BoltBus

BoltBus

BoltBus Prevost X3-45 in New York City
Slogan	Bolt for a Buck
Parent	Northeast: Greyhound Lines & Peter Pan Bus Lines West Coast: Greyhound Lines
Founded	2008
Headquarters	Patriot Tower 350 N St. Paul St Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Service area	Northeastern United States Pacific Northwest California/Nevada
Service type	Intercity coach service
Destinations	Northeast: Baltimore; Boston; Cherry Hill; Greenbelt; Newark; New York City; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C. Northwest: Albany; Bellingham, Washington; Eugene; Portland; Seattle; Vancouver California/Nevada: Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Oakland; San Francisco; San Jose
Fleet	Prevost X3-45 MCI D4505
Fuel type	Diesel
Operator	Greyhound Lines
Website	Official Web site

A BoltBus in service

BoltBus is an intercity bus service which operates in the northeastern and western United States and British Columbia, Canada. Its northeastern operation is a joint venture between Greyhound Lines and Peter Pan Bus Lines providing service from New York City and Newark to other cities in the Northeastern United States along the Interstate 95 corridor.^[1] Its west coast operation is owned directly by Greyhound and offer services in the Pacific Northwest, California and Nevada. BoltBus utilizes the existing operating authority of Greyhound Lines, although it is run as a distinct business.

The service is designed to compete with Chinatown bus carriers and other discount carriers such as Megabus.^[2]

Routes

Northeast

The BoltBus network in the northeast radiates from New York City from street stops near New York Penn Station, although there are different departure points for different lines. Service is currently available between New York City and Washington, D.C.'s Union Station, Baltimore's Penn Station, the Greenbelt Metro station in Greenbelt, Philadelphia at 30th Street Station and suburban Cherry Hill (Cherry Hill Mall), and Boston's South Station Bus Terminal.^[3]

On March 24, 2011, BoltBus expanded its service into Newark. It began providing service from Newark Penn Station to Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.'s Union Station.

On June 23, 2011, BoltBus began providing service from Newark Penn Station to Philadelphia, stopping at John F. Kennedy Blvd and N. 30th St. across the street from the west entrance of the 30th Street Station, and to Boston's South Station. Schedules on this route originate and terminate in Boston and Philadelphia with an intermediary stop in Newark.^[4]

Pacific Northwest

On May 17, 2012, BoltBus expanded to the Pacific Northwest, offering service between Seattle and Portland.^[5] Service expanded to Vancouver, British Columbia and Bellingham on May 31, 2012^[6] and again to Southern Oregon on October 3, 2013 making stops in Albany and Eugene.^[7]

California/Nevada

BoltBus expanded its service into California on October 31, 2013 offering service between Union Station in Los Angeles, Diridon Station in San Jose and the West Oakland BART Station in Oakland.^[8] A stop at San Francisco's Transbay Terminal was added to the route on December 12, 2013.^[9] A second route between Los Angeles's Union Station and San Diego was added on November 14, 2013, but was discontinued in January 2014 due to low ridership.^[10] BoltBus service was expanded outside of California on December 12, 2013 with a route between Los Angeles Union Station and the Greyhound terminal in Las Vegas.^[9]

Services

Unlike parent Greyhound, all tickets sold on BoltBus are for reserved seating and buses are not oversold.^[11] On each trip, at least one seat is offered at $1, with most seats sold in the $20–$40 range, via the yield management model.^[12] The $1 fare is the basis for its slogan “Bolt for a Buck”.^[13] Since buses don't operate out of stations passengers are encouraged to purchase tickets either online or on the phone before heading to the bus stop, but drivers will also accept cash from "walk-up" passengers, if space is available (walk-up tickets typically cost 30% more than online fares).^[11] Passengers are assigned to a boarding group which means the passengers who purchased their tickets earlier, get to board the bus and choose their seats earlier. Members of Bolt Rewards are always allowed to board with the first group.^[11]

BoltBus routes use newer model Prevost X3-45 and MCI D4505 coaches. All motorcoaches are equipped with wireless Internet access by WAAV, Inc. and leather seats that have armrests, footrests, seat belts and 120V power outlets (at most seats).^[11] The motorcoaches used on BoltBus have had 5 seats removed, giving passengers additional legroom and eliminating the middle seat from the last row.

References

Further reading

• Bowen, Alison, "Boltbus, Megabus and Fung-Wah: Curbside buses more dangerous: Buses that pick up passengers off the street are more dangerous than those that use a terminal, a new report found", Metro newspaper, New York City, October 31, 2011

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to BoltBus.

• BoltBus website