Greyhound seats and fleet questions

[rickycourtney]

but didn't post about it after finding that its fleet page and route map are still inaccurate.

Really? *That's* what you got caught up on?

 

[andrewlhe]

I was really disappointed that greyhound don't accept e-tickets. I usually rides between Charlottesville and Richmond, VA. Will call in Charlottesville is fine, but I really don't like to wait in the line in Richmond for 20 minutes to get my ticket printed. So usually I had to go to library to buy my ticket... And pay an extra 5 cents for every ticket printed, so stupid.

Also, they seems didn't rework the ticket purchased through mobile app. So stupid.

I was also surprised to see that many Amtrak throughway connection bus are in fact Greyhound. The most annoying fact for this, is the price posted on Amtrak website is actually higher than that posted by Greyhound itself. So stupid.

BTW, I found you (Swadian) hate D4505s and the seats on them with such a passion. You shall buy a retired D4505, tear it apart with hand and crush the seats with a road roller, etc. to ease your hatred.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

but didn't post about it after finding that its fleet page and route map are still inaccurate.

Really? *That's* what you got caught up on?

GMAB. I'm an all-or-nothing kind of man. You either get the route map right, or you don't make a route map at all. It was especially disgraceful for GLI to launch a new website without correcting the route map. And you have to remember that I emailed GLI about the route map when it was first released, and they never corrected it.

Wouldn't you be pissed too?

But I'll admit it. The real reason I'm pissed is because GLI released a new website without correcting any of their actual problems.

...

BTW, I found you (Swadian) hate D4505s and the seats on them with such a passion. You shall buy a retired D4505, tear it apart with hand and crush the seats with a road roller, etc. to ease your hatred.

LOL.

 

[andrewlhe]

New question, I am trying to go to New York (from Charlottesville) sometime next year and I'm booking tickets right now. The website only allows me to transfer at Baltimore, which makes the trip inefficient, or Richmond, which even sucks more.

I'm intended to transfer at DC, for obvious reason. However, I can't do that without booking twice and pay the fee twice and the price itself makes a big difference.

Charlottesville-New York is $40+2.5, whichever transfer is. Charlottesville-DC-New York is 18+26+2.5*2. Amtrak generally takes 70 or higher, and some of the time really doesn't work out for me, and the one do work with me is 100+ with the first part of trip using Greyhound to DC...

So, can I customize my ticket at station? If so, Will that even cost more if that's possible...

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I don't see the problem with transferring at Baltimore. Baltimore is right in between Charlottesville and New York City. So just transfer at Baltimore.

Say, which airline did you fly on from China?

 

[andrewlhe]

No there is difference, some schedules between DC and NYC doesn't stop at Baltimore, by which I mean in my case, 2 hours more waiting at Baltimore.

I flew from PEK to IAD in August, I really don't have too much choice, I can use either Air China or United. Air China offers a deal from WUX (my hometown) -IAD (overnight transfer at PEK) for a total of 900 bucks, so I go with them. And the first part is actually carried by Shenzhen Airlines ZH 9559, the second is CA 817.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Take the 3926 to Baltimore, then transfer to the 2434 to New York City. You'll depart at 8:45 AM and get there at 5:20 PM.

On the way back, take the 2429 to Baltimore, then the 3927 to Charlottesville. Depart at 10:00 AM, and arrive at 8:50 PM.

The reason transferring at Washington on the outbound is useless is because the 3926 gets to Washington at 11:50 AM, and the next possible connection to New York City, the 2940, departs at 1:00 PM and gets there at 5:20 PM. So the total time is the same whether you transfer at Washington or at Baltimore.

On the inbound, the 2933 is a Peter Pan schedule, not a Greyhound schedule. There may be a bug preventing the connection for whatever reason. Otherwise, it's the same as the outbound.

 

[andrewlhe]

The problem is that my outbound had to be 3924... I will clarify this, I cant leave that day until at least 3, and it also doesn't make any sense if I arrive early. I need to be in NYC at around 2 to 3 the next day to efficiently pick my parents up... By which I mean if I transfer at DC with 2276, it will be terrific.

 

[andrewlhe]

Then we will tour around Northeast and certainly we won't skip DC on our way back, during which I will consider other carriers too including Amtrak. Sorry I didn't say this in first place. I was just trying to figure out the best plan for an particularly awkward situation.

