How does Greyhound manage transfers?

[caravanman]

Thanks for the heads up on the faster routes. America, along with most of the world seems to have given up on public transport options in favour of the automobile. I read somewhere that major vehicle makers in the past had put a lot of pressure on cities and towns to rip out tram and train lines and build roads... Without even bus service, smaller towns now lack any public transport interconnection options.

As someone who likes to plan stuff out for myself, I find the fact that the Greyhound stop can be located miles from the place you need to get to is understandable, given real estate prices... What is NOT understandable is the complete lack of onward travel info, just to get into town by onward public service.

Operators don't seem to co-ordinate schedules or carry info to help passengers transfer.between local and longer distance options, even in the rare case where they exist!

An Amtrak train example would be Buffalo Depew station.. How does one get to and from Buffalo? How do we find out? No help that I can see on Amtrak .com.... My feeling is that with more detailed and inclusive information available, more folk would consider the non automobile option?

Ed

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I agree, but you really got to take your pick of one or the other. Another problem is that many urban areas have decayed and are dangerous positions for a Greyhound terminal. For example, the Reno terminal, quite close to Downtown Reno, got the front door smashed in by vandals. But Reno is so messed up that moving out won't help either, I live a reletively safe neighbourhood and my car still got vandalized.

At least bus travel in the US is booming and Greyhound is responding to this with more and more new coaches.

 

[caravanman]

I visited Reno with my teenage son a few years back, it certainly had an air of having seen better days. I liked the slightly seedy feel, a bit like I imagine a wild west town from the old days. Loved the auto museum, which had some astonishing designs.

Arrived by Zephyr, no gambling, just a cheap place to stay, took the bus onward to Sacramento and the HI hostel...

Ed

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I visited Reno with my teenage son a few years back, it certainly had an air of having seen better days. I liked the slightly seedy feel, a bit like I imagine a wild west town from the old days. Loved the auto museum, which had some astonishing designs.

Arrived by Zephyr, no gambling, just a cheap place to stay, took the bus onward to Sacramento and the HI hostel...

Ed

Good! No gambling! The casinos smell terrible, dark lighting, and lots of suspicious people. Not worth it.

 

[Kadesha]

Im kade and im travelling from geneva ny to Moorhead mn and I've never been on a bus before so idk what kind of bus im looking for when I transfer from one bus to another in Rochester ny tomorrow night....i would like to know so I can prepare

 

[BCL]

Also, ID is required for all passengers. Last time I rode, I saw the driver individually checking the ID of each passenger and matching to the name on the ticket.

I've got a four year old traveling on a child ticket. Now my kid does have photo ID (passport card and plan on getting a California ID from CA DMV) for my kid, but I'm under the impression that most parents don't have any such ID for their kids. I suspect that Greyhound is similar to airlines and airport security in that they don't require ID for children. I can't find anything official on this.

 

[rickycourtney]

I can't find anything official on that either. Like on an airline, I doubt children would be required to present identification to travel, as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

Swad's theory (I think he's right) is that by requiring identification, they can cut down on some of the riff raff.

That being said, it seem that enforcement of this rule is very hit and miss (probably only done when the driver is concerned about some passengers).

 

[BCL]

I can't find anything official on that either. Like on an airline, I doubt children would be required to present identification to travel, as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

Swad's theory (I think he's right) is that by requiring identification, they can cut down on some of the riff raff.

That being said, it seem that enforcement of this rule is very hit and miss (probably only done when the driver is concerned about some passengers).

I actually found a page on the Greyhound website (currently the entire Greyhound website is down) stating that when purchasing a child fare, the purchaser should be prepared to show "appropriate ID" indicating date of birth. I bought online, but I suspect the child fare discount can apply when purchasing tickets in person. There's nothing indicating what this ID would be, but I suspect they mean a birth certificate, passport, or state ID.

I also don't get what the discount is. They say it's as much as 25%, but rounded up to the nearest 0 or 5 ending. Our web special was $13 adult, and that would be $9.75 with a 25% discount. I figured that meant rounding up to $10, but the child fare is $10.40.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Im kade and im travelling from geneva ny to Moorhead mn and I've never been on a bus before so idk what kind of bus im looking for when I transfer from one bus to another in Rochester ny tomorrow night....i would like to know so I can prepare

Greyhound doesn't go to Moorhead. That's Jefferson. You've got to read the Carrier Code. JL is Jefferson,