BoltBus fleet has free Wi-Fi, power in every seat
A new bus service called "BoltBus" offers free Wi-Fi an power outlets in all its vehicles. I just looked up the rate from New York to Boston (my most typical bus trip) and it's twice as much as the Chinatown options...which leaves it at a very affordable $20. I'd gladly pay $10 extra for Wi-Fi through the whole trip, even if it is likely just a 3G or satellite connection split between everyone on the bus.
BoltBus currently services New York, Boston, Philly, and D.C.
Company Page [Boltbus.com via Geeksugar]
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Apparently a division of Greyhound, which is an affiliate of First Group. Hopefully this will be extended to the rest of the fleet over the years. Maybe by 2050.
I like your bait and switch:
I really thought it was going to be ridiculously expensive. Too bad I live in the an oasis that's surrounded for a 1000 miles on all sides by wasteland cities that I have no desire to visit on the bus.
And wouldn't 3G split between 40 people be unusable? Especially when one jerkwad decides to update is mp3 collection on the trip.
I've seen these barreling along I-84 in CT, on the NYC->Boston runs.
They seem to use the same buses and drive with about the same level of insanity as the Chinatown Buses. I was impressed to see them running two-bus convoys at peak hours. Greyhound seems to have expended a lot of effort to get into this market, I hope they keep it up and don't let it slowly fester and die like so much of their plans.
I took this bus a couple times in the past month or so. I wrote a quick review of it:
http://lanewinfield.com/2008/05/04/review-of-bolt-bus/
Overall, it's been a great experience with a decently speedy internet connection.
Where are you getting Chinatown bus trips for $10? I haven't seen them that cheap in years -- I usually have to pay $15 or $20.
I'm not sure if they're still doing this, but you can actually get tickets as low as $1 if you book far enough in advance. And then tickets get progressively more expensive as more people book seats/the date gets closer to the departure date.
Wish these were rolling around Seattle. With the green movement in swing, I really wish the city governments would sweeten the pot a little for people willing to ditch their cars for public transportation.
Just took the BoltBus a few weeks ago, from Beantown to NYC, and it took 6.5 hours. Just a heads up: it may be painted in hipper colors and have Wifi...but it's still a bus. Just FYI.
-Joe Alterio
We took this from NYC to DC a couple of months ago, and the internet was great for the first half hour, then completely stopped working for the rest of the trip. The driver, of course, could do nothing to fix it beyond call somebody. It is entertaining to watch people trying to connect repeatedly for hours though.
On a few select express bus routes, my local bus service offers free wireless Internet to commuters. It's only on the extra-long articulated buses, though, and I assume that it's 3G-based. It is, however, rather low latency and rather high-speed for everything but video.
It's really nice, as a student who commutes a half-hour to University each day (and back).
My local bus authority actually provides free WiFi on certain express bus routes. I assume that it's 3G or the like, but it's very low latency. It's also good for just about everything except video.
http://www.spokanetransit.com
It's nice, as I spend a half-hour each way in commute to-and-from University each day. I do need a smaller laptop, though — more like the eeePC; my MacBook is just too big.
(I thought I had already posted this, but my comment seemed to disappear).
This is cool, now everybody can bring their laptop with them. How's the speed anyway?
Stumbled!
nhick
http://www.itrush.com
The Foothill Transit buses that go from San Gabriel Valley to downtown Los Angeles have wifi stickers on them, and my EeePC picked up a signal as one went past. Haven't ridden one, though, so I can't tell you if they have power outlets.
"...and my EeePC picked up a signal as one went past."
Kinda puts a whole different spin on the term 'war-driving'.
(Sorry, I couldn't resist!)
But does it burst into flames?
Riders Flee bus fire on NYC run
If you ever need transportation between Detroit Airport and some of the local small towns (Ann Arbor, Jackson, and ... Flint, maybe? I'm not sure), there's a company called Michigan Flyer that gets you there with internet access for $10 each way. Much pricier than a New York-Boston leg, of course, but for the area it's dead cheap.
Looks an awful lot like the British Union of Fascists flag. Kind of a dead ringer actually.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:British_Union_of_Fascists_flag.ant.svg
I'm sure that's unintentional but you would think the designer would have checked. Lightning bolts are pretty common on the far right.
Big deal. Call me when a Bolt breaks the 100m world record. Oh, wait.
I just took Coach's offering, Megabus, from Boston to NYC and then NYC to philly. Not bad at all. Service seems on par with Bolt Bus and they are currently running a promo where you can get a round trip for 50 cents to any of the locations they serve!
Check it out: http://www.megabus.com/
Forgot to mention, they do the whole free WiFi thing as well!