Fast, Cheap, Easy, Energy Saving: Bus Lanes on Interstates
Since the winter, we've been going from Washington (actually Bethesda, Maryland) to Manhattan (Penn Station block) every other weekend. And we've taken the bus.
We taken Vamoose which is, of all things, a Hasidic-owned company that charges $25 each way with a free trip after every four paid trips. Vamoose is one of about a half dozen new bus companies that have sprung up recently just on this run.
In the winter the Vamoose drives made the trip in 3 hours and 40 minutes or so, which is better time than I've ever gotten by car. The buses are packed. I have never seen so many yuppie types on a bus. And everybody seems happy and amazed that the bus experience can be so pleasant.
But now it's summer.
That means that the buses are getting stuck in the I-95 traffic like everyone else. It's not so pleasant.
Nonetheless, the half dozen or so NY-DC bus companies that came on the scene recently are packing them in. The $4 gas is one obvious reason but there are plenty of others. But the summer traffic is depressing business a bit, especially when one considers that in warm weather more people want to travel, not fewer. An extra hour or more stuck in traffic on a bus in no incentive to switch to mass transit.
But what if the buses traveled in an HOV-type bus lane, exclusive to buses. Then they could still make the trip in 3.40 while the cars sit steaming in the traffic.
Imagine how many people would switch from car to bus then. Imagine the saving in oil and pollution!
There won't be interstate bus lanes with the Republicans running the Department of Transportation and the regulatory commissions. But this is something (please God, please) President Obama can do on January 21. Is there any good reason not to?
The economics of busses in the northeast are really shocking to me. You have Vamoose. You have the Chinatown busses that go from NY to Boston for under $15. Now this: Megabus.com. NY to Toronto for less than $3 per person.
I've taken the Chinatown busses. They're a good deal. Are the economics of bus riding really so good that companies can make money charging less than $5 a head?
June 11, 2008 8:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
destor: Maybe they're carrying some sort of cargo other than humans that makes it profitable? Hmmm...
June 11, 2008 12:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fung Wah and the rest really are a very strange industry.... Remember when they went through a stretch a few years ago when they would just go up in flames for no reason? And then there was fueding families of operators in Chinatown. I think there were a bunch of fist fights that erupted... Weird stuff...
June 11, 2008 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah... strange stuff. I do love Fung Wah though. It's a pleasant, air conditioned ride. Okay, yes, there was that one time the bus was pulled over the driver made me shove a bag of heroin up my behind but that was totally a one time thing and the DEA dogs were very nice and well trained. Also, $15 to Boston!
June 11, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Des: Haha! Reminds me of a story I once heard... A buddy from El Paso had a girlfriend who was buying birth control over the border in Mexico. When he found out, he was appalled and asked: "What are you doing? Aren't you worried about their effectiveness??"
She said, "Yeah, but who cares, they're $20 bucks a month cheaper!!"
True story. :)
June 11, 2008 7:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
There already is an HOV lane - the railway tracks. Instead of funding, or policing, HOV lanes for buses, put the money into better service from Amtrak. Rail cars are more efficient and more comfortable than buses.
June 11, 2008 8:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Except a round-trip ticket on Amtrak from DC to NYC is $175, $340 for my wife and I. We might as well drive or take the bus or even fly at that price.
June 11, 2008 8:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Could be that fuel costs are driving airline tickets up so much that the near equivalence between plane and Amtrak tickets, at least inh the northeast, will no longer exist.
But, yes, Amtrak has been too expensive compared to air travel. When traveling for business I generally pick based on whether or not I want to be dropped off in the city center (train) or if I don't mind taking a cab in from the outskirts.
Going to DC it doesn't matter since Reagan is hooked into the Metro.
June 11, 2008 9:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Amtrak has been underfunded and mismanaged throughout its history. The rail companies don't really want a robust passenger service interfering with their profitable freight business. After the airlines agglomerate into a more expensive alternative, perhaps some thought will be given to investing in useful, affordable rail service.
June 11, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
A friend of mine was a tractor trailer driver for more than 30 years, and he told me that if the outside or inside lane on multi lane highways was restricted to tractor trailers the number of accidents with the resultant time and fuel lost
would be cut in half as all the lunatics in cars who feel they must get in front of a truck even if the truck is speeding at 300mph wouldn't be doing asinine things that cause the car/truck or truck alone accident.
June 11, 2008 9:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
They made truck lanes on a particularly dangerous stretch of highway outside of Albuquerque when I lived there and it helped a ton safety wise.
June 11, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Frankly, I anticipate that traffic will be declining to the point that special lanes will be unnecessary. I only hope we can afford to maintain the lanes we have.
June 11, 2008 9:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree.
It's already happening here in MI. It is a lot easier to get to work these days. Not to mention I'm only driving 65-70 MPH whereas I was traveling at 75-80+ 2 years ago.
My bro lives in NC and he has witnessed a noticable dropoff in traffic and increase in the nubmer of heads per vehicle.
June 11, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Destor,
Some time back I read that eventually there will be lanes for heavy vehicles, tractor trailers and busses, and that these lanes will be made much stronger to handle the heavier weights.
June 12, 2008 8:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Naturally I prefer trains but not at the prices we have now. I'd rather go with buses now than wait for the US gov't to get its priorities straight. Maybe the best bet is a lane for buses and large trucks, just no passenger vehicles.
June 11, 2008 12:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
As oil rises, Americans rediscover the railroad
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0428607520080611?pageNumber=3&virtualBrandChannel=10179
June 11, 2008 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the post! You inspired my wife and I to take the bus to NYC for the Fourth. We were going to drive. Despite having a Prius, we still prefer public transportation when we can. Now we know it is painless to do the bus trip. Excellent info!
June 11, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, it's really pleasant. Much better than driving!
June 11, 2008 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Living in a rural area I can say that it really sucks to have to drive hours and hours to get to any large city to take advantage of its amenities. There have been many times where I wish I could be a passenger in some context - be it bus, train, whatever - on the long rides to anywhere. I would happily pay extra to ride the train over having to drive yet again. However, I do think it would be unfair to ask the city dweller to subsidize my bus/train ride via taxation since it is my choice, after all, to live in the sticks.
June 12, 2008 12:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
chemjeff,
if we subscribed to your philosophy of taxation;
"I do think it would be unfair to ask the city dweller to subsidize my bus/train ride via taxation since it is my choice, after all, to live in the sticks,"
we would need an ala carte tax system.
As for myself, I think its unfair for me to pay, via taxation, for your police and fire protection, wear and tear on our roads, contribution to traffic congestion, etc. when you come into my city, after all, you chose to come here, so you should pay a toll to get in.
June 12, 2008 9:05 AM | Reply | Permalink