Megabus at Union Station

[pudgym29]

Here's a dormant thread which I revive in order to discuss how CTA, Metra | Amtrak, et alia interface  at Chicago Union Station.  With the opening of the Union Station Transit Center, Megabus, the el cheapo[/i][/b] intercity {I reserve 'interurban' for rail vehicles!} motor coach route has repositioned its Chicago stop to Polk St. between Clinton and Canal Sts. This is a bonanza for The Polk Street Pub; one of my favorite bars. There will be people queueing up inside there waiting for that next bus to [Cleveland | Detroit | Minneapolis | Milwaukee | Indianapolis | St. Louis, etc.] It is only 3 blocks away from the Blue Line "L"'s Clinton stop. I will be there on September 30, for my trip to Cleveland for Cinema Wasteland. I recommend Cinema Wasteland for anybody else out here.

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, pudgym29 said:

Here's a dormant thread which I revive in order to discuss how CTA, Metra | Amtrak, et alia interface  at Chicago Union Station.  With the opening of the Union Station Transit Center, Megabus, the el cheapo[/i][/b] intercity {I reserve 'interurban' for rail vehicles!} motor coach route has repositioned its Chicago stop to Polk St. between Clinton and Canal Sts. This is a bonanza for The Polk Street Pub; one of my favorite bars. There will be people queueing up inside there waiting for that next bus to [Cleveland | Detroit | Minneapolis | Milwaukee | Indianapolis | St. Louis, etc.] It is only 3 blocks away from the Blue Line "L"'s Clinton stop. I will be there on September 30, for my trip to Cleveland for Cinema Wasteland. I recommend Cinema Wasteland for anybody else out here.

I wonder why so far from Union Station? 

[Busjack]

13 hours ago, artthouwill said:

I wonder why so far from Union Station? 

If you mean Megabus, because the city told them.

If you mean the bar, also probably because the city told them, although Alpana Singh is no longer the sommelier  at Everest (40 floors  above LaSalle St. Station), so someone else is going to have to smell the cork on the Alsatian wine before the customer boards the Megabus.

[andrethebusman]

Megabus had been loading on Van Buren between Canal and Clinton. City does not like Megabus, and keep making them move their bus stop. This is not exactly a new problem, either. New York used to have a bunch of bus companies loading intercity coaches at various curbs in the 1930's, until the Port Authority built the bus terminal and city forced everybody to use it.

[Busjack]

8 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

Megabus had been loading on Van Buren between Canal and Clinton. City does not like Megabus, and keep making them move their bus stop. This is not exactly a new problem, either. New York used to have a bunch of bus companies loading intercity coaches at various curbs in the 1930's, until the Port Authority built the bus terminal and city forced everybody to use it.

Aside from that, Megabus makes its $1 fares possible by poaching on Amtrak and using city street space.Most places insist that intercity lines have a station. There was even a similar stink in Hammond, where Shore Line abandoned its local franchise but still picked up passengers for Chicago service, even though its hypocrisy was pointed out in that when it still operated its franchise, it went after yellow school bus operators for infringing it.

[2200SeriesFan]

Polk Street? Wow, I didn't realize Megabus was forced to move yet again, from already when they moved once from their old space to Van Buren.

And funny the $1 fare was mentioned, since I've never quite lucked out on getting $1 on past times when I've taken Megabus. Honestly, the only chance one seems to easily get that fare per checks I'd done of fares on that site in the past, would be to take it at an off peak time and to purchase your ticket in advance.

[artthouwill]

On 9/6/2016 at 9:43 AM, Busjack said:

If you mean Megabus, because the city told them.

If you mean the bar, also probably because the city told them, although Alpana Singh is no longer the sommelier  at Everest (40 floors  above LaSalle St. Station), so someone else is going to have to smell the cork on the Alsatian wine before the customer boards the Megabus.

Maybe it was wishful thinking on my part,  but I thought part of the plan for Union Station Transit Center was also to dedicate space for Megabus,  Van Galder, and Amtrak Thru Way buses. 

[Busjack]

6 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

Maybe it was wishful thinking on my part,  but I thought part of the plan for Union Station Transit Center was also to dedicate space for Megabus,  Van Galder, and Amtrak Thru Way buses. 

Not if they weren't paying for it. I assume Greyhound was paying some kind of rent for the station at 95th.

[2200SeriesFan]

15 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Not if they weren't paying for it. I assume Greyhound was paying some kind of rent for the station at 95th.

That explains it then, why when I looked at that new Union Station transit center a few days before it opened, why it seemed like I didn't see any spaces for Megabus. Would make sense too(paying rent) as to why Greyhound stops at 95th Street, and(not sure if they still do it, but I remember seeing the Greyhound logo at this station) stopped at Dempster on the Yellow Line. I don't think Megabus has any dedicated spaces they rent out to board and disembark passengers in any U.S. city, anyway.

