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Greyhound gets a makeover
Greyhound buses and major terminals are getting updated, and my response to that news is "thank goodness!" It seems that every experience I've had with Greyhound involved scuttling cockroaches and pee-splattered toilets. There always seems to be a buzzing florescent light flickering in every dirty, gray waiting area. But the company reports that it spent $60 million to "freshen up 1250 of its buses and its largest terminals." Updates include new seats, paint jobs, refurbished restrooms, and plasma-screen TVs in waiting areas. Next, Greyhound plans to launch an ad campaign aimed both at bringing back old customers and attracting new riders between the ages of 18 and 24.
While I don't anticipate that I'll be riding around like a rajah anytime soon, new seats, new paint, and refurbished bathrooms just might entice this former customer to give the company another shot. What about you?
Filed under: North America, United States, Transportation, Budget Travel
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Sean Feb 17th 2008 11:53PM
Inter-city bus travel is quite a fun experience. I recommend it if have absolutely no other way of getting from point A to point B.
Drivers and ticket clerks are some of the rudest people you'll ever encounter. 9 out of ten times when you ask a simple question you'll get an unbelievably nasty response.
Then there's the passengers. It seems like whenever I ride, there's a whole group of newly released convicts. Beware of making eye contact with the guy with the teardrop tattoo under his eye.
Don't sit by the bathroom...you might get a contact high from all the pot smoke wafting out.
But this is the bus after all, and a certain amount of this is to be expected.
Boris Nov 15th 2007 7:50PM
Not in this life time. The only people who ride buses are mexicans going to and from the border. The airlines are the new bus lines and have been for years. They transport the masses now. Buses are the lowest form of transport.
Kerstin Nov 18th 2007 8:15PM
I think that's what they need. I had to ride a total of four of them while I was 5 months pregnant and I was very nauseous the whole time. They may even try BOOKING seats this time! There were people who had to stand up for about an hour until their stop! The bathroom at the Richmond, VA station was nasty. TP everywhere on the floor and none on rolls, nasty stuff in almost all the toilets, no soap or towels, trash over filled, graffiti painted mirrors...need I remind you I was 5 months pregnant. And on the last stop, home at LAST, they lost my bag full of almost all of my clothes ...I only had three outfits for the whole 2 weeks that they took to even find my bag. Always put your bag in the bus yourself! I'm just lucky that I even got it back...
Charles Williams Nov 18th 2007 8:25PM
Its about time Greyhound do something about itself. I ride Greyhound all the time because its the onlyway that I can close to my home in small town America. The last trip I took on it was terrible. I almost turn around and went back home. They should concentrate it effort on more of meeting the needs of folks in small town America, not on cities with huge airports like they do now. Those people will never give up a plane ride for a bus ride.
Kate Nov 18th 2007 8:23PM
Really, what about college students? They utilize bus transportation to travel home from school and to travel to other colleges to visit cousins who are attending different schools but are two hours away. Not eveyone has the $$ for airfare. There is still a market out there, and if they're smart, Greyhound should focus on that and maybe get life customers.
tim Nov 20th 2007 6:04PM
All these changes are very likely due to First Transit's Buyout of LAIDLAW which owned Greyhound...Although I thought Laidlaw was a great company, maybe First Transit will bring new life to the company
kelli Nov 18th 2007 8:54PM
I will never ride Greyhound again as long as I live. I don't care how much updating they do. The service stinks, and the drivers don't care. I was on a trip from NY to Jacksonville, NC and there was a lady with a CAT (kitten) crying all the way. Also people got on the bus with the filthiest mouths, this was a female mind you. Greyhound will never see the likes of me again.
Lana Nov 18th 2007 9:00PM
As a current college student in a major metropolitan area, I can say that not one of my friends uses Greyhound to get to and from school or to visit their friends. We mainly use Amtrak or fly - Amtrak is much more expensive, but is efficient and easy - flying (especially JetBlue or Southwest) is often equal to or cheaper than taking a bus home, and is much faster and efficient than taking a bus. Greyhound's terminal here is dirty and in a dangerous part of town - more than one person I know has been mugged trying to get to or from the terminal. One of the two times I've taken a bus home from here (both during my freshman year and I am now a senior), the 2 hour trip home by car turned into a 4+ hour trip by bus and was repeatedly delayed without notification to the passengers (one time it took me 10 hours to get home). The Greyhound employees at ALL terminals were less than knowledgeable and more often than not, downright rude to passengers (like me) who were stranded when a late bus made me miss a connecting bus at another terminal. Their 800 number is more of a pain than it is a help. I absolutely refuse to use Greyhound again and will not recommend their services to anyone. Until their level of customer service improves (not including the nasty conditions of their buses and terminals alike), you're definitely getting more for your money by taking a cheap flight or paying more for the train.
Tonio j Nov 18th 2007 9:20PM
i'm a former greyhound driver and i say the same thing, it's about time and it's long overdue!!!!!! problem is first and formost are the drivers!!!! most of them have over 25 years with the company, and they are all union so they pretty much treat the passengers like garbage knowing they won't lose they're jobs. the passengers were almost always miserable riding the buses because they always overbook the buses like airplanes, and some of the terminals are nothing more then gas stations in some areas. i wouldn't let anybody i know ride a greyhound makeover or not!!!! they don't care about the passengers, they're baggage or anything else. they will cram 75 people in a bus thats designed to hold 68 max! all they care about is the dollar. if they are spending 60 million dollars on one end they are screwing the people to get the money back..
