Greyhound seats and fleet questions

[andrewlhe]

It is also true that security measures of Amtrak are far from enough too. Even if security checks are implemented at all facilities, it's clear that most roads are not protected at all, meaning a terrorist can easily put a mine under the track and blow it up when a train comes. The only thing that's well protected is airlines.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Which is why I find it highly unlikely that a terrorist would attack GLI. They could blow up a highway bridge during rush hour, though, which would cause lots of damage and kill a lot more people than blowing up a Greyhound. They could blow up schools. They could blow up the NYC Subway. They could blow up a stadium during a sporting event. All of those would be far more effective than blowing up 50 poor people on a Greyhound.

And again, it's really ridiculous to think that a bus fan/photographer would blow up a Greyhound. Sure, I hate the D4505, but that doesn't make me a terrorist.

 

[rickycourtney]

This conversation has taken a rather uncomfortable turn...

Maybe I'm cynical but I always thought Greyhound's policy of prohibiting photos had more to do with the fact that they didn't want anyone to capture an image of its of staff, equipment or procedures that could generate negative publicity, and as long as they made vague innuendos that the policy was for "security", a sizable portion of the population would accept it without further question.

And Andrew, in terms of having military guarding bus or rail stations, no thanks. Avoiding the inconvenience of security screenings is one of the main reasons why people travel by rail and bus. Plus, military guards carrying automatic rifles isn't really America's style.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I agree, having paramilitary with weapons at train and bus stations doesn't really do anything. Terrorists can blow you up anyway. That being said, weapons can be used to scare away the suspicious loiterers that have severely tainted the reputation of the bus industry. My idea would be to hire a professional security squad carrying semi-automatic weapons and have them force suspicious people to leave at gunpoint. The suspicious people would hopefully be scared enough that they would just leave and not come back. The squad would then go on to the next station, drive away the predators, and do it again and again until the suspicious people stop coming back.

The squad shouldn't have to shoot anybody unless they are utterly stupid. I suggest that they only load blanks for firing warning shots. In the event that they are attacked, clubbing the fools with guns should be sufficient defense, while teaching them a lesson they won't forget.

Again, these guys are not for security checks, they're just going to scare away the people in sagging jeans and dirty T-shirts that hang out around the terminal, smoke, and beg for money. And they won't stand guard at any terminal, they will just go around the terminals booting out and scaring away predators. Bus terminals are not homeless shelters. Get out!

As for the photography ban, it's stupid because it's not enforceable anyway, and what's even more stupid is that I have been labeled a "potential terrorist" simply for being a bus fan.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Be careful what you ask for Swadian, you might just get it,

I usually enjoy your posts, but the thought of "Rent a Cops" carrying assault weapons in bus or rail stations is scarey!

Also, who is to say what persons are "suspicious", profiling people is not the American way and one person's suspicious subject is another person's grandfather!

Leave this idea for and places that really need it like Military Bases and Israel!

 

[rickycourtney]

It amuses me that you said it won't do anything... but then suggest paramilitary private security guards.

Again, this isn't China and that's not really America's style. Paramilitary private security guards aren't usually accepted by customers and in fact might serve to scare many of them away... especially if they're shooting blanks.

In terms of the people in and around the station, US law is pretty clear on this... it's not illegal to stand on public property to smoke and beg for money in sagging jeans and a dirty T-shirt. That being said, Greyhound is perfectly within its rights to call someone a trespasser for breaking their rules and asking them to leave (I'm pretty sure only law enforcement can *force* someone to leave).

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

If I had a bus line, what I would do is just go out there and ask them to leave. Now, what if they attack me? That's why I need a big gun to scare the crap out of them enough for them not to attack me. Now, if they're outside the terminal on the sidewalk, they don't have to leave. But I can ask them to leave again and again, and they probably will end up leaving sooner or later. I may have to convince them, but at least that gun will buy me time to negotiate with them instead of them just attacking me.

I'm not a rent-a-cop, and I'm not scary until I have to be. Again, I would only do this if I owned a bus line that ran there. I would make an announcement to my customers and tell them that I'm going to be brandishing a gun for a few minutes while running a security check. After all is said and done, I'll just put the gun away. No scaring away of customers, because there's no Chinese-style security guards armed with guns walking around, just a random security check that is aimed at discouraging and convincing degenerates to stay away from the bus terminal. If I keep asking them to leave, I'm hoping that eventually, they'll just leave.

