The Western wheels on the bus go round and round

Big fan of public transportation here, and I was just introduced to the budget bus company, Megabus. Ran into one almost literally at the LA Times Travel show and it was huge! The double decker bus features comfortable seating upstairs – the better to observe the world rolling by. Downstairs there are tables with electrical outlets and WiFi throughout (although some riders claim the service is spotty on certain routes).

The company claims it’s "the mega-value website in Europe, the United States and Canada." Important to note that word, website, because you absolutely have to purchase your seat online before boarding. There’s no run into the terminal, toss a few dollars at the driver and sit down. It just won’t work, as rider, Vanessa Franca, found out unhappily while studying on the East Coast. She regularly enjoyed the savings of taking the Megabus between work in Boston and weekends with friends in New York City. That is until the one time she forgot to book round trip and ended up stranded at the terminal. Forewarned is for-armed, the saying goes.

The company has recently rolled out service along the U.S. West Coast between Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose , Oakland and into Las Vegas. The latter is especially welcome for those interested in a relaxed and economical way to get to Sin City and home again.

If you are considering the Megabus travel option, spend some time on their Customer Service page. You’ll find more than you need to know about disability access, connecting trips, travel advisories and much more.

Know that the service is definitely a step up from Greyhound, but it’s still a public bus system. In my research I found more positive reviews than negative. There have been issues – noise, bathroom cleanliness and border delays between Toronto and Buffalo, but savvy travelers take that in stride.

More than 22 million customers throughout more than 120 cities across America have used the service since its launch in 2006. They aren't suffering and most, like Vanessa, are excited that the service has made its way west.  

Pictures courtesy of author and Megabus.com