High-Speed Rail Is Not The Whole Story

Much is being made of high-speed European rail as a model for the United States. Last week U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood was in Spain, trying out its AVE high-speed trains.

Which is all well and good, in my view. But it’s important to remember that high-speed rail in Spain is part of a network of mass transportation choices.

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Hey Driver, Please Hang Up

How often have you been a passenger in a taxi, bus or trolley when the driver has whipped out a cell phone and started yakking? I’ve seen it rather a lot lately.

The issue is getting some attention after 49 people suffered minor injuries when a trolley in Boston rear-ended another trolley. Police said the driver ran a red light while texting his girlfriend on his cell phone. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority now forbids drivers from even carrying cell phones on the job.

In another recent case, the Peter Pan Bus Lines suspended a driver after a passenger took video of him tearing tickets and talking on a cell phone while driving between Boston and New York. The video is posted on YouTube.

On my recent Peter Pan bus trip, the driver didn’t touch a cell phone. I was sitting right behind him, so I would have seen it. But I have seen drivers answer phones on other buses, and then carry on brief conversations. Taxis drivers have been worse, some of them driving aggressively with one hand on the wheel, one hand on the phone and the mind on who know’s what.

I wish all public transit drivers (and private transit drivers, for that matter) could be trusted to use a cell phone only on breaks, so that they could enjoy the convenience of a conversation with the family at lunchtime or a text message from a friend. But until we can be sure of  that, I think the MBTA has it right. No cell phones in the driver’s seat, at all.

Amtrak vs. BoltBus vs. Megabus

My recent trip to Washington turned into an experiment in mass transit comparison.
I went down on the Amtrak Northeast Regional train and returned to Hartford on BoltBus and Megabus, with a change of buses in New York.

The experience was fine on each form of transit. Naturally, Amtrak feels like the most civilized option because you can get up, walk around and buy a cup of coffee or a snack. It’s also considerably more expensive.

The buses were both good. I ended up, overall, with a more favorable impression of BoltBus, but that might be entirely anecdotal.

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Megabus Now Serving Hartford

Last June I whined in this very blog about how the new low-cost bus services were passing Hartford by. No longer. Now Megabus is stopping in Hartford on its New York – Boston route. Thanks to The Courant’s Lynn Doan for pointing this out to the comatose travel blogger.

Greyhound Markets Priority Seating

In many places around the globe a bus ticket comes with a seat assignment — just like on an airplane. So why was I surprised that Greyhound has been selling early boarding passes at some stations?

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Greyhound Offers Hefty Discounts

Greyhound has kicked off what it calls a Travel Stimulus Package for the holidays, including half-price bus fares for up to three companions with the purchase of a full-fare ticket.

I immediately checked on prices from Hartford to New York and, indeed, the first fare came up at $58.50 and the next three at $29.25. That’s round-trip, non-refundable, bought at least three days in advance. (A few routes are excluded from this promotion.)

But, wait, there’s more:

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Riding The Bus Does Not Necessarily Suck

I was cruising along in the darkness along I-84 between Hartford and Boston on a bus, nestled into my seat, watching a video on my iPod, when I realized something startling. I was comfortable.

The ride was smooth. The cabin was quiet and warm. The seat was roomy – and there was a  vacant seat next to me.

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BoltBus Offers A Wired Ride

The kid recently took a BoltBus from Philadelphia to New York, and she arrived with good news and bad news.

The good news is that BoltBus is a nice ride, especially if you want wireless Internet. The bad news is that the bus was nearly empty, which raises the question of whether Greyhound will really make a go of it.

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Bargain Transportation In Las Vegas

The kid recently took a short trip to Las Vegas, armed with research on various ways to get from the airport to her off-Strip hotel.

An $18 taxi ride? No way! A $6 shuttle ride? Too much! A $3.25 bus trip? That’s the ticket.

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The Bus Gets Cooler

In the past several weeks I’ve seen a BoltBus, Limo Liner and Megabus on Interstate 84, presumably on their trips between Boston and New York.

The fact that these buses blast through Hartford without stopping is hardly the point. If things go well enough for these relatively new services, they will expand and Hartford may eventually get in on the deal.

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