The New Competition For Bus Routes

Start-up bus companies are learning from Jet Blue and finding profit in popular bus routes. Travel from Boston to New Yrok for only $10.

1 minute read

January 30, 2005, 9:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"Immigrant enterprises don't often go head-to-head with huge corporations at critical moments in vital sectors. But partly by using tactics borrowed from discount airlines and online ticket brokers, that's what these little companies are doing to Greyhound... Chinatown buses have sucked Greyhound into a wounding war over its most-traveled runs, from New York to Washington, Philadelphia and Boston.

...The city's Chinatown is a short walk from South Station, Greyhound's base. Waiting at curbsides, Chinese buses enticed its passengers away. In spring 2003, the lure grew: a new company, Lucky Star, appeared with a $10 fare to New York. The others matched it, and turned Chinatown into a travel hub."

[Editor's note: The link below is available to non-subscribers for a period of 7 days.]

Thanks to Chris Steins

Saturday, January 29, 2005 in Wall St. Journal

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