heart attack. Thankfully for the driver, she survived. But, we were stranded. See they didn't have anyone to come rescue us until Monday. Such a nightmare, and swore would never take them again.
That’s terrifying
Former Megabus Driver here... this made me sad 😞
So sorry!
I believe the reason they use that parking lot for Baltimore is because it's right off the highway, and creates a minimal detour for travellers going between NY and DC, since that's their main market, and anyone needing to get to downtown Baltimore can use one of several other bus companies. Also, that parking lot is an MTA park & ride lot, so probably pretty easy to get permission to use it compared to other lots.
Living in Suburban Baltimore, I actually used that stop a few times, and can confirm it did get reasonable ridership. It wasn't for New Yorkers visiting Baltimore, it's for suburban Baltimoreans visiting New York
Thanks for your perspective!
Yeah. White Marsh is a great location. Just that MTA need to do their part to enhance service between the park & ride and downtown. But, nonetheless, the majority of potential commuters in Baltimore, live within 10 miles of White Marsh than do if it were downtown.
Rip “the weird creepy guy”
You might as well take an early bird bus I think is more relaxing than a late night or overnight bus
But I didn’t arrive in New York early in the morning…?
Van-Gelder/Coach USA used to be my go-to transport from Chicago airports to Indiana. They closed down those lines shortly before covid. Then I learned how to use the CTA and South Shore Line and came out ahead. I prefer trains to a bus.
Me too
I just hope Peter Pan uses the double Decker buses
That ain't happening
I really miss Megabus out of Chicago. Though things started going downhill when they got moved away from Union Station.
Yep i used to take Megabus to NYC from Chicago
thanks for the Video!!! I was getting ready to plan a trip to DC -> NYC mid September. I am sad to hear that my old reliable Mega bus is gone. it will be missed!
It definitely will! Hope it’s not too inconvenient to find something else
8:26 I can imagine how freaky it is to be in the double-decker in the Lincoln, were you ducking?
No, not really. I’ve been in the tunnel enough times it doesn’t faze me!
@@Thom-TRA Having driven that tunnel in a 45-footer (MCI 102DL3), I can tell you it was nervewracking the way those guys sat on each other's tails. I asked another driver in the Port Authority when we pulled in, how do those guys not crash into each other? He replied with a grin, "Nobody touches the brakes!"
Damn, that's too bad. But not entirely surprising. I used them a couple times when they first started up, but no opportunities since.
awww my sister used to take this to go to college I’ll miss them :(
my first time viewing your video. GREAT explanations during your trip. I have done it and would again, DO you use service out of Worcester or Boston, I always bring a little snack with me Great job looking to see more!
-- If I had a nickel for every time Thom uploads about busses shutting down, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. --
As someone who grew up near White Marsh Mall, I've never considered it the middle of nowhere, but you're right it's not close to Downtown Baltimore. The 'Baltimore Downtown Bus Station' is also in a pretty inconvenient location. It's sandwiched between a Waste-to-Energy trash burning plant, the Casino and a lot of industrial stuff. So maybe White Marsh Mall and IKEA don't sound so bad. lol There are 3 MTA bus routes at the mall stop at least.
It’s a whole new niche of video haha
When was the last time the "more than the 100 locations nationwide" was true, let alone the "and growing"?
Idk
I have traveled on Megabus from Philadelphia to DC, NYc, Boston, and Rochester. Sad to know that their services are dis continued. Next time will try Peter Pan.
I was wondering what happened to them, now a company in Brooklyn on flushing Avenue have 2,3 of the ex mega buses, I think they use them in Manhattan for tea drinkers, their wrapped in pink paint. It looks cool to me and I'm glad they're kept in Brooklyn not to far from where I live
Yeah I’ve seen the tea buses! We have them in DC now too
Those double decker's are a hazard with all the elevated subways in the area. Low clearance is not a friend of those double-deckers.
I think some of it was a case of biting off more than you can chew for Coach USA. When Dillon's Bus Service (Baltimore/Washington) sold to Coach, I knew it was gonna be burning bridge for MTA commuter lines [I wish I was wrong].
In regard to the pricing. I think Peter Pan is strategizing with the concept of doubling the price in-relation to further increase demand and to justify making your booking more "reserved" than before with MegaBus. Not having those double-deckers in their fleet is driving up the cost even more because loading capacity in one journey is now smaller.
Its a shame.
Appreciate your analysis
Thanks 😊
Mega bus still running between Toronto and Montreal since Greyhound pulled out of Canada
just to help with understanding about the stop in white marsh. its basically a park and ride...you could park in the white marsh parking lot for free I believe so you can still work in philly or New York and drive back home when you get to baltimore
But what doesn’t make sense to me is why Baltimore would be a P&R stop sky the rest are downtown.
