Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

New models come equipped with three-point passenger seat belts, wheelchair lifts, Wi-Fi, 110-volt and power outlets, GPS and Saucon Asset Tracking systems. Electronic stability control, SmarTire and a fire suppression system are standard safety features.

Dallas, Houston; and San Antonio residents can now travel to five cities: Austin, Texas; Norman, Okla.; Memphis, Tenn.; Little Rock, Ark.; and New Orleans for as low as $1.

The Green Highway Award, established in 2008 and sponsored by Motor Coach Industries, recognizes companies that demonstrate organizational leadership in reducing carbon emissions. The award was presented to Coach USA because of its dedication to fuel conservation and idling reduction policies, recycling programs and facilities management.

Available for travel from Jan. 4 to March 1, 2012, to and from megabus.com’s U.S. cities and Toronto.

NJ Transit and Coach USA will see a jump from $4 to $10 on all three Hudson River crossings. Officials say the increase is needed to cope with financial setbacks and complete multiple projects.

Principals from all three companies participated in a signing ceremony highlighting a key trade agreement between Coach USA and Van Hool.

State College has been served by Megabus, an affiliate of Coach USA, since May 2010. Megabus responded to several requests to establish a stop at the campus.

The carrier’s Van Hools feature Cummins ISM engines and ZF 12 speed Astronic transmissions. Safety equipment includes passenger seat belts, SmarTire monitoring, Kidde fire suppression systems, an upper deck monitoring camera and a Saucon GPS system.

Passengers can begin booking travel at www.megabus.com for May 4 and beyond from newly added cities Pittsburgh and State College, Penn., Des Moines, Iowa and Iowa City, Iowa.

The Coach USA order includes 27 J4500s and 13 D4505s that will be used for operations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and five J4500s for its Coach Canada operations.