The Bus Stops Here

By ISRAEL SALAS-RODRIGUEZ

Megabus, the commercial company that offers low-cost express travel service to more than 100 cities across North America, unveiled the new “Empire State Bus” outside the Jacob Javtis Center Thursday afternoon.

Megabus CEO, Linda Burtwistle, invited Governor Kathy Hochul to experience the low fare ride for herself.  Because the company receives no federal funding they were expected to seek state money to create a bus terminal in Manhattan’s Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Because of the surprising increase in commercial bus lines in New York City which include Peter Pan Bus, Greyhound, Boltbus, and Megabus, Burtwistle saod she wanted to give customers a steady pick-up location to wait for their ride.

Hochhul appeared receptive.

“It’s a great business model it is a part of the new economy, it’s old school but it’s not it’s creating access in a sense that you are trying to help the environment which people are much more conscientious about today,” she said.

The company offers riders city-to-city bus tickets for travels around North America. A one-way fare starts as low as $1, but the availability of $1 fares is limited. The price of fares varies by day and time of customer’s travel, time of booking, demand for seats, as well as a $2 reservation fee. Megabus provides customers with free Wi-Fi and power outlets. While insuring safety for customers with built in vehicle GPS tracking, as well as monitoring speeding, and engine volts which provides advanced notice if a bus is going to break down.