[artthouwill]

11 minutes ago, 2200SeriesFan said:

That explains it then, why when I looked at that new Union Station transit center a few days before it opened, why it seemed like I didn't see any spaces for Megabus. Would make sense too(paying rent) as to why Greyhound stops at 95th Street, and(not sure if they still do it, but I remember seeing the Greyhound logo at this station) stopped at Dempster on the Yellow Line. I don't think Megabus has any dedicated spaces they rent out to board and disembark passengers in any U.S. city, anyway.

They don't.   It kinda is patterned after the New York City to Boston Chinatown buses that picks up curbside .  Last I checked,  Van Galder isn't paying rent either,  but they remain in the vicinity of Union Station.   Ironically,  both are Coach USA/Stagecoach companies. 

[Busjack]

20 minutes ago, 2200SeriesFan said:

That explains it then, why when I looked at that new Union Station transit center a few days before it opened, why it seemed like I didn't see any spaces for Megabus. Would make sense too(paying rent) as to why Greyhound stops at 95th Street, and(not sure if they still do it, but I remember seeing the Greyhound logo at this station) stopped at Dempster on the Yellow Line. I don't think Megabus has any dedicated spaces they rent out to board and disembark passengers in any U.S. city, anyway.

The Hound lists the main station on Harrison, plus 95th, Amtrak (Canal St.), Cumberland, and Markham. Their search comes up empty for Skokie.

Note: I get gibberish with the link, but the url pasted into the address bar works, or stick 60601 into the search box.

[artthouwill]

Truth be told,  the 1 and 121 could have shared lane 1 with the 28 and 124 and Megabus could have occupied the curb where the rush only 1 and 121 now are.  The 124 only operates after the a.m rush so it could work. 

[andrethebusman]

Greyhound gave up Skokie some years ago. Also gave up Desplaines Av (Forest Park), even earlier. Basically not enough business. Cumberland only has a couple of trips a day now. Several outfits such as Peoria Charter Coach that run "college buses" use Rosemont.

[Pace831]

15 minutes ago, andrethebusman said:

Several outfits such as Peoria Charter Coach that run "college buses" use Rosemont.

Rosemont isn't listed in Peoria Charter's list of stops. I don't recall them ever stopping there, but maybe they did several years ago. As far as I know, their closest stop has always been at O'Hare.

[Busjack]

12 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

Greyhound gave up Skokie some years ago. Also gave up Desplaines Av (Forest Park), even earlier. Basically not enough business. Cumberland only has a couple of trips a day now. Several outfits such as Peoria Charter Coach that run "college buses" use Rosemont.

 

11 hours ago, Pace831 said:

Rosemont isn't listed in Peoria Charter's list of stops. I don't recall them ever stopping there, but maybe they did several years ago. As far as I know, their closest stop has always been at O'Hare.

Anyway, they won't ever again, as a couple of weeks ago.

[MetroShadow]

12 hours ago, Pace831 said:

Rosemont isn't listed in Peoria Charter's list of stops. I don't recall them ever stopping there, but maybe they did several years ago. As far as I know, their closest stop has always been at O'Hare.

Back in college while dating a gal from Dubuque, IA, I took the trailways bus from Downtown with a stop in Cumberland. They still do, to my knowledge, but Rosemont wasn't even considered a stop.

[Busjack]

4 hours ago, MetroShadow said:

Back in college while dating a gal from Dubuque, IA, I took the trailways bus from Downtown with a stop in Cumberland. They still do, to my knowledge, but Rosemont wasn't even considered a stop.

After merger with Greyhound? (Sources say 1987, I remember it was strange that a Trailways bus had a red dog on the back).

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

After merger with Greyhound? (Sources say 1987, I remember it was strange that a Trailways bus had a red dog on the back).

Specifically the merger was with Continental Trailways which was the largest member of the Trailways system.   There are a number of Trailways companies in existence today including Burlington Trailways,  which runs service between Chicago and Omaha with several stops in Iowa. 

Most Trailways companies run charter services though several run  line runs, many in conjunction with Greyhound. 

[MetroShadow]

3 hours ago, Busjack said:

After merger with Greyhound? (Sources say 1987, I remember it was strange that a Trailways bus had a red dog on the back).

 

2 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Specifically the merger was with Continental Trailways which was the largest member of the Trailways system.   There are a number of Trailways companies in existence today including Burlington Trailways,  which runs service between Chicago and Omaha with several stops in Iowa. 

Most Trailways companies run charter services though several run  line runs, many in conjunction with Greyhound. 

In this case would be 2005-06, way after that merger. 

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, MetroShadow said:

 

In this case would be 2005-06, way after that merger. 

Which means that most likely you were on a Burlington Trailways bus. 

[2200SeriesFan]

On 9/9/2016 at 11:28 PM, andrethebusman said:

Greyhound gave up Skokie some years ago. Also gave up Desplaines Av (Forest Park), even earlier. Basically not enough business. Cumberland only has a couple of trips a day now. Several outfits such as Peoria Charter Coach that run "college buses" use Rosemont.

Ah, that explains why I didn't see the Greyhound logo when I last used the Dempster Yellow Line stop. Didn't realize Greyhound decided to no longer stop there as of a few years back!

For Peoria Charter, I recall their stops(at least for their service to Bloomington-Normal, and Peoria) when I last rode it years ago were at O'Hare along the bus pick-up area(a la CoachUSA for Rockford, Janesville, and Madison), Midway Orange Line(right by where all the CTA and Pace buses are), and Joliet. The latter used to stop at Louis Joliet Mall, but supposedly from an online article I read they now pick up and drop off at the new transit center by the relocated Joliet Rock Island Metra stop, post-relocation from Joliet Union Station's platform.

[Pace831]

6 hours ago, 2200SeriesFan said:

The latter used to stop at Louis Joliet Mall, but supposedly from an online article I read they now pick up and drop off at the new transit center by the relocated Joliet Rock Island Metra stop, post-relocation from Joliet Union Station's platform.

That article is outdated. Around 2013 Peoria Charter Coach first moved from the mall to a stop near the Amtrak parking lot, on Chicago Street south of the Rock Island tracks, because customers wanted overnight parking that wasn't available at the mall. Shortly later the stop was moved to where Pace route 832 now stops, for "safety reasons". This was around the time that the construction on Gateway Center project was expected to begin, so the stops on the street were intended to be temporary until the new bus terminal opened. Now construction is essentially stalled because Joliet ran out of money and the state won't give them more, so the bus terminal won't be opening by 2017 as originally predicted. PCC discontinued the Joliet stop on the daily service in 2014 as part of a new "streamlined" schedule, telling passengers to connect to Amtrak at Normal to reach Joliet. Later, a Joliet stop was reinstituted at Lexington Hotel (across the street from the mall) where the Bradley University shuttles already stopped.

[Pace831]

Tribune article that Megabus will be downsizing Chicago operations.

[artthouwill]

On 11/13/2016 at 10:10 AM, Pace831 said:

Tribune article that Megabus will be downsizing Chicago operations.

Truth be told,  the management team at the Chicago office isn't really interested in motorcoach operations.   They are trolley people.   The money that the trolley and double decker buses bring in is tremendous and is way more profitable than a motorcoach operation.   Trolley vehicles are way cheaper to purchase,  operate, and maintain.  Because trolleys are a unique market,  they can charge a premium and get it.  Trust me on this.   I know. Also add in the city contracts for the Navy Pier shuttle and other city work,  Chicago Trolley is a cash cow for Stagecoach/Coach USA. 

This is the same local management that basically dismantled the Coach USA operation in Chicago which once was the largest coach operator in Chicago.  So the only Coach USA buses you see here are from Wisconsin,  Indiana,  or elsewhere. 

It wouldn't surprise me if eventually they shut down the Megabus office  almost completely.   They would just have buses originating elsewhere and serve Chicago.   The vehicles would come off of Chicago's books and the profit margin increases for the Chicago Office.  

They are blaming low ridership,  but it seems like a capacity issue to me.   Greyhound would be losing money if they were operating 81 seat coaches on routes that they were doing about 40 passengers.   It's like flying a 767 when you only need a RJ or maybe a 737.

 

[Busjack]

47 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

Truth be told,  the management team at the Chicago office isn't really interested in motorcoach operations.  

While all are Coach USA (or Stagecoach), the question is how much this operation was run out of Chicago, as compared to corporate somewhere else. The website indicates that the Megabus corporate office is in Elizabeth, N.J. (click More Contact Options). Admittedly, someone put Keeshin out of business, while retaining Chicago Trolley and Double Decker, and TriState Airport Express.

47 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

They are blaming low ridership,  but it seems like a capacity issue to me.   Greyhound would be losing money if they were operating 81 seat coaches on routes that they were doing about 40 passengers.   It's like flying a 767 when you only need a RJ or maybe a 737.

Greyhound would also be losing money if it sold rides for $1. Of course it would also be up to First Group (again Brits) to decide if Greyhound was worth running. I don't think either is going the Pace route by substituting 30 foot buses for their current fleet.

One also has to consider that Megabus was running a cheap operation by not having stations, for instance, so any fuel being wasted by running mega buses has to be a marginal cost, especially given the value of the "brand."

Although the article denies it, I tend to go along with some of the commenters in the article that part of it was safety, i.e. they downsized by shearing off the top on a low overpass. Running on the Edens Expressway at 75-80 mph might get you to Milwaukee quicker, but might not be safe. Again, having a tire fire on U.S. 41 in Lake Forest indicates that they were too cheap to use the Tollway.