@@Thom-TRA oh...I'm talking about riding to to Philly which is about an hour and a half away ..or even park and ride to New York for the day parking is limited at that Greyhound station...so the appeal I think is that the stop is out of the way of the city for drivers who don't want to drive to Philly or New York...or even Washington DC on a occasion...by the way like your channel...I'm a bus driver with Peter Pan and I can tell you this whole switch to Peter Pan has been a trip lol
@@Thom-TRA I take it that a majority of the ridership in Baltimore area are within arm's-reach of I-695 Beltway and more residents, as well as, potential commuters live in the northeast Baltimore metro area. White Marsh is a prime locale than just downtown.
Another assumption is because Baltimore (the city itself) does NOT prioritize "transit buses" all too well, so intercity buses are backed into a corner. There's a reason the Greyhound Terminal in "Downtown Baltimore" is 1.5 miles away from "downtown" with a quick access ramp onto I-95 and MD-295.
Even Peter Pan's prices are cheap compared to what I used to pay. Back in 1983-85, I would travel from Baltimore to my home in Bloomsburg, PA. The bus fare was between 23 and 27 dollars. (i.e. 100-150 dollars today) and that route is only 155 miles.
Well glad to know at least some things are cheaper!
I am going to miss those Vanhool coaches
Loving the skits! Great video
So it seems that White Marsh Mall is a major park and ride for way-the-heck-out Baltimore commuters. Bus station, tick. Parking for Americans who can't do without their cars, tick. And hey, if you're arriving at oh-my-Robin-Williams-it's-early, you should be able to transfer to a commuter bus into Baltimore-proper.. the 56 runs from 4:35am to 1somethingam both ways, and the 120 runs commuter hours and directions...
And also that Peter Pan now *also* serves the main Downtown Baltimore bus station (2100 Haines, next door to Greyhound, right on the water). MUCH better for those of us who actually wanna go *downtown*.
Peter Pan actually temporarily switched to exclusively serving White Marsh, I don’t know when they’re planning to go back to serving both.
Unlike Baltimore Penn Station which is relatively safe and well policed, the bus station in Baltimore is a crime ridden location much like NYC's Port Authority terminal. It's unsurprising no one wants to catch the bus in downtown Baltimore, preferring the White Marsh location at the Mall.
@@num1hendrickfan I don’t find the PABT even half as bad as people say
2:08 I was there a little earlier heading back to BWI
In another episode of Buses are Awesome, Coach USA went belly up, Peter Pan thanks you.
The coach usa bankruptcy hit me hard. Cus I live in New Jersey, and in nj some of the Nj Transit local (not commuter to nyc ) bus routes were under the Nj Transir Umbrella but operated by Coach USA. As a collage student who’s working to save up for a car, the bus route I take to work/school several times a week has been suspended for 2 weeks while nj transit finalizes a deal with another bus company to take over the routes (still under nj transit).
A few of the routes effected did get taken over and have the operations and drivers by NJT thsmwfles but alot of them will be NJT routes under NJT but operated by another bus company (the busses and fairs will still be NJT busses tho)
I remember this being the case with Route 31, which was the only bus route that went by Seton Hall University when I was a student there. I only had to use it once to go to Livingston Mall, but not having that will stink for anyone that needs it, especially people that live in nearby Newark.
@@Troggle84 -- Coach USA ONE Bus had long ago cut back the western portion of the South Orange Avenue line. Now only the legacy NJ Transit routes go to Livingston Mall. NJ Transit took over the 24, 31, and 44 (NJ Transit had already owned the Coach USA buses but needed to repaint them back into its own livery.)
I had to change my megabus ticket for September 6 to nyc ughhh no more front window seat this is stressful
Goodbye cute Megabus :3 🥺❤
That was a good trip!
This was that you sent me the 201 ride to bwi and now it accepts coach usa still or not and i am still sad 😭😭 about Megabus 😊
Do Fung Wa bus co. You had to compete with cockroaches for a seat. I know someone who spent an entire trip trapped in the loo.
RIP Megabus. I took it between DC and Raleigh, NC to visit family. It was much cheaper than the train and more comfortable/less sketchy than Greyhound. I hope there will still be cheap tickets on Peter Pan.
Yep that’s my experience too
I never got the chance to ride Megabus, I rode Bolt a couple of times, and it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I don't take busses often but am not opposed to bus travel.
As for CoachUSA, I recently had an interesting exchange with their customer service (much of which was AI) that makes me see why they went bankrupt.
Any idea what happened to the buses from MegaBus? They were some of the only double-deckers in service in the USA. It would be a shame to see them get scrapped.
Ugh i hate when the customer service is bad. Greyhound once kept calling me “ma’am.”
And no, I’m not sure what will happen to those buses. It would be a shame to see them go.
They’d look pretty good in Peter Pan colors.
I'd be surprised if they didn't mostly end up sold to other operators, tour companies will probably snap some up at a minimum
5:35 is that per chance a Fujimori reference. Also Peruvian food is delicious.