I am not doing this the Chinese way, because if this was in China, I would take a bunch of buddies with me and force them to leave or just beat them up. In China, it is OK to beat up degenerates who are camped out around your business if they don't leave immediately.

 

[rickycourtney]

I would make an announcement to my customers and tell them that I'm going to be brandishing a gun for a few minutes while running a security check.

That would make most Americans very uncomfortable. Even if that's legal here in the US (not sure if it is), most of your customers would never return.
I know in other countries it's normal to see military personnel on patrol in full uniform, carrying automatic weapons... but it's rare in America. Security checkpoints at most secured public buildings here in the US have no military present (other than those there for business reasons). In fact the US military is prohibited from being involved in domestic law enforcement without congressional approval.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Well, if it's OK for rent-a-cops, it would OK for the owner of the business, right? Even if I lose most of the passengers that were there over those few minutes, the degenerates wouldn't come back, so future passengers wouldn't have to worry about them. Passengers are constantly getting driven away by degenerates. Besides, I'm sure I could soften up the situation with some jokes and humor. They trust me enough to be my customer, so they should trust me enough to keep them safe.

It's like radiotherapy. It kills both healthy cells and cancer cells, but if you don't get rid of the cancer cells, they'll invade more healthy tissue and kill the patient. Better to kill the cancer and have the healthy tissue grow back over time.

Do you have a better solution to deal with the degenerates?

 

[rickycourtney]

Sure. Hire unarmed security guards, teach them to be friendly, compassionate and focused on customer service first. I'd have them constantly sweep the waiting room, chatting with passengers and have them ask those who are disturbing others or abusing the facilities to leave. If they refuse, I'd have the security guards call the police and have them come remove that person.

If the situation was really bad I'd also consider hiring off-duty police officers for a few weeks to stand guard since they'd have the authority to remove someone on the spot.

 

[rickycourtney]

So since you're "waging war" with Greyhound... put yourself in my shoes.

You're taking a trip to Vancouver on Amtrak, but the schedule doesn't work for you on the return trip to Seattle. What would you do?

In my particular case, BoltBus tickets are $25, the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach is $42 and Quick Shuttle is $59.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Existing unarmed security guards have proven useless and have failed to deal with degenerates, regardless of whether they are friendly to passengers or not. We need severe crackdowns on degenerates. We need to assert authority and control to defeat degenerates whenever and wherever possible. An iron fist is needed!

A degenerate who is leaning on the side of a bus terminal is technically touching bus line property. Even better, perhaps a bus line could purchase the sidewalk around their terminal to extend control.

I am not waging war on Greyhound. My signature only says that I am "waging war", it does not say that I am waging war on Greyhound. In fact, I am "waging war" on sophistry, degenerates, tobacco companies, bus industry professionals, Rent-a-Cops, American Seating, MCI, NJT, the EPA, Cummins, and the political party that tried to legalize marijuana. But no, I am not waging war on Greyhound.

However, I would like to point out that no matter how much I hate the aforementioned, I am NOT a terrorist. In fact, not only am I not a terrorist, but I would also "wage war" on terrorism, such as by supporting increased military intervention to defeat ISIS.

 

[rickycourtney]

While Greyhound's private security could be more effective... I'm not sure that a private company has the legal right to crack down on "degenerates" that are on its property. Like I said... I'm reasonably sure you're only legally allowed to ask someone to leave for trespassing. If they don't comply you can contact law enforcement.

Much of what you've suggested is borderline illegal and well outside of accepted social norms here in the United States.

I also noticed that you skirted answering my question.

 

[andrewlhe]

Too bad today's Charlottesville-Baltimore 3924 is a 2009 X3-45 (86022) and the seats are truly pieces of ****. The driver shouted at several guys who failed to put their luggage in the right compartment, and made an announcement later stating that the noise of bus engine made him do that and it's nothing personal.

And I didn't make that clear, paramilitary forces in China is often used against normal violent crimes cuz police in China are poorly armed and poorly trained. They are also used to deal with anything that involves large number of people when police alone is not enough, for example, to maintain order at railway station. Don't try to equate this with tanks on Tiananmen Square. Even fire departments in China is a branch of paramilitary force.

By the way today I saw P42DC 156 leading 20 Crescent. I assume it's the 40 anniversary paint?

https://www.flickr.com/gp/138022528@N08/n6c5P3

 

[andrewlhe]

Just now the bus driver made an announcement that we are going to stop to refuel and would never make it with what we have. And he told me it's ok to take pictures of his bus. 86022 refueling at Orange,VA.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/138022528@N08/BYu944

 

[rickycourtney]

And I didn't make that clear, paramilitary forces in China is often used against normal violent crimes cuz police in China are poorly armed and poorly trained. They are also used to deal with anything that involves large number of people when police alone is not enough, for example, to maintain order at railway station.

I was already totally clear on that. It also has to do with the government having absolute power (or at least trying to act like they do).
My point is... that's not how it works here. Most Americans are not used to seeing law enforcement officers or soldiers openly carrying large weapons in public places, except during an emergency. So most people equate large weapons with immediate danger.

Frankly, I like that officers aren't walking around in public with large rifles in their hands and I think most Americans would agree with me.

By the way today I saw P42DC 156 leading 20 Crescent. I assume it's the 40 anniversary paint?

https://www.flickr.com/gp/138022528@N08/n6c5P3

Yup. That's one of Amtrak's 40th anniversary heritage units. That one is in honor of Amtrak's first paint scheme.

 

[andrewlhe]

By the way today I saw P42DC 156 leading 20 Crescent. I assume it's the 40 anniversary paint?

https://www.flickr.com/gp/138022528@N08/n6c5P3

Yup. That's one of Amtrak's 40th anniversary heritage units. That one is in honor of Amtrak's first paint scheme.

And strange enough, B32-8 #514 is used on that train too. First time to see a Amtrak loco other than P42 in Charlottesville.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/138022528@N08/PwQGJ8

 

[andrewlhe]

Question about GLI bus tracker. If GLI is operating more than one bus for an overbooked schedule, which bus will be shown on the tracker? For example today's 1529.

Also, which bus should I board if there are two buses for one schedule, do I have an option to avoid one I don't like and board the other one? For example one of today's 1529 is obviously an X3-45 and I don't want to be on that for a whole night. I was pissed by #86022's non-leather premier which feels sticky. I doubted if someone had once poured some soda on it and it was never cleaned up. And the hand rest is broken just as one of your pictures shown. Other than space, which is kind of important for me, I must agree YZ feels better than that. However newer premiers are still better though.

 

[neroden]

Bluntly, police in most countries (such as France) where they carry automatic weapons, have a reputation for professionalism. Even the Chinese paramilitaries have a reputation for professionalism. In the US, cops don't have a reputation for professionalism and neither does the army; they have a reputation for wild-west behavior: incompetence, malice, coverups, and shooting innocent people. We don't want to give them any more weapons; actually I think normal police and security guards should be completely disarmed, like in the UK. Any cop who doesn't like this, good riddance to him; the goal is actually to get the cops with the bad attitude out.

 

[andrewlhe]

GLI is surely a magic business, always giving me surprises. Weeks ago I booked schedule 3924 for Baltimore at the date Mar 4, 2016. The website said the bus is scheduled to leave Charlottesville at 5:05pm. And by cross checking with their timetable on extranet, this time is correct. Guess what, the printed ticket stated I will leave at 4:50pm. I was sort of surprised at that time but since it's only a 15-min difference, I don't find it to be a big deal anyway.

Just now, I got a phone call from Dallas, GLI customer service! The lady told me that schedule is actually changed to 4:50pm! She told me that they will be emailing me a new ticket with new confirmation number balabala, but my ticket shows exactly 4:50pm.

Checking GLI website, this time is indeed changed to 4:50, effective Jan 13, 2016.

Interestingly enough, this bus runs AMTK thruway connection too, however, booking information on AMTK website remained unchanged.

 

[rickycourtney]

So my wife and I had a great trip up to Vancouver, BC this weekend for my birthday. What an amazing town!

Both the Amtrak Cascades train trip up and the BoltBus trip back were enjoyable and punctual.

The Amtrak trip was fantastic. Most of the journey is spent hugging the coast and the views are breathtakingly beautiful. Interstate 5 has nothing on that view. The only minor complaints I have about the Amtrak trip is that you're forced to wait in a ridiculously long line in Seattle to get seating assignment and that the train is forced to slow down quite significantly after crossing the border into Canada. It's my understanding that despite the rather sizable investments Washington State has made to improve the Cascades corridor, the BC government is unwilling to invest even enough to make the tracks smooth.

I was once again impressed by the customer service on BoltBus. While our driver wasn't as outgoing as previous drivers, she was friendly and courteous. The bus was a D4500 (#0887) and despite being built in September 2013, appeared to be nearly new inside. I couldn't find anything broken. The Premier seats were immaculate. I also found them to be reasonably comfortable for the 4 hour trip (my guess is that the foam in the seat cushion hasn't broken down). My only minor complaint about the BoltBus trip is that the schedule had way too much pad time baked into it. Traffic was very light departing Vancouver and there was no wait for our bus to go through U.S. Customs and Immigration. By the time we reached the first stop in Bellingham we were more than 30 minutes ahead of schedule. That means the normal 5 minute stop turned into a 35 minute stop. I just wish there was a way for the driver to depart early if all ticketed passengers were onboard. Of course, the pad time was appreciated when we hit traffic approaching Seattle... it was just enough that the bus arrived right on time.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

It's not a D4500, it's a D4505. I beseech you not to confuse the two.

Yeah, some of the newer D4505s are OK. Not surprising considering NJT only wants 700,000 miles out of them. When they hit 700k, all hell breaks loose, or at least that's what happened with the older D4505s. Though #86544 is bad already, with its growling loud engine noise. I shouldn't forget #86558, either. The interior was clean and undamaged, but the fan belt broke.

BTW, the 2009 X3-45s are at roughly 800k miles. They have been reportedly worn out by the turn-and-burns in the East.

But anyway, Greyhound drivers are so stupid. They still think there's a driver shortage, when the big problem is the passenger shortage. With passengers fleeing, the driver shortage will soon turn into a driver surplus.

I'm hearing all about the 777-300ER's success in the airline industry. They've replaced most of the 747-400s, which is essentially the DL3. Unfortunately, the bus industry lacks a 777-300ER. And Prevost just reduced the fuel capacity of the X3-45 down to 192 gal (182 useable). The X3-45 is basically an A330-300. I won't compare narrowbodies to motorcoaches because there isn't that many different types of those.

I'm wondering if it's possible to build 4-axle 53-foot motorcoaches. Those would be cool.

 

[rickycourtney]

You beseech me?

What century is this?

Give me a break, I just made a typo.

 

[railiner]

I'm wondering if it's possible to build 4-axle 53-foot motorcoaches. Those would be cool.

Anything is possible...

Remember the Prevost H5-60's?

I guess you mean a non-articulated 53 footer....

I suppose they could, since semi-trailer's are that length. But I don't think it would be possible to let the steering axle(s) turn a full 90 degrees to the side, to allow the kind of turning radius a tractor-trailer could achieve.

Besides that, there are too many terminal's and/or garages that could not handle a bus that long, without major modification. We had that problem at the PABT, when the 45 footers came out....we had to eliminate a line of parking spaces so that the buses could get in and out of the angled platforms.....

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Hahaha! That was meant to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

The H5-60 wasn't that great because the articulation joint in the middle was hard to maintain and wasted space. A hypothetical H4-53 might be a good machine. The turning circle could be kept down with the extra axle and a steerable tag axle. Prevost already has IFS in the H3-45. The H4-45 could carry 68 passengers and a ton of luggage, too. I think the turning circle could be as little as 46'.

However, it may have to be banned from PABT considering its enormous congestion. But It would be fine in Reno.

I guess it would be the road equivalent of the A380, with a larger overall size than even the TD925. Other than that, a clean-sheet 45-foot design would also be great. It occurred to me that the G4500 could have been the 777-300ER if it had been successful and improved upon, but instead, it failed and ended up like the 777-300. By that analogy, Greyhound's fleet is similar to Thai Airways International or Korean Air, who both operate 747-400s, 777-300s, A330-300s, and used to operate the MD-11 (MC-12 analogy).