Nice that transit and livable streets advocates are taking notice of the dire financial condition of privately owned buses.
Where were they when the government was shoveling millions at the airlines and the auto industry? Demanding additional funding for publicly owned transit systems and ignoring private buses.
@YimbyEarth That's it? No self-reflection? Just "oh, well, now that we've destroyed the private system that worked pretty well, time to replace it with a chronically underfunded public system that will be seen as a charity service for poor people?"
@capntransit
Honestly, intercity bus lines might be the part of US transit i know the least about.
I kind of know Greyhound used to be a really big thing. And newer operators exist.
But that's about it.
Here in Sweden that market got deregulated many years ago, seems to work fine. Which I assume is from plenty of factors being different here, just like for trains and local transit.
@capntransit as for the buses not getting bailed out like car makers and airlines?
I'm not in the least surprised. Same pattern as has been ongoing for a long time.
I guess you could have a system wherein the bus operators get a set subsidy if they run certain routes at a set max price (for most seats?) and sell via a given website/hotline/... etc.
Might work better for buses than trains?
@YimbyEarth Let me see how much history of US intercity bus service I can squeeze in one toot:
As various levels of government dumped money into roads, parking, gas, cars and airports over the past century, railroad profits dropped. Bus companies profited because they used the subsidized roads, parking, gas and autos, and large percentages of the population couldn't afford to drive or fly.
Over the past 20 years, we've bailed out carmakers, airlines and government buses, but not private buses.
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