If you were like most people, when you think of travel, you think of the airlines or rental car. Unfortunately, another mode of travel should be considered – the bus. In the 1970s, I remember traveling all across the country in a Greyhound bus. In fact, I met some great people and actually enjoyed my trips very much. However, it seems that bus travel has slowly been forgotten, which is a real shame.
Years ago, traveling by bus was glamorous but today, we view it as a third-rate source of transportation. Sadly, some services have been eliminated, drivers go on strike, and the result is an overcrowded bus with unhappy people missing important connections. Yes, this does happen and there are horror stories about traveling by bus. However, not all bus journeys are like this.
Think about the airlines in recent months. We see workers threatening strike, flights are delayed, and luggage is lost, and so on – what is the difference! In truth – there is no difference. Although airlines are trying to cut prices to get more business, we are now seeing people going back to the old way of traveling – via bus. In fact, bus companies such as Greyhound have poured good money into revamping this mode of transportation with better busses, highly trained drivers, and much more reliable schedules.
One of the greatest benefits associated with bus travel is price. The cost of airline tickets is getting ridiculous. Yes, airlines have to raise prices to keep up with maintenance and fuel costs but we as the consumer pay. With bus fare, you can travel very inexpensively. For instance, you could purchase a Greyhound bus pass, allowing you to travel between Seattle and Vancouver or Toronto and Detroit, meaning you can now enjoy parts of Canada along with the United States.
While traveling by bus is not for everyone, it is a viable way to get from one point to another point, on time and safely. The seats on busses are now more comfortable, allowing you to sleep while the driver heads off into the night. If you need to visit a relative or simply want a way to vacation without taking all your money, you might look into the possibilities offered by the various bus companies, definitely to include Greyhound.
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