Travel Washington Intercity Bus Plan Update
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Travel Washington Intercity Bus Plan Update Technical Memorandum #1 Inventory of Existing Services Draft Report July 5, 2018 Prepared for: Washington State Department of Transportation Public Transportation Division Prepared by: KFH Group, Inc. Seattle, Washington Bethesda, Maryland Technical Memorandum #1: Inventory of Existing Services Technical Memorandum #1 Inventory of Existing Services INTRODUCTION This technical memorandum presents an inventory of Washington’s existing intercity bus services. Additionally, intercity rail passenger routes that operate through the state are identified. EXISTING INTERCITY BUS SERVICES The intercity bus operators that serve Washington’s non‐urbanized and urbanized cities were 1 identified from Russell’s Official National Motor Coach Guide,0F the American Intercity Bus 2 Riders Association (AIBRA) national map of intercity services,,1 F and carrier and third‐party websites. Information collected included timetables, cities served, and web links to the route operator. Greyhound’s internal Revenue Support website provides current Greyhound timetable information, and was used to identify the Greyhound timetables, schedules, routes and stops in Washington. Greyhound’s online scheduling and booking service was also used to identify interlined services, such as Jefferson Lines. In addition, Washington’s Section 5311(f)‐funded intercity bus program, branded as Travel Washington, has current route, schedule and stop information for the funded services. Two of the contract operators of Travel Washington, Northwestern Trailways and Central Washington Airporter, operate unsubsidized schedules serving Washington. Finally, Amtrak utilizes some of the existing bus services as Amtrak Thruway bus connections, and contracts for some additional service, so the Amtrak national timetables and Amtrak staff were consulted to include these Amtrak services. Based on a review of the two databases, Greyhound’s website, and the Amtrak timetables four types of intercity bus services were identified: 1. Traditional (Legacy) Intercity Bus – Greyhound Lines Incorporated; Northwestern Trailways; Bellair Charters & Airporter; CanTrail; and Jefferson Lines 2. Rural Intercity Bus – Travel Washington (Section 5311(f)‐funded rural service) 3. Regional Intercity Bus – Link Transit; Community Transit; Grays Harbor Transit; Clallam Transit System; County Connector; Yakima‐Prosser Connector 1 Russell’s Official National Motor Coach Guide, Retrieved from http://www.russellsguides.com/ 2 American Intercity Bus Riders Association, Retrieved from http://www.kfhgroup.com/aibra/ Travel Washington Intercity Bus 1-1 Plan Update Technical Memorandum #1: Inventory of Existing Services 4. Long Distance “Curbside” Intercity Bus – Bolt Bus; Wheatland Express Figure 1‐1 presents a map of all of these services, listed by carrier. In addition, the text includes a separate summary of the Amtrak Thruway services, though most of the Amtrak Thruway bus services are also legacy or rural intercity bus services included in the inventory of existing services. Traditional (Legacy) Intercity Bus Greyhound Lines Incorporated Greyhound is the longstanding interstate bus service provider, connecting non‐urbanized and urbanized cities throughout the United States. Greyhound is the only national intercity bus provider in the U.S., and is now owned by FirstGroup PLC of the United Kingdom. Greyhound is a member of the National Bus Traffic Association (NBTA), which is the national clearinghouse for interline ticketing. Through these arrangements, member carriers can sell single tickets that provide for travel on the services of other member carriers. Greyhound service is distinguished by the fact that it has designated stops with terminals or commission agencies, many staffed by agents who sell tickets, handle bus package express, and provide information. This is contrasted with “curbside” operators which are discussed in a subsequent section. Information about Greyhound services is available through several sources: on their website https://www.greyhound.com/, through their telephone information system, in Russell’s Official National Motor Coach Guide, and at staff station ticket counters. Greyhound is currently responding to competition from long distance “curbside” intercity bus express operators by providing Greyhound Express service between major points within its network. Greyhound Express offers few intermediate stops in smaller towns, and buses are equipped with Wi‐Fi, plug‐in power outlets, and leather seating. In another effort to remain competitive, Greyhound offers three online fare categories, and one terminal fare. Table 1‐1 displays the conditions of the four fare categories. In Washington, Greyhound operates