For almost two years, UK discount bus company Megabus has been providing travelers in the U.S. with low cost bus service in three pockets of the country. It started with the Midwest, then added West Coast routes, and finally in the Spring of 2008, it added several East Coast cities to its roster.
But amidst all the fanfare of opening up service along the Northeast corridor and Toronto, it quietly eliminated service along all West Coast routes.
The End of West Coast Service
Megabus originally started its West Coast service with routes out of a hub at Los Angeles’ Union Station. It serviced cities such as San Francisco, Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Sometime in late 2007, it quietly eliminated all service to Arizona cities. It then cut down on the frequency of service along other routes, with some city connections going from four times a day to two times a week.
Now, in 2008, Megabus has officially ended all service along the West Coast of the U.S.
Reasons Megabus Eliminated the Routes
Even though Megabus offered comfortable newer buses, free movies and direct service between its cities for as low as $1 a ticket, the company says there just wasn’t a demand along the routes to make it worth their while to continue to service them.
When asked for a comment, Dale Moser, president and COO of megabus.com, offered the following statement to Suite101 Budget Travel:
“Due to ridership growth trends, megabus.com no longer serves the West Coast. We take megabus.com to different markets and try to create positive ridership trends and if we can’t we move on to new markets. As megabus.com’s service continues to thrive in the Midwest and the Northeast megabus.com looks forward to the possibility of returning to the West Coast should there be adequate demand.”
Where Does Megabus Still Offer Service In the U.S.?
Even though the West Coast routes are still gone, as of the publication date on this article, the Midwest and East Coast routes are still operating.
In the Midwest, Megabus offers service from its Chicago hub to cities such as Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit, Cincinnati, Memphis and Kansas City, Missouri.
On the East Coast, budget travelers can book seats from its New York City hub to Boston, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and even goes across the border to Toronto, Canada.
How to Book a Seat on Megabus
The bus line continues to provide a great budget alternative for travelers and should be seriously considered when considering transportation options. To book tickets or for more information on routes serviced, visit the Megabus website or the company at 877.GO2.MEGA (877.462.6342).
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