Gene Nov 18th 2007 10:54PM
I have not had such good laughs in a long time( regarding the comments)...
I too took the bus when my son was 7 and my stepfather died...we had to get there asap and no other mode of transportation was available..well need I tell you about the hell...the changing buses from NYC to SC...the luggage being left unattended...the drug dealers that use these transportation to transport their goods...the mexican and other poor folks who bag up all their things in bags and laundry bins...the nasty bathrooms and the culture and class of folks who are beneath the scumb of the earth...they can get it clean but the reputation is already damaged...on my way back I charged train tickets and had my money reimbursed for the return trip back home (from the bus)...I will not take this mode of transportation again...
Monica Nov 18th 2007 9:28PM
Along with improving the appearance of their buses and cleaning up their bus stations, I hope that they start doing thorough backgrounds on their bus drivers. A few years back my 14 year old son was lured by one of Greyhounds bus drivers on the internet. This guy bought my son a ticket and had it waiting at the bus depot for him. One night my son disappeared from home and ended up in Minnesota with the guy. My son called me from Tulsa and said he would be back in a few days, that he needed to be away for a while. He did return a few days later safe and sound.
I contacted Greyhound and reported the guy. No longer does he work for Greyhound. Apparently my son told me that this guy and others like him are on the lookout for young teens alone to take advantage of. I guess I can say that it is unbelieveable but with the perverts out there nowadays you never know what is going to happen.
And before anyone says anything, I agree that I should have been more aware of what my son was doing online (this happened before a lot of this child protection programs were available) and maybe he wouldn't not have been preyed upon by this predator.
john Nov 18th 2007 9:42PM
it seems that greyhound attracts the dark side of our enviroment to it, for some reason... could it be location?,,,, the dark side people seem to find some good reason for their presences, cause they are always there or close by,, waiting for something,,, i wonder what that could be? perhaps runaway teens, or runaway women fleeing an abusuve home,, whatever the reason the bad element is always there,,of you throw a good apple among a bunch of rotten ones, the good one will soon start to become rotten too,, hint,,,
Joy Nov 18th 2007 9:49PM
Years ago, I was stationed (Army) in the north part of the state I lived in. When ever I would go home on leave, I would travel by Greyhound. It was always pleasant. I thoroughly enjoyed my trips. Years after discharge, I took a friend to the bus station. (I hadn't thought about or ridden a bus in years.) I went in with her and there were Mexicans everywhere. They were sleeping on the floor! You literally had to step over them to get your ticket! Unreal!!
Hans B. Nov 18th 2007 9:59PM
I too am a former driver (22 years ago). In addition to a much needed facility make over, Greyhound needs desperately to improve its employee-passenger relationship. The Company-Union relationship is adversary and broken. If they don't fix it, they all will go to the dogs.
When I first drove a Greyhound bus in the 1960's, it was a fine company. Since then it has deteriated to a third world transportation system.
faith Nov 18th 2007 10:09PM
I am slightly offended by the comment that the only people who use greyhound are mexicans. I used it to travel when I was in college also. I went to an out of state college and it was the most convenient for me. Never really had any major issues with my rides. Maybe it's just what area you live in but mine were never overbooked. I did notice the restrooms were never clean. Now that I have a new car I mainly drive anywhere I need to get to but maybe the renovations would make me use it again if I really needed to.
847guyhere Nov 18th 2007 10:12PM
I have never ridden on Greyhound and probably never will. But let's be honest, air travel isn't much better these days. Overcrowded planes, flight attendants who just don't care, delays, etc. Really bad.
I can remember a time not too long ago when passengers actually dressed up to get on an airplane. Today, anything goes. It's as bad as riding Greyhound. Cruise ships too. This country is going to the lowest common denominator. White kids trying to act like black gangstas, the media trying to get us to accept bastard kids and gays, and illegal immigrants trying to make us feel guilty for enforcing the laws. God help the USA.
tweb142 Nov 18th 2007 10:15PM
When my father drove for Greyhound in the 60's-80's the company, service, and buses were great but now......everything sucks!
Nikki Nov 18th 2007 10:22PM
TIM how about those of us who are afraid to take a plane. I am not an immigrent I am 100% native american. Course the last time I looked the airlines are falling deeper and deeper into a black hole.
Nikki Nov 18th 2007 10:23PM
sorry I ment to say Boris
sean Nov 18th 2007 10:34PM
I was on a Greyhound From D.C. to Atlantic City. While it wasn't terrible, It WAS Tacky (especially on the way back). It was an alright trip, I had fun in Atlantic City, but The Trip On the way back kind of ruined it for me because I wanted to take a plane back home soo badly. And While it was relaxing not having to drive 4 hours to Atlantic City, I have to say that I will never take a Greyhound (or any bus carrier) anywhere again, Id rather Drive or take a plane next time. But if you want transportation without having to drive and you hate flying (or you dont have the money to fly cuz of outrageous prices), Sure Id say go for Greyhound, But do not expect a great trip there, oh yeah, and when I was at the Bus Terminal in D.C., when I went into one of the Bathrooms, There was Sh*t laying on the floor and piss all over the bathroom...So Id advise you to please use the Bathroom Elsewhere if you get a Chance...