In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry
TRANSPORT PUBLIC SERVICES * USA - * NY: Tour Bus Companies Agree to Settle Antitrust Lawsuit - * California: