Megabus loses its Downtown stop (Pittsburgh, Ingram: subsidized, shop, bus)

[TechieTransplant]

Originally Posted by Impala26

The whole thing to me sounds like an excuse by the SEA

Me too. Look around the city and tell me where you don't find trash.

[Blackbeauty212]

I suggest creating a stop over on the North Shore near either Allegheny or North Side stations....it's plenty of room over there and Megabus will be a prime location access wise with Ramp to 65 then connecting to all Parkways.

Somewhere around Allegheny Station would be the best spot, and with T station/tracks overhead provides shelter in Rainy weather.

[Debbie1125]

Originally Posted by Impala26

The whole thing to me sounds like an excuse by the SEA to get all those people out from under the Convention Center. Regardless of what they think, I think that without the Megabus the area under the Convention Center would look pretty desolate for most of the year outside of the few events that are hosted there.

All of that time Mega has been picking up passengers there and suddenly are told they cannot.

I am highly suspicious of the motive behind this. That stop has been at the convention center for quite some time. My guess is a few people attending conventions there complained.

The least the SEA could have done was give Megabus more notice. Hopefully they'll find another spot by June 15th.

[UKyank]

Does seem a bit silly that a private company is using a public facility as part of their regular business. I doubt greyhound likes paying for its facilities while seeing a competitor sidestepping that cost by using other people's facilities.

[Debbie1125]

Originally Posted by UKyank

Does seem a bit silly that a private company is using a public facility as part of their regular business. I doubt greyhound likes paying for its facilities while seeing a competitor sidestepping that cost by using other people's facilities.

Maybe because it's located in Boston South Station, but the Greyhound terminal located there allows Megabus to use it.


However, I don't know if Mega is paying them a fee. My guess is they probably are.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by UKyank

Does seem a bit silly that a private company is using a public facility as part of their regular business. I doubt greyhound likes paying for its facilities while seeing a competitor sidestepping that cost by using other people's facilities.

Their whole business model is based around the fact that they don't actually use bus stations. Basically same way the Chinatown bus lines do it as well. They just have a bus stop on the street. You don't get the amenities of a station.

So the convention center was a bonus, in that it was covered and had a wide sidewalk there. But it was never meant to be that the people on the buses had access to the convention center like a bus station. But I guess if a convention was on, it would be easy enough to open the door and go in and use the restroom.

So why now after a few years at least? Perhaps because traffic and routes have grown enough that there are often more people than expected hanging around there. That's only a guess though.

[Impala26]

Originally Posted by greg42

So why now after a few years at least? Perhaps because traffic and routes have grown enough that there are often more people than expected hanging around there. That's only a guess though.

I think that's anyone's best guess right now as well. Steadily increasing people traffic there brought these liability concerns to a head, coupled with the fact that Megabus doesn't pay a fee to use the space. Though, the vending machines there are in a small atrium before a parking garage that ANYONE on the street can access, from what I can judge based the few times I've been down in the area. So they'll actually face a noticeable loss in revenue from that machine at least, however small.

[Debbie1125]

Originally Posted by greg42

So why now after a few years at least? Perhaps because traffic and routes have grown enough that there are often more people than expected hanging around there. That's only a guess though.

You could be right. There are always long lines for people who are going on the NYC, Harrisburg and Philly routes. So much so that Megabus has people there to assist passengers if they're not sure which line to stand in.

Also, people in town for conventions often have their own bus that takes them around, and that can become a problem if all of the busses are lined up at the Convention Center waiting for passengers to board.

[TechieTransplant]

Originally Posted by Debbie1125

So much so that Megabus has people there to assist passengers if they're not sure which line to stand in.

They are also there to stop from people cutting in line and to help those that seem to find locating the end of the line an excercise in frustration.

[Debbie1125]

A more detailed story from WTAE Megabus told not to stop at David L. Lawrence Convention Center | Allegheny Co. News - WTAE Home

Megabus operations director Charles Lenzner told Channel 4 Action News reporter Sheldon Ingram that it's basically an overreaction on the part of the Sports & Exhibition Authority, and he thinks the SEA just doesn't want the appearance of people standing on the property waiting for buses.

He said the SEA has raised concerns about littering and too many passengers going inside to use the center's restrooms. "(SEA executive director) Mary Conturo feels it's not a good place for it and feels that they are not clean," said Lenzner.

The area at the bus stop was clean when Channel 4 Action News went there on Thursday afternoon. Many riders boarded and did not leave trash behind.