Comments on: Sound Off: Relocation Of DC To NYC Bus Loading Zones

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:26:05 +0000

These intercity buses represent the very last affordable mode of transportation along the I-95 corridor. It’s too expensive to drive or fly these days and Amtrak costs almost $200 round trip to New York. Of course, the cost is only part of the equation. More importantly, the “Chinatown” buses pick us up and drop us off in safe and convenient locations. The last thing we need is a seedy new bus terminal in a potentially unsafe and deserted part of town. The future of transportation should be more choice, not less! We shouldn’t shoehorn all the buses into one terminal any more than we should close down National and Dulles and force all air travel into BWI. Right now I choose which bus I want to take based on where it will pick me up or drop me off. When I get back home to DC at 1:00 am, I choose to get off in Dupont Circle, which is both safer and more convenient than Union Station or Southwest. Heck, most of the time the metro has already shut down by the time I arrive. At least in Dupont it is an affordable cab ride to other parts of NW! So, what’s wrong with giving us a few choices? Enforce the idling laws that are currently on the books and ticket buses that double park. Problem solved, no?

By: DH in FB

DH in FB — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:29:23 +0000

If moving the bus stops to L’Enfant Plaza gives the drivers an alternate route, such as SE/SW Freeway and Kenilworth Ave, I’m all for it. Inbound NY Avenue seems to be backed-up 24/7 making the ride from Bladensburg Road into downtown excrutiatingly slow. I returned from NYC on Boltbus this Saturday and the trip from the old Hecht’s warehouse on NY Ave to the 395 turnoff near 3rd street was nearly 1/2 hour. From the look of the development going on in that area it’s only going to get worse.

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:14:29 +0000

In response to this comment “there shouldn’t be a tax imposed on bus companies at all, their providing revenue to the DC economy by bringing in 50+ tourists at a time for hotels, restaurants, etc.” I don’t know that the notion that tourists bring large amounts of revenue to DC is actually supported by facts. Many of them seem to stay in hotels in Virginia, patronize the free museums and attractions and spend relatively little money in the district. When you contrast this with the wear and tear that large tour buses inflict on streets, the pollution they spew into the air while idling waiting for their passengers and the disruptions to traffic they cause, it is not clear that this is a big financial gain for the city. While it is conventional wisdom that tourists bring in a large amount of revenue, conventional wisdom is often wrong.

By: Tour guide

Tour guide — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:59:56 +0000

from http://dmv.dc.gov/info/trippermit.shtm

“Motor carriers, chartered buses (including chartered shuttle Buses), Trucks and other vehicles which fall under the definition of apportioned vehicles (see IRP section) but are not apportioned or fully registered in the District of Columbia, may obtain a trip permit for a $50 fee. The Trip Permit* is valid for six (6) days of travel within the District of Columbia. It must be maintained on the vehicle throughout the duration of travel in the District of Columbia. The trip permit is only to be used for the vehicle listed on the front of the permit.”

This was effective August, 2007. The permit is to be displayed in the front window of the bus. Local buses (like Dillion, New World, Martz, etc) are not included because they have special permitting.

I have been on plenty of coaches that have this permit. I have also been on plenty of coaches that have no permit. Amazingly enough, the most common enforcement is done by the Capitol Police. Tour groups have don’t have the proper documents get to spend an hour+ at the DMV on Half Street SW.

Finally, I agree about the very low rate. A $50 permit for six days for as many as 55 passengers is nothing. 15 cents per day per person!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:50:10 +0000

Some had noted the inconvenience of the Greyhound Station – it is definitely not a safe location for late night drop offs. I’ve read that it’s being redeveloped and the Greyhound buses are being moved to Union Station. Now that, DC, makes sense.

By: Becca

Becca — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:16:38 +0000

For a while I thought that long-blocked-off lane on 11th street next to the Woodies building was being blocked off in preparation for a bus depot lane. Even though I walk through this area 2x/day, I wouldn’t mind all the buses loading/unloading from that lane if it was dedicated for the purpose. What I DO mind is the bus drivers parking diagonally across both the far right and the middle lanes, forcing MetroBus drivers to veer into oncoming traffic just to get through the G Street light. (Seriously – how hard would it be to pull forward a little bit and back in straight so you’re only taking up one lane?!) I do think Metro Center is a better place for travelers to get on/off the bus than L’Enfant Plaza.

By: BoSox

BoSox — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:12:04 +0000

GP Dweller: I couldn’t agree with you more, they are an unsafe operation by and large. There have been instances of drivers shooting one another in NYC and Boston due to competition and occassionally sketchy roadside stops along I-95. The sooner we move them out of Chinatown, it should also increase property value for everyone.

By: GP dweller

GP dweller — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:33:53 +0000

Regarding the comment about other cities moving the Chinatown bus business to South Station, Market Street, etc. it is to enforce some regulation. In Massachusetts, there were several instances where the drivers were unlicensed, could not speak english, and the buses were not registered with DOT or maintained properly. In fact, buses have caught on fire, wheels have fallen off while in motion, among other things endangering passengers. While I am all for small businesses, having witnessed the effects of the bus picks and drops off in the Penn Quarter neighborhood for the past four years, particularly the block between 5th and 6th streets on H. Although a bargain, I truly feel that many of these buses are not safe.

By: BoSox

BoSox — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:58:12 +0000

In response to #26, there shouldn’t be a tax imposed on bus companies at all, their providing revenue to the DC economy by bringing in 50+ tourists at a time for hotels, restaurants, etc. The government should be encouraging tourbuses to visit the city instead of minivans and SUVs from the rest of the country.

By: Allison S.

Allison S. — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:50:38 +0000

While L’Enfant Plaza is less convenient for bus users living/staying in Penn Quarter, we can probably assume that most people are going elsewhere, or coming from elsewhere, so the good Metro connections at the new spot are important.

I do like the idea of street-side pick-up/drop-off and the fact that there are several location choices. If I had to go to the bus terminal I probably would not use these buses. Finally, this is the one good travel deal still out there. If we make the operators pay for the right to pick up passengers then users will suffer – and the people who use buses are often the ones who can least afford the increases!