03/03/2008
- Growing budget coach service offers $1 fares from four new Midwest cities
- Online booking engine attracts more than 750,000 US customers
Stagecoach Group is expanding its megabus.com budget coach operation in the United States with the addition of four new locations to its Midwest network.
Daily megabus.com services will run to and from Champaign, Illinois; Columbia, Missouri; Madison, Wisconsin; and Memphis, Tennessee from 13 March and passengers can already book trips online at www.megabus.com.
Since its launch in the United States in April 2006, megabus.com has welcomed on board more than 750,000 passengers, offering fares from as low as $1.
The budget express coach service operates daily services between its hub in Chicago and 16 other Midwest cities, including Ann Arbor, Mich.; Bloomington-Normal, Ill.; Chicago; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; Milwaukee; Minneapolis; St. Louis and Toledo, Ohio.
In August last year, megabus.com launched a major new West Coast hub, allowing passengers to travel from Los Angeles to six major cities, including Las Vegas, Oakland, Phoenix/Tempe, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose.
Dale Moser, President and Chief Operating Officer of megabus.com, said: "This latest expansion will provide more travellers the opportunity to experience megabus.com's popular and affordable city-to-city service.
"Because bus travel is more than four times as energy-efficient as car or airline travel, megabus.com is fast becoming the alternative of choice for those concerned about our nation's energy and environmental challenges.”
He added that one megabus.com coach filled to capacity, removing 56 cars from the road, would save 3,850 fewer pounds of carbon emissions for every 100 miles travelled.
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.
megabus.com is a secure e-commerce site, which is accessible in both English and Spanish and provides full information on arrival and departure times. Passengers can quickly book their travel and purchase tickets from the comfort of their home, office or wireless handheld device.ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Steven 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 www.megabus.com.