They will fly here with AA, which gives them a fantastic deal of 900 bucks total for the round trip of 2 from PVG to JFK transferring at LAX

 

[beebopper]

Union Station officials dont allow Greyhound to use Union Station as a transfer point due to the limited GLI facilities; hence why Baltimore is used as a transfer point!

 

[beebopper]

Also all the Charlottesville schedules originate in Baltimore!

 

[andrewlhe]

Union Station officials dont allow Greyhound to use Union Station as a transfer point due to the limited GLI facilities; hence why Baltimore is used as a transfer point!

However, on GLI Route Map, Washington, DC and Richmond, VA are in bold letters, identified as "Major Transfer Points" in this area even Baltimore is not. I don't have any idea about the facility problem (never been there before), but I should be able to be there and see during thanksgiving.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Remember, the GLI Route Map is a piece of useless junk. DO NOT ever use the route map for anything. Simply looking at the route map is a mistake.

Listen to the man. He knows what he's talking about because he drives Greyhound over there. If you do insist on transferring at Washington, check with Peter Pan and BoltBus. BoltBus is owned by Greyhound (and a bit by Peter Pan), so they are the same thing, except that they actually use some older 2008 X3-45s in the Northeast that don't have as painful seats as the Greyhound X3-45s. However, BoltBus also uses 2009 X3-45s with super-painful seats.

BoltBus doesn't open for booking until 4 to 6 weeks before departure, but their fares are sometimes cheaper.

I lived in Philadelphia and I don't get the obsession with touring the Northeast. It's really not that fun IMHO. When are you going?

 

[andrewlhe]

GLI route map is not as well maintained, even it's not complicated at all, as China Railway's route map. I tried my best to find any flaw in that map, but I simply can't. Greyhound even misspelled names of cities, so obviously.

Actually now their flight changed a little and they are arriving JFK at 5:50 am, so I am OK with that Baltimore transfer now. No need to worry about this at this point. I would definitely try Bolt Bus as long as it's cheaper, but the most importantly I want to try Acela Express even it is overpriced. I miss rolling at 300kph so much, even though Acela is only 240kph and the average speed is awfully low, still can kind of remind me how fast a train can go. I'm sick and tired watching the Norfolk Southern freight trains here crawling in bicycle speed and lower...

We are traveling in Northeast from March 5 to March 13 (my spring recess). I haven't decide where to go yet, Boston, New York, Buffalo maybe. And on our way to C'ville we will stopover at DC. Then I need to get back to school when they will stay at C'ville for a while and we may take some short trips during weekend to Richmond and Virginia Beach. They will go back to China from NY at 28 Mar.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

You should go to Philadelphia, New York City, and then take a ride up to Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine. Buffalo isn't worth your time. Boston is OK depending on what you're interested in.

Freight trains out here aren't that slow. Most in the West go 59 or 70 mph. The motorcoaches out here go faster too; D3s without governors can exceed the speedometer. Though, if you really want speed, get in a fighter jet and go 1500 mph.

Oh trust me, that route map is junk. There's a big chunk of Reno-Denver missing, among the 14 errors I was able to find. And remember, Greyhound doesn't go to Omaha anymore, they've turned it over to Burlington, which is a separate, privately-owned company.

 

[andrewlhe]

Ok I will consider your advice, I am not positive of Buffalo in the first place since the distance is pretty great.

Yes the speed really depends. Sometimes it's ok, but I once waited at a crossing for about 10 minutes until one finally passed it. But, freight trains go at 60-70mph is pretty decent, but it depends on the number of cars them normally consist, and the power and numbers of locos.

However the top speed of freight trains doesn't really matter too much if considering the overall efficiency of the service. Too many other things to be taken into account.

As for motor coaches, going too fast isn't really a good idea, too much news on accidents led by speeding.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Actually, a motorcoach going fast doesn't necessarily lead to more accidents, it depends on many more factors. If the driver is stupid or fatigued, or if maintenance is poor, he'll crash at 50 mph on a flat desert road. Whereas you can go 80 mph in a 102D3 on I-10 in West Texas and you'll be fine because the speed limit is 80 mph. And of course, the 102D3 is a remarkably stable platform.

It's actually more dangerous to drive at 65 mph in a 80 zone than to drive 80 mph in a 80 zone because everyone else is going so much faster. But obviously, one shouldn't drive 90 or 100 in a 80 zone. Basically, going fast is OK, speeding is not OK.

