28/10/2008
- Four new locations to benefit from low-cost express fares from just $1.
- Expansion follows major order for nearly 100 new double-decker coaches
- Consumers ditching cars to beat credit crunch and higher household bills
Stagecoach Group has announced the expansion of its budget inter-city coach service megabus.com to four new locations in North America as more people ditch their cars and get on board public transport.
The market-leading service, which is attracting 150,000 passenger a month, will run to the new locations from 4 December and customers can start booking now at www.megabus.com.
megabus.com is now available for booking to and from Albany, N.Y.; Rochester, N.Y.; Syracuse, N.Y. and Niagara Falls, Ontario, all with direct routes from New York.
It brings the number of locations served by megabus.com’s New York hub to 11 cities, including Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Buffalo, N.Y. and Atlantic City, N.J. in the United States; and Toronto, Canada.
Dale Moser, President and COO of megabus.com, said: "We are delighted to be expanding our service to these new cities. In the current tough economic climate, budget products like megabus.com are exactly what consumers are looking for to make their dollar go further.
“We believe this is a market with huge growth potential as growing numbers of people ditch their cars for high-quality, low-cost coach travel to beat the credit crunch, rising fuel prices and higher household bills.”
megabus.com began offering fares for as little a $1 in the United States in April 2006 now covers 13 US states and one Canadian province, attracting commuters, students, business and leisure travellers. Around two million passengers have now travelled with the market-leading budget carrier in North America.
The expansion comes only weeks after Stagecoach Group announced it had placed a $60million order for nearly 100 new state-of-the art double-decker coaches. The fleet of 96 coaches, manufactured by the Belgium-based company Van Hool, are going into service between now and August 2009.
The new 81-seat wheelchair accessible vehicles are equipped with comfortable reclining seats with safety belts, reading lamps, power outlets, free wi-fi, and toilets.
megabus.com research shows that 90 percent of customers have used the budget service as an alternative to the car, train or plane. Some 60% are former car users, 19% previously travel with an airline and 11% used to take the train.
The new double-decker vehicles are significantly more environmentally-friendly than car or air travel. A full megabus.com vehicle is up to 10 times more fuel efficient than a 737 aircraft and up to 25 times more efficient that a single occupancy car*.
The North American expansion follows the UK success of megabus.com, which carries around 2 million passengers a year on a network of inter-city services covering around 40 locations nationwide.
ENDS
For further information, contact:
Steve Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications
Stagecoach Group
Tel: 01738 442111 (office) or 07764 774680 (mobile)
email: steven.stewart@stagecoachgroup.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Full details of routes, timetables and fares are available online at the secure e-commerce website www.megabus.com.
- Passengers can quickly book their travel and purchase tickets from the comfort of their home, office or wireless handheld device. They can also sign up for mobile phone text alerts providing updates on travel reservations and schedules.
- * The megabus.com double-decker fuel consumption, based on a full loading, is 0.002 gallons per passenger mile, while a 737 aircraft is 0.02 gallons and a single-occupancy car is 0.05 gallons.
- East Coast cities served by megabus.com include: Albany, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, New York, Philadelphia, Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto and Washington D.C in the United States; and Toronto and Niagara Falls in Canada.
- Midwest cities served by megabus.com include: Ann Arbor, Bloomington-Normal, Chicago, Champaign, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbia, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Madison, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Louis and Toledo.
- Links to FAQ, About, maps and hi-res photos:
