That’s why Parks, 27, says he recently switched from taking the Washington-bound Chinatown bus to the new BoltBus, a joint venture between industry leaders Greyhound and Peter Pan that began operations in March. Spurred partly by the soaring cost of taking the car on that weekend road trip, bus ridership is up across the country for the first time in 50 years — a 13% increase this year compared with 2006, according to a DePaul University study. More than a cheap ride, the vehicles feature amenities unheard of on traditional bus lines — including real flush toilets, wider seats and power outlets for all. There are no print or billboard ads; marketing is largely word-of-mouth — Parks learned about it from his girlfriend in New York, whom he takes the bus to visit from D. But that has been largely offset by the boost in ridership — so even though fuel is the second highest cost after salaries, the high cost of gas has not hit the bus companies as severely as it has the airlines. Parks wound up spending $25 for his BoltBus trip, because he paid the driver in cash as he boarded — more than the $20 he normally pays for the Lucky Star bus from Chinatown. read more

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