both express and local service. There are three timetables that offer service in or through Washington. Greyhound serves seventeen cities in Washington along interstate and major US highway routes, including I‐5, I‐90, I‐82, and US‐ 395, corridors which encompass much of Washington’s population. Table 1‐2 identifies Greyhound’s four stop types – transfer; regular; curbside; and partner. Travel Washington Intercity Bus 1-2 Plan Update Technical Memorandum #1: Inventory of Existing Services 1‐1: Washington Intercity Bus Routes and Station Stops Travel Washington Intercity Bus 1-3 Plan Update Technical Memorandum #1: Inventory of Existing Services Table 1‐1: Greyhound Fare Categories Figure Economy Economy Extra Flexible Terminal 1 checked bag free 1 checked bag free 2 checked bags free 1 checked bag free (2nd bag is $15) (2nd bag is $15) (2nd bag is $15) Non‐ refundable Non‐ refundable Refundable $20 fee to change $20 fee to change No fee to change date/time before trip date/time before trip date/time before trip date Earn 1 road reward Earn 2 road reward Earn 3 road reward Earn 1 road reward point each way points each way points each way point each way Priority boarding Priority boarding Free same day exchange Free same day exchange Source: Greyhound, 2017 Table 1‐2: Greyhound Washington Station Stops by Type Stop Type Description City Bellingham, Everett, Full service station with restrooms, seating and free Greyhound Station Seattle, Tacoma, Wi‐Fi Olympia, Pasco Curbside Stop Mostly a pick up or drop off, no staff or facilities Chelan, Colville, Kelso Brewster, Colfax, A service center, gas station or one of the Mount Vernon, Partner Station connecting company's bus stations Centralia, Moses Lake, Ellensburg, Spokane Source: Greyhound, 2018 For the three timetables, the routes that operate within Washington are identified and include cities served, number of round trips, and whether the bus operates express or local service. Unless otherwise noted, all services are operated daily. Travel Washington Intercity Bus 1-4 Plan Update Technical Memorandum #1: Inventory of Existing Services Timetable 601: Vancouver – Seattle – Portland (Oregon) Timetable 601 includes service between Seattle; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Portland, Oregon, including: Two local trips from Vancouver to Seattle One local trip from Vancouver through Seattle and Portland, and on to Los Angeles Two local trips from Seattle through Portland to Los Angeles Three local trips from Los Angeles through Portland and Seattle to Vancouver One Friday‐only local trip from Portland to Seattle Intermediate stops in Washington include Bellingham, Mount Vernon, and Everett—each with four daily round‐trips; Tacoma and Olympia—each with five daily round‐trips; and Centralia and Kelso—each with four round‐trips daily. Timetable 502: Spokane – Portland (Oregon) Timetable 502 includes one round trip per day between Spokane and Portland, Oregon, with intermediate stops in Pasco; The Dalles, Oregon; and Hood River, Oregon. Timetable 509: Missoula (Montana) – Spokane – Seattle Timetable 509 includes services between Seattle; Missoula, Montana; and Stanfield, Oregon: Two local round trips between Seattle and Missoula with intermediate stops in Ellensburg; Moses Lake; Spokane; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; and Kellogg, Idaho Two local round trips between Seattle and Stanfield, Oregon, with intermediate stops in Ellensburg, Yakima, Sunnyside, and Pasco Northwestern Trailways, Inc. Northwestern Trailways is an intercity coach service based in Spokane. Part of the Trailways Transportation System, the company operates two routes as Northwestern Trailways. These routes connect Spokane to both western Washington and the Palouse region of Washington and Idaho, and to Boise, Idaho. Northwestern Trailways also operates the Travel Washington Apple Line, which connects northern central Washington with the US‐2 and I‐90 corridors. Northwestern Trailways is an interline partner with Greyhound Lines; tickets may be purchased through Greyhound’s online ticketing system. As a member of the Trailways Transportation System, tickets are also available through the unified Trailways ticketing system. The Travel Washington online ticketing service also sells tickets for all routes operated by Northwestern Trailways. Travel Washington Intercity Bus 1-5 Plan Update Technical Memorandum #1: Inventory of Existing Services Table 1‐3 identifies the three stop types in Northwestern’s network. Table 1‐3: Northwestern Trailways Bus Stop Types Stop Type Description City Everett, Seattle, Primary stations that serve as a connection to other Transfer Station Spokane, Tacoma, transit services. Restrooms and ticketing available. Wenatchee Malott, Monroe, Okanogan, Omak, Orondo, Pateros, Curbside Stop Mostly a pick up or drop