So what will happen to Greyhound?

[JerryH]

So Laidlaw (operator of Greyhound) is being bought by Britain's FirstGroup PLC.  They acquired Ryder Public Transportation Services back in 1999.  They'll have 40% of the school bus market in North America.

So what do you think will happen with Greyhound, will FirstGroup keep it or sell it??

[ChuckMC9]

Both Laidlaw and FirstGroup are primarily school bus operators. "They" are saying that the Greyhound business isn't necessarily a good fit and they may sell it off once the deal is done. Who knows what would happen then. Wanna buy it?

It's my prediction that the coming years will bring increased business to the bus business of all kinds, due to the least amount of fuel consumption per passenger mile.

[chargePlus]

It's my prediction that the coming years will bring increased business to the bus business of all kinds, due to the least amount of fuel consumption per passenger mile.

I dunno about that. It may grow, but many Americans would rather fly or drive than take a bus, just because of the length of time it takes by bus. I just looked at a Durham, NC to Orlando, FL bus trip, and each way is roughly 21 hours for a $116 fare. Southwest Airlines on the same dates is $233, and I assume that I'll need to spend 6 hours getting to, waiting in, and returning from the airport at each end.

What I have noticed a lot of here in NC, are the Bus/Coach lines that cater to the Latino population. Pretty much any time I'm driving on I-85/I-40 I see several buses making what appear to be scheduled runs to points north and south.

If I had to guess, FirstGroup will either try to sell Greyhound to another operator or spin them off. Potential buyers could be Trailways (but Greyhound doesn't quite fit their model), Coach USA (Owned by Stagecoach Group in the UK, and could fill out their offerings in the US), or Peter Pan Bus lines (would be a HUGE jump for this regional player).

- John

[JerryH]

...Peter Pan Bus lines (would be a HUGE jump for this regional player).

It wouldn't surprise me to see Peter Pan get their hands in on it.

JerryH

[tekebird]

I doubt Peter Pan would buy GH........PP is in th Boston/NY  coridor where real people still ride buses.

GH on the other hand hauls pretty much the lowest rung on the latter types.....

Problem with GH is they can't increase thier fares or people who ride GH won''t be able to afford it........and they can't speed thier service up because they need to stop at every little podunk town to get ridership.

What I see hapening is the return of lots of different bus companies running short scheduled service....like in the pre war days.........these will probably be govt subsidies so it will be worth while finacially.

perhaps GH will still be around as a long haul operation with limited stops.

[belfert]

Greyhound already abandoned a lot of stops and routes here in the Midwest.  Jefferson Lines took over some of the routes.

Brian

[Jeremy]

I hadn't realised that First and Stagecoach were buying into the US market; if it's of any help, First is a bus (ie. transit) and train operator (no coaches), whereas Stagecoach operate both buses and coaches but not trains - so you might conclude from that that Greyhound would be a much better fit with Stagecoach than with First - but that's just a guess.

Incidentally, school buses in the UK tend to be regular buses and coaches run by regular operators, rather than specialists using dedicated vehicles. Generally school buses are ex-luxury coaches that have been re-seated with five seats per row, usually giving a toal of 70 for a 40' vehicle.

Jeremy

[WVObus]

Who cares?  Greyhound never cared, they suck.....rent a car and go!

[JerryH]

Who cares?  Greyhound never cared, they suck.....rent a car and go!

Yeah, it's ashame ... you never read anything positive about Greyhound.
Dunno, it's an icon ... would like to see a grand turnaround and well.... one can imagine and hope.
Back to these scratch and win lotto tickets.

Jerry H.

[Hartley]

Greyhound lost their freight business to the expidited services.

Ridership was a big advertising media but was a secondary revenue stream for them. But the Fedex's and UPS's and knockoffs basically killed the bus being used as a truck lines. Greyhound was the ONLY name in the freight path to a lot of places away from majpr population centers. Now everyone is handling freight, even the Post office.

In our little area even Trailways used gas stations as Bus Stations usually a block away from the Greyhound station. They hauled passengers but not packages to the smaller stops. Greyhound hauled almost anything that would fit in a bay as paying freight.
I worked for a chevy dealer in the late 60's and we had to go to Greyhound to pick up parts like fenders and up to complete engines in crates.

It used to cost $1.20 to go from Orlando to Daytona but figure on 5 hours to get there.

From Deland Florida to Huntington,WVA was a $46 ticket and 28 hours average on an Express SceniCruiser Service
that you had to meet up with in Jacksonville with 2 changes along the way all the way up Hwy 301 North.
I loved those summer trips through the N.C. Mountains....

Sorry, I drifted off there.. Gee those "WERE" the days.....

[HighTechRedneck]

I too have many fond memories of summer vacation trips on Greyhound.  Sad to see what it has become now days.  I don't think I would ride it anymore unless I had no other choice.

[Greg Paciga (S.Ga)]

Greyhound lost their freight business to the expidited services.

Ridership was a big advertising media but was a secondary revenue stream for them. But the Fedex's and UPS's and knockoffs basically killed the bus being used as a truck lines. Greyhound was the ONLY name in the freight path to a lot of places away from majpr population centers. Now everyone is handling freight, even the Post office.

In our little area even Trailways used gas stations as Bus Stations usually a block away from the Greyhound station. They hauled passengers but not packages to the smaller stops. Greyhound hauled almost anything that would fit in a bay as paying freight.
I worked for a chevy dealer in the late 60's and we had to go to Greyhound to pick up parts like fenders and up to complete engines in crates.

It used to cost $1.20 to go from Orlando to Daytona but figure on 5 hours to get there.

From Deland Florida to Huntington,WVA was a $46 ticket and 28 hours average on an Express SceniCruiser Service
that you had to meet up with in Jacksonville with 2 changes along the way all the way up Hwy 301 North.
I loved those summer trips through the N.C. Mountains....

Sorry, I drifted off there.. Gee those "WERE" the days.....

Looks like we all have fond memories of our Greyhound rides in our youth. I once met Lincoln on a trip from Chicago to Ashville N.C....
LMAO

But seriously..I too had taken many a trip from Chicago to Ashville. That would be some 40 years ago. I had the rare opportunity to travel in one of the few Super Seni Cruisers. JUST ONCE.. I had a matchbox car of that bus before I rode on it. I also remember wanting to get at that seat were the "second windshield" was. It seemed like an eternity before one of the four people ocupying those 4 cherished seats got off. I was up there in a flash driving that bus myself. I had a magazine that served me well as a steering wheel.

I know in my heart of hearts it was that one trip on that clasic coach that made me a MAJOR bus nut some 40+ years ago.

Greg Paciga (S. Ga.) 

[Stan]

Does Greyhound take longer than Jetblue to get out of the terminal?

[chargePlus]

Does Greyhound take longer than Jetblue to get out of the terminal?

It's not the getting out of the terminal that kills you, but the wait from "push back" to actual take-off. When taking the 'hound these days I have heard it's the smell... And no, I don't mean diesel.

- John