Bus travels, Tour and transport: bus travel

Showing posts with label bus travel. Show all posts

The American bus revival

Posted by Jeff adams - Sunday, February 26, 2012

Motor coaches are the greatest growing form of extended coldness transport in the United States, and British-owned companies are leading the charge. So has the US finally learned to love the bus?

"Imagine if William Shatner had crashed a plane into the side of a building. The airline industry would go crazy."

Dan Ronan, chief spokesman for the American Bus Association, has a bone to pick with Captain Kirk.

The object of his irritation is an advertisement for travel website Priceline, currently on heavy rotation on American television, which features William Shatner on board a bus that plunges over a precipice and explodes in a spectacular fireball.

The ABA feels the ad is in "poor taste" but what really irks the industry is that Shatner's bus is not a modern, air-conditioned vehicle with leather seats and wi-fi but a beaten-up museum piece from the 1950s.

It seems to sum up the average American traveller's view of buses as the transport option of last resort - slow, uncomfortable and out-of-date.

According to ABA president Peter Pantuso, the last time most Americans took to the road in public transport was in the yellow bus that took them to school.

Persuading them to take their first trip on a modern coach is the toughest task he faces.

Thanks: bbc.co.uk

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New bus service will link Athens and Atlanta

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, February 23, 2012

Discount express bus corporation Megabus will present service between Athens and Atlanta three(3) times per day starting next Wednesday.

“As Americans continue to look for ways to stretch their income, we look forward to providing safe, convenient and affordable travel to Athens-area residents,” President and Chief Operating Officer Dale Moser said in a news release.

Buses will leave Athens at 7 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., arriving in Atlanta an hour and 40 minutes later. Return trips are scheduled for 11 a.m., 3:45 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Buses will depart Athens from the Multimodal Transportation Center on East Broad Street Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, when Athens Transit buses don’t run, they’ll depart from the University of Georgia’s East Campus parking deck.

In Atlanta, buses will arrive and depart at the Civic Center MARTA station in Midtown.

The service will boost the local tourism and convention industry, said Kathryn Lookofsky, executive director of the Athens Downtown Development Authority.

Thanks: onlineathens.com/local-news/

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Bendy bus makes final journey for Transport for London

Posted by Jeff adams - Sunday, December 11, 2011

The last of London's bendy buses was taken off the roads on Friday night.

The vehicles were used on 12 routes over the past decade but Mayor Boris Johnson called them "cumbersome machines" which were too big for narrow streets and encouraged fare-dodgers.

He has ordered nearly 500 new buses to replace them and promised more vehicles on the routes during the rush hour.

But campaigners said they were "the most accessible bus in London" and would be missed by wheelchair users.

The final route to be operated with bendy buses has been the 207 between Hayes and White City, and the last of the long vehicles was to run late on Friday.

Transport for London (TfL) predicted it would increase its takings by £7.4m because fare-evasion would now become harder.

The "hop-on, hop-off" style of the bendy buses, with few checks on tickets, had encouraged thousands of people to avoid paying.
'Frequently stranded'

But Transport for All, which speaks for older and disabled transport users, said TfL was "nuts" to scrap the vehicles, especially as their new Routemaster-style replacements had only "a tiny wheelchair space".

Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk

Free bus travel for visitors to Devon costs county £1m

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Devon has been hit by £1 million of costs after it emerged one-in-five people using free bus passes in the tourism season come from outside the county A Devon County Council survey found it was under-writing the free off-peak travel scheme, enjoyed by Britons over 60, for hundreds of visitors.

The survey revealed that during September 21 per cent of people using a concessionary bus pass were not from the Devon local authority area The figure included 2 per cent from Torbay and 1 per cent from Plymouth, but 18 per cent were residents from beyond the two neighbouring authorities Devon County Council is calling for more funding from Government to pay for the £1 million it cost to pay for outsiders to travel free. Currently, the authority is handed £7 million a year by Government to run the scheme, which also applies to disabled people. But it faces a £5 million shortfall because it costs £12 million in total.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member for transport, said: "The concessionary bus pass funding certainly doesn't take into account visitor numbers from other areas.

Source: http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk

Free Christmas bus travel for children welcomed by Swansea traders

Posted by Jeff adams - Sunday, November 27, 2011

TRADERS in Swansea have welcomed plans to allow children free bus travel during the Christmas period Swansea Council has agreed to provide free bus travel for children aged five to 16 in an effort to reduce the costs to families during the festive period while schools are closed And council chiefs hope it will also encourage families to visit the city centre to do their shopping.

The authority believes it could be among the first in the UK to introduce such a scheme, which will cost an estimated £35,000 The free travel offer is between December 22 and January 8 to take in the January sales, and it’s hoped it will provide a significant boost for city centre businesses throughout the Christmas period John Hague, cabinet member for the environment on Swansea Council, said: “We have excellent public transport services in Swansea, boosted by the new city centre bus station.

“The latest offer should help tempt more families to use public transport.”Council leader Chris Holley said: “Christmas can be an expensive time of year for families. We want to try and ease some of the costs by offering free travel for children under 16 “Hopefully this will encourage more families to use public transport and come into the city centre. We expect lots of families to come and visit the Waterfront Winterland attraction “The free travel will certainly help that.”

Read More www.walesonline.co.uk

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Traveling by bus? Choose a safe ride

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, November 24, 2011

With Thanksgiving almost here, many people will be jumping on buses to head home or to grandma’s house.They won’t be alone. Each year about 750 million passenger trips are taken by bus, a mode of travel that has experienced very large growth in the last six to seven years, according to the American Bus Association Foundation.

There is no official data for nationwide bus travel for Thanksgiving week, but Coach USA/megabus.com expects about 60 percent to 70 percent more travelers than during a typical week. “Thanksgiving is one of the biggest travel weeks,” said Dale Moser, the company’s president and chief operating officer.For the week of Nov. 21-27, the company will carry between 160,000 and 210,000 passengers, a 28 percent to 35 percent increase from last year, Moser said.

“With convenient departure options and comfortable motorcoaches with power outlets and Wi-Fi, it's no wonder people are choosing buses over rising gas prices and crowded airports,” U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood wrote in his blog last week. “America's commercial buses are a safe, affordable choice for your holiday travel.”But recent news reports detail companies being put out of business and high-profile crashes.

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New Lymmo lines will link Creative Village to SunRail, downtown

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The first concrete step in the future of the Creative Village is coming, in the form of two projects worth $22 million that will more than triple the length of the free bus route through downtown Orlando the work includes dedicated bus lanes, bus stops and other infrastructure that will encircle the Creative Village site, linking its future high-tech workers and students to the upcoming SunRail train system and the rest of downtown.

It will also give Creative Village developers something beyond architectural renderings to point to as they begin to market their 68-acre neighborhood to potential commercial and institutional tenants.

"This is the first stage of going in and getting ready for development," said developer Craig Ustler of Creative Village Development LLC. "This moves us significantly farther down the road. I think it gives us a solid start."

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Unsustainable bus fares face review

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, October 05, 2011

BUS travel in the Northern Rivers is more expensive than in inner city Sydney, according to the Northern Rivers Social Development Council.

The not-for-profit organis- ation has made a submission to the 2011 review of Rural and Regional Bus Fares which will determine standard bus fares from January 2012.

Social Development Council development and innovation manager Molly Galea said the Independent Pricing and Regu- latory Tribunal review must address the "substantial discrepancies" between bus fares in metropolitan and regional areas.

"The fact that people live in a more sparsely populated area doesn't mean they can afford to pay more, because they can't," Ms Galea said.

"For example, a bus from Parramatta to Sydney is $4.30 but a similar bus trip from Ballina to Lismore is $11.80.

"For people on lower incomes making this journey a couple of times a day, it quickly becomes unsustainable if you are spending $20 a day or $100 a week."

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Gilbert small-business bus tour points out sign woes

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, October 03, 2011

An overly restrictive sign code is keeping some Gilbert businesses from getting noticed and attracting new customers, owners told town officials during a small-business bus tour Thursday morning.

Town Council members and high-ranking administrators joined the Gilbert Small Business Alliance in visiting several companies to hear their challenges and success stories.

Sign regulations quickly emerged as the dominant issue for the businesses, which included a gas station, property management group, an optometrist and a chiropractor.

Over the past several months, Gilbert officials have worked with businesses in a "stakeholders group" to rewrite much of the town's sign code. The proposed changes go before the council for possible approval next week.

The group included representatives of the Alliance, Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, International Sign Association and others. They met eight times and produced a set of amendments intended to make the code "less onerous" for businesses, according to a town staff report.

But the proposed changes won't resolve some of the concerns officials heard during the Alliance bus tour.

Many of the businesses are tucked away in shopping centers and suffer from visibility problems, owners said. They called on town officials to loosen certain sign regulations to give them greater flexibility in marketing themselves.

Houston-based real-estate company Whitestone REIT in July bought Gilbert Tuscany Village, a shopping center on the northeastern corner of Higley and Guadalupe roads. The retail center is home to Rancho de Tia Rosa restaurant and Salon Di Bella but remains mostly vacant.

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Burnett Transit Bus service grows with community support

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, September 22, 2011

Since 1954, Spencer children have ridden to and from school on Burnett Transit buses. Over the years, the company has expanded to deliver service to Marshfield's Catholic schools, Abbotsford schools and the Mosinee school district.

Combination of work ethic, community and bank support and business vision have enabled the company to grow in a down economy, said Joe Burnett, second generation owner of Spencer-based Burnett Transit.
Workforce

The Midwest has a reputation for employees with a strong work ethic, which is important to the company's growth, he said.

"But another key thing is that there is no one person here that is any more important than someone else," Burnett said. "There can be no weak link in the chain for success. No one will let anyone fall behind or slack off. This provides a work atmosphere for success."

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Senators focus on GMA travels

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, September 21, 2011

THE Senate finance committee yesterday skipped the proposed 2012 budget allocation for the Office of the President (OP) and instead bared a 2009 Commission on Audit report that the OP in the previous Arroyo administration racked up unliquidated cash advances in the total amount of P594,040,619.70, mostly on foreign travels .

Appearing before the budget hearing, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa volunteered additional information that while the COA report for 2010 has yet to be released, their internal accounting showed that the OP, as of December 31, 2010, also incurred unliquidated cash advances totaling P571,190,306.

"This shows the impunity and disregard of the previous administration to what was appropriated and an abuse of (the Arroyo administration’s) fiscal authorization (given by Congress)" said Sen. Franklin Drilon, finance committee chairman.

Drilon, an administration ally, disclosed that in 2009, the OP was only appropriated P30 million in travel expenses but disbursed a total of P848 million for foreign travel and P92.5 million in local trips. As of August this year, Drilon said, the amount of unliquidated disbursements included P367 million in cash advances.

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Go Ahead profits up as bus travel booms

Posted by Jeff adams - Sunday, September 04, 2011

PUBLIC transport firm Go Ahead Group said profits rose 14% in its last financial year, adding that its performance was “in line with expectation”.

The Newcastle business said a profit rise to £115.1m and a 6% jump in revenue from £2,167m to £2,297m was “further evidence of consumers switching from cars to public transport”.

The company is one of the largest bus operators in the UK, with around 21% of the market share in London, and has a 65% majority holding in Southern, Southeastern and London Midland rail franchise operator Govia.

Pre-tax profit for the year to July 2 was up 11.3% from £87.7m to £97.6m, and the company added the new financial year had “started well”.

Chairman Sir Patrick Brown said: “Despite facing challenging economic conditions in the last 12 months and the adverse weather in the first half of the year, all of our operations have seen growth in like-for-like passenger revenue and passenger journeys.

“Our bus and rail operations remain fundamentally strong and have benefited from passengers leaving their cars at home and choosing better value public transport alternatives.”

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Anchor Tours prepare for busy summer season with new Volvo 9700

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, July 06, 2011

With the summer season having now arrived, Anchor Tours, based in Bellurgan, Dundalk, Co. Louth is ideally positioned having recently invested in a new Volvo 9700 coach, with Prestige Plus bodywork, for their busiest time of the year.

The UK tour operator's latest coach has already been placed into active service, joining their fleet of 23 Volvos. "We've been specifying Volvo since 1963," explained Anchor Tour's owner Seamus Keenan. "This latest coach is an absolutely beautiful vehicle, I just love the interior."

Specified with 53 TS2000 comfort plus half leather seats, with 3-point safety belts and a centre demountable toilet, the high quality finish of the coach interior reflects Anchor's commitment to the comfort of their passengers.

Built on the reliable Volvo 3 axle, 13 metre B13R chassis and powered by a rear-mounted Euro 5 incentive, 13-litre diesel engine, rated at 460hp, the 9700 delivers performance, power, consistency and style.

Also featuring Volvo's I-Shift 12 speed gearbox and electronically controlled disc brakes and air suspension, Anchor have specified a coach which they know and trust. "We've had 9700's before," continued Seamus Keenan. "They are excellent quality and they are reliable, plus we know that we have the superb back-up support of the Irish Commercials Volvo dealership at Naas."

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Infobus gives pupils a taste of travel on the buses

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, June 23, 2011

A specially-designed info bus will be stopping at all city primary schools giving Year 6 pupils a taste of bus travel.

The bus tour comes before most of the pupils move on to secondary schools where many of them will be catching buses for the first time. The info bus gives information about safe travel by bus and details of Citycard 360, Nottingham's public transport travel card that also offers extra value and discounts at shops, cafes, leisure centres, gyms and attractions.

The specially developed 'infolink' bus has an on-board DVD player, lap top connection and fully stocked leaflet racks and mini timetables.

Councillor Jane Urquhart, Nottingham City Council's Portfolio holder for Planning and Transport, said: "By the end of the summer term around 3,500 Year 6 pupils will have the chance to try out the info bus. The bus and driver provide a fun but informative way for the pupils to find out how to catch the bus safely, what to do and what not to do when travelling by bus, where to get information and help, plus answer any questions about travelling to secondary school by bus. A DVD is played to the groups about travelling by bus, the driver gives the group a talk about bus travel.

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Bus travels, Tour and transport