The factors that lead to a crash could be, but are not limited to:

Driver

Maintenance

Speed

Weather

Terrain

Traffic

Stability

 

[andrewlhe]

Speaking of crashes, if there's a crazy passenger try to assault the driver, how sturdy is that aisle gate? If the person actually do manage to penetrate that gate will he be able to have physical contact with the driver? I noticed that drivers need to close that gate first in order to get onto the seat. And if that person do have physical contact with driver, how likely will that contact result in a crash that incurs loss of equipment and life? I read on Wikipedia which noted that gates are installed after several incidents happened, but after gates are installed, last year there's still an accident of this type.

 

[rickycourtney]

Speaking of crashes, if there's a crazy passenger try to assault the driver, how sturdy is that aisle gate? If the person actually do manage to penetrate that gate will he be able to have physical contact with the driver? I noticed that drivers need to close that gate first in order to get onto the seat. And if that person do have physical contact with driver, how likely will that contact result in a crash that incurs loss of equipment and life? I read on Wikipedia which noted that gates are installed after several incidents happened, but after gates are installed, last year there's still an accident of this type.

It's not that they're not sturdy... Its that they're not locked. Passengers can easily push them open (which is important in an emergency evacuation situation). It's possible for a passenger to open the gate, step down the stairs, close the gate and contact the driver. So someone who's determined to hurt the driver or take control of the bus can still do so, but the gate would slow them down. Just as importantly it gives the driver and other passengers a few seconds to react and possibly do something to prevent the incident from being worse.

 

[railiner]

Here's the answer to that problem......

http://www.mcicoach.com/public-sector/publicPrison.htm

 

[andrewlhe]

Speaking of crashes, if there's a crazy passenger try to assault the driver, how sturdy is that aisle gate? If the person actually do manage to penetrate that gate will he be able to have physical contact with the driver? I noticed that drivers need to close that gate first in order to get onto the seat. And if that person do have physical contact with driver, how likely will that contact result in a crash that incurs loss of equipment and life? I read on Wikipedia which noted that gates are installed after several incidents happened, but after gates are installed, last year there's still an accident of this type.

It's not that they're not sturdy... Its that they're not locked. Passengers can easily push them open (which is important in an emergency evacuation situation). It's possible for a passenger to open the gate, step down the stairs, close the gate and contact the driver. So someone who's determined to hurt the driver or take control of the bus can still do so, but the gate would slow them down. Just as importantly it gives the driver and other passengers a few seconds to react and possibly do something to prevent the incident from being worse.

Why not have a 'driver gate' that open from inside with a lock like the ones on windows that can easily be opened during emergency but can't be forced open from outside.

 

[andrewlhe]

Here's the answer to that problem......

http://www.mcicoach.com/public-sector/publicPrison.htm

Maybe they should make this out of D4505 to ensure maximum suffering of the passengers inside

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Since the shields have been installed, drivers still get attacked, but fatalities haven't occurred, AFAIK. But yes, indeed, passenger attacks have probably caused more incidents then all other causes combined. A passenger stabbed a driver on a DL3 in 2001, causing the bus to crash, then another passenger beheaded and cannibalized his seatmate in 2008, to name the worst examples.

The passenger windows don't have a lock, you can simply pull up the bar and open the window. I did hear from Railiner that some windows will trigger an alarm when opened. All I know is that the DL3 windows don't do so and I was allowed to try it once. Wasn't particularly hard and a good way to air out the interior while sitting in the yard.

If you had a lock, it could block the front in an accident if the driver was killed or immobilized.

BTW, that ISTV is a D4000CL, which is related to the D4505.

 

[railiner]

I like this solution

https://www.google.com/search?q=trailers+as+buses&rlz=1C1SKPM_enUS438&tbm=isch&imgil=y4NBpf65wAi1lM%253A%253BQnUgZIrlpO9NGM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fen.wikipedia.org%25252Fwiki%25252FTrailer_bus&source=iu&pf=m&fir=y4NBpf65wAi1lM%253A%252CQnUgZIrlpO9NGM%252C_&biw=1440&bih=813&usg=__L_28w4L4a7Kh3FNsXseHyybtdNQ%3D&ved=0CCcQyjdqFQoTCLL0jbjjmskCFYXKPgodfU8Pgw&ei=5NpMVrLyB4WV-wH9nr2YCA#imgrc=y4NBpf65wAi1lM%3A&usg=__L_28w4L4a7Kh3FNsXseHyybtdNQ%3D

 

[rickycourtney]

**Serious comment alert**

What Greyhound could've done is install shields *around* the driver instead of installing a gate to block the aisle. This is what many transit agencies have done around North America.

Here's a look at what a shield looks like: