Amtrak cutting many Thruway runs in GA and OH

[Superliner Diner]

Amtrak internal memo regarding Thruway routes to end as of 6/21/05:

CATEGORY-MGC SUBJECT-JUN ... 06JUN05 1115 8210 PAGE NO 19

01 GREYHOUND SERVICE CUTS IN GEORGIA AND OHIO

02

03 AS PART OF ANOTHER ROUND OF GREYHOUND SERVICE CUTS, THIS TIME

04 IN THE SOUTHEAST, GREYHOUND HAS DECIDED TO ELIMINATE STOPS AT

05 THE AMTRAK STATIONS IN ATLANTA, SAVANNAH AND CLEVELAND.

06 THESE STOPS WERE SPECIFICALLY IN PLACE FOR AMTRAK CUSTOMERS

07 TO TRANSFER BETWEEN AMTRAK TRAINS AND GREYHOUND SERVICES.

08 DUE TO THIS DECISION BY GREYHOUND, THE FOLLOWING THRUWAY

09 SERVICES ARE CANCELLED JUNE 21, 2005.

10

11 8819/8820 ATLANTA-CHATTANOOGA-NASHVILLE

12 8519/8520 ATLANTA-MONTGOMERY-MOBILE*

13 8919/8920 ATLANTA-COLUMBUS*

14 8419/8420 ATLANTA-MACON

15 8289/8290 SAVANNAH-AUGUSTA

16 8129/8130 CLEVELAND-COLUMBUS-CINCINNATI

17 8148/8149 CLEVELAND-COLUMBUS-CINCINNATI

18 *8519 AND 8920 ALSO STOPPED AT ATLANTA HARTSFIELD AIRPORT

19

20 CARLETON MACDONALD/SLS DIST & CUST SVC/2005-06-06

 

[lepearso]

I won't shed any tears over this. Greyhound's so-called "connection" through Atlanta was very indirect.

For example, if you bought were traveling from Nashville to Charlotte N.C. on Amtrak, you would be ticketed for a Greyhound Bus from Nashville to downtown Atlanta. From there, you would board another bus and get dropped off at the train station some two hours before train time. For the time you would waste in a bus station and then in a train station, you could get from Nashville to the Atlanta Amtrak station just a well on a 10-speed bike! (I'm exagerating, of course!)

Maybe these Greyhound cuts will encourage Amtrak to find a real partner. One that will carry passengers directly to and from the train station on a more attractive schedule.

 

[Superliner Diner]

Lepearso,

Much agreed. That connection was ridiculous. One would actually spend more time in the city of Atlanta than traveling between Atlanta and some other cities.

The bus connecting from Train #19 at the Atlanta station would pick up all Greyhound transferees, and ferry them to the Greyhound Terminal downtown, where they would then take their respective buses to their ultimate destinations. This so-called connection leaves the Atlanta Amtrak station at 12:01 PM. That is well over three hours after #19 is due to arrive in Atlanta. So a lot of time is spent in the Amtrak station waiting for a bus that takes you to another bus.

Those who know better can take a 5-minute ride on MARTA's #23 bus to Arts Center station, then the North-South heavy rail line 6 stops to a station directly next to the Greyhound Terminal. It beats waiting in the Amtrak station going noplace all that time.

What is an even bigger travesty is offering "Thruway" service to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. One would wait for the same 12:01 shuttle bus, which would drop them off at the Greyhound Terminal. They would then board the bus that goes to Montgomery and Mobile, and get off when it stops at the airport. They would arrive at the airport at 1 PM after the long wait at the Amtrak station and a transfer at the Greyhound Terminal. By utilizing MARTA, one could be at the airport by about 9:30 AM having ridden the MARTA bus and the North-South line. I am shocked that Amtrak even sold this as a connection. I'll bet nobody was stupid enough to have partaken of this "service". :angry:

Keep in mind that Greyhound will probably still be serving most of those major cities on their own routes. They just cancelled the bus shuttle between Amtrak and the Greyhound Terminal, effectively cutting the Thruway connection. One could still get between the two locations by a much faster and more frequent means detailed above.

I'll await comments from Atlantan Mr. Haithcoat....

 

[Allen Dee]

Maybe these Greyhound cuts will encourage Amtrak to find a real partner. One that will carry passengers directly to and from the train station on a more attractive schedule.

Here in California, Amtrak has done just that. They have partnered with Coach USA companies like Antelope, Trailways affiliates like Orange Belt Stages, and independents like Silverado Stages and SFO Airporter.

For the most part, Amtrak has steered away from interline agreements with Greyhound.

Although this is not a bus enthusiast forum, it is important that Amtrak maintains Thruway Bus service with reliable contracting carriers to provide seamless transportation for passengers traveling to and from points not served by rail.

I have ridden on many Amtrak Thruway buses in Southern California, and, while it's not as good as riding on a train, it's far better than going Greyhound.

 

[engine999]

In florida, particularly orlando, the contractor that provides bus service from orlando-tampa-down the sun coast dose a pretty good job. The bus always seems to be at the station meeting the train, and I believe your baggage is even transfered. The bus even has an Amtrak logo on he side, with shamu style scheme.

 

[rile42]

The Ohio connection was much better. The bus stopped first at the bus station and then continued on to the Amtrak station. I used it one time from Columbus and it was much better than driving. I'm sorry to see it go.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Superliner DIner, I agree with your summation of the Atlanta situation. The only times it would have made any sense at all would be those times when the southbound was about 11:30 a.m. or so arriving, then that 12.01 bus would be ok.

Of course one would still have to go to the bus station and wait for another bus.....but that very long layover time at the ATl station was a joke.

How I wish there was a good direct bus connection to the cities named.

And, as you say, the airport is very accessible merely by hopping a MARTA bus immediately in front of the station, transferring automatically to a MARTA train at Arts Center Station then going directly into the airport terminal itself, no shuttle buses, etc, The only problem with that is if you have lots and lots of luggage.

As a resident of Altanta I am extremely famliar with ridng by the station on the #23 bus when #19 has just arrived and and seeing quite a number of people from the Crescent waiting for the MARTA bus. I don't know where they are all going but word does seems to get out that that is the way to do it, not the other.

 

[lepearso]

I have been trying to find someone in Amtrak management who would have oversight of the Crescent. I know of an excellent partner Amtrak could contact about offering Thruway service to Nashville, Chattanooga, at least two smaller cities along the way. Does anybody know whom I could contact?

 

[engine999]

Superliner DIner, I agree with your summation of the Atlanta situation. The only times it would have made any sense at all would be those times when the southbound was about 11:30 a.m. or so arriving, then that 12.01 bus would be ok.
Of course one would still have to go to the bus station and wait for another bus.....but that very long layover time at the ATl station was a joke.

How I wish there was a good direct bus connection to the cities named.

And, as you say, the airport is very accessible merely by hopping a MARTA bus immediately in front of the station, transferring automatically to a MARTA train at Arts Center Station then going directly into the airport terminal itself, no shuttle buses, etc, The only problem with that is if you have lots and lots of luggage.

As a resident of Altanta I am extremely famliar with ridng by the station on the #23 bus when #19 has just arrived and and seeing quite a number of people from the Crescent waiting for the MARTA bus. I don't know where they are all going but word does seems to get out that that is the way to do it, not the other.

I agree, even if you dont know where the amtrak station is, the marta bus driver will call it out. Its practically painless. IIRC dosnt the #23 bus end up going to the lenox rail station too.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Yes, engine 9999, the #23 bus goes (southbound) from the Lenox Square Station to the Arts Center, with the Amtrak station being a stop en route close to the Arts Center Station.

And the drivers are very good at calling out the Amtrak station--I witness them every day.And other passengers are helpful in point out the Amtrak station to travelers, I see that all the time also.

On a humrous note---one morning I was at the MARTA Arts Center Station and found a gentleman looking for "the train to New Orleans". He had obviously told the cabbie he wanted the "train station". Atlantans for some reason tend to call the subway a "train", so the cabbie obviously thought he meant MARTA. Fortunately, I led him upstairs and pointed him to the #23 bus to get to the Crescent.

 

[Superliner Diner]

Lenox Station is on the Northeast MARTA line to Doraville. The #23 bus also stops at the Buckhead station, which is on the North MARTA line to Dunwoody and North Springs. Both of those lines come together at Lindbergh and run south to the airport.

One could go north on the bus from the Amtrak station to either of those MARTA stations instead of heading south to Arts Center.

 

[engine999]

Then again, peachtree street must be one of the longest looping streets in the city. Only advantage of comming from lenox is you dont have to cross the street.