# Greyhound US40 service reoriented



## Willbridge (Jan 6, 2021)

Effective January 1st Greyhound Lines US40 service has been reoriented. Previously it consisted of one daylight trip between Denver and Salt Lake City under the Federal 5211f program conducted jointly by the States of Colorado and Utah. As it was slower than the one daylight trip via I-80 between the two cities it mostly carried local patrons. Under the new CDOT “Outrider”-style schedule it consists of a morning trip from Craig into Denver and an afternoon return. This makes a number of midday connections with lunch in Denver Union Station, further affirming the worth of ColoRail’s early support for developing the complex as an intermodal terminal. When arrangements are complete the route will be handed over to a CDOT contractor.

The US40 route was timed for transcontinental connections in its days as part of the National Trailways Bus System. Service began on the gravel “Victory Highway” during World War II. Before the completion of Interstate highways I-70 and I-80 it was covered by a daylight trip and an overnight trip. The patterns replicated the parallel Denver & Rio Grande’s trains between Denver and Craig and were competitive with Greyhound on US30 and other Trailways buses on US6.

Sample stops:

Dep Craig @ 0615

Dep Granby @ 0910

Dep Fraser @ 0935

Arr Federal Center Station @ 1106 {RTD W-Line and bus hub}

Arr Denver Union Station @ 1120 {Amtrak, Greyhound, Bustang, RTD A, B, E, G, N, W-Lines and bus hub}



Dep Denver Union Station @ 1515 {Amtrak, Greyhound, Bustang, RTD A, B, E, G, N, W-Lines and bus hub}

Dep Federal Center Station @ 1535 {RTD W-Line and bus hub}

Arr Fraser @ 1703

Arr Granby @ 1731

Arr Craig @ 2015

There is a 15-minute rest stop at Granby in both directions.


----------



## railiner (Jan 6, 2021)

It appears from that schedule that one driver, if based in Craig, can just barely make a legal roundtrip within the ten hours driving limit. I suppose that is why the route did not extend to Dinosaur, nearer the Utah line.

It appears that soon, there may be no thru bus service between Denver and Salt Lake City, the way Greyhound is going...
At one time, Trailways had four daily trips between the two via US-6, two via US-40, and two via Wyoming. And Greyhound had at least six via Wyoming.
For a while, Trailways ran their transcontinental Golden Eagle, offering "Five Star Luxury Service", with hostess, and snacks on the US-40 route. Not to mention the Rio Grande and Union Pacific trains also serving the city pair...


----------



## jiml (Jan 6, 2021)

railiner said:


> It appears that soon, there may be no thru bus service between Denver and Salt Lake City, the way Greyhound is going...





railiner said:


> Not to mention the Rio Grande and Union Pacific trains also serving the city pair...


Now if only there was a train _still_ serving that route...


----------



## railiner (Jan 6, 2021)

jiml said:


> Now if only there was a train _still_ serving that route...


CZ 3 days per week is better than nothing...


----------



## jiml (Jan 6, 2021)

railiner said:


> CZ 3 days per week is better than nothing...


Agreed, but if Colorado has money to invest might there be an opportunity for a second train between those endpoints? Something along the lines of the Midwest services - a couple of coaches and a dinette, doing what the Brits would call a stopping service?


----------