Yes and you’re the first one to pick up on it
Being in the part of the country where Megabus still "exists" I have to head down to Florida Mall and see what is going on. Also a ton of the fleet was shipped down to Daytona Beach for eventual transport to ABC Companies for decommissioning and sale from what I understand.
That must mean that the double deckers were leased and not owned.
Went from Megabus to Megabust !
It is also Trailways now.
I hope this doesn't lead to the discontinuation of the Virginia Breeze, which is operated by Megabus. It's a surprisingly good service, at least from looking at the schedules and reviews. I'm not sure how it's funded, but I hope it ends up like the MTA (of Maryland) Commuter buses.
It’s funded by the state so they’ll find another company to do it. They’re actually expanding and adding an east-west route next year.
Not sure how a $10 NYC-DC bus ride would ever make money. $35 to $45 for a 4 hour bus ride seems pretty reasonable to me.
Not every ticket was $10. And they were in business for a really long time, popular until the end, so yes, they did make money.
$40 dollars for a bus ride seems very unreasonable to me when you realize it’s the corridor with the fiercest competition, and the train, which is faster and more comfortable, is often cheaper.
I normally don't comment, but I'm going to miss those double-decker buses! I dont know of any other company that utlizes them in the USA.
I have seen similar buses running around in the Bay Area!
A couple of transit agencies out west use double-decker buses: AC Transit (Oakland), RTC Las Vegas and Community Transit north of Seattle. Other than a few "mom-and-pop" operators using second-hand ex-Megabus coaches, they're pretty rare in the US.
The points made are right - they're on the west coast though (difficult for an east coaster like myself to access regularly and economically)
The other major one is DATTCO.
Although I didn’t even know coach USA was bankrupt until I saw this video and it’s sad that maga bus is not there anymore back in march of 2022 I took it from DC to NYC and it’s was not bad at all and had a great price
IKR!😮 I don’t see them downtown anymore! What happened?
I'm lucky I can afford an Amtrak fare, because riding Megabus became such an unpleasant experience I'm not going to miss it at all. (Worst part of it was sitting atop a sloshing tank of sceptic water in the bus's bathroom.) Occasionally I can snag a $30 NY-DC Amtrak ticket, but the overall experience is so much better than Megabus it's worth the extra $: plenty of room to stretch my legs out, or get up & walk to the dining car and purchase anything from a hot meal to a candy bar, so I'm not stuck in a cramped seat for 4+ hours. (It's only 3 1/2 hours between NY & DC on Amtrak.)
10:15 I think I know why - money . I think fees are lower than using a main bus station .
I wonder what happens to those double decker busses?
I wonder too
I say a nap is any rest from 30mins-2hrs, less than is a power nap, over 4hrs is true rest, and 2hrs-4hrs is a grey area. If you are flying and don't feel like Jetlagged, I guess 3hrs is considered true rest but IDK
Always enjoy your videos! I will say that these ultra low cost bus services aren't sustainable unless the passenger volume remains quite high. Megabus gone, BoltBus gone and Flixbus is failing and taking down Greyhound with them. Peter Pan and several Trailways affiliates have far more traditional business models that can better withstand the current economic challenges we are facing.
The passenger volume was high. Megabus would have continued had the parent company not gone under. And is flixbus failing? That’s news to me.
I'm glad Megabus was able to save you megabucks!😀
Interesting video, thank you. I took Megabus a few times between Philly & NYC. Never had a bad experience, was always on time within a few minutes. What annoys me now that it's bankrupt, is why didn't it just raise fares 20-50%? That would be $5-10 additional on most routes most of the time between NYC, PHILA, DC--not a killer if there are few or no options. I don't know for sure, but it sounds like a hedge fund move to just run something into the ground and screw employees, and suppliers. Of course, the hedge fund would get a tax write-off in the millions. We expect employees everywhere to be paid a decent wage--well, that means that we need to pay a little more. Unless you expect someone to work for less.
So it’s the mother company, Coach USA, that went bankrupt. It didn’t have much to do with Megabus’ low fares, Coach USA had a ton of government contracts and other businesses.
I am going to miss Mega bus. I took a last minute trip to Philly because I had tickets to see a show and I paid like $10-$15 round trip. I took the bust DC as well and was cheap. Sad to see it go. At $40 per trip on Peter Pan I think I rather go with Amtrak.
My last trip on Megabus was also a last-minute trip to Philly
Back in the day (2009 etc.) I had to drop my son at the Megabus "terminal" for the 1:30 a.m. bus to Pittsburgh. (The "terminal"was an otherwise vacant, semi-paved lot on K Street behind Union Station.) Since my office was right next to Union Station, I wore my office togs and spent the rest of the night nodding off at my desk, rather than driving home in the wee hours and then inching back downtown in the morning rush, a few hours later. Saved time and reduced my carbon footprint, too!
Hahaha what a great story!
Since after 184 got repainted back into phase 5 I wonder where is it at right now
That sad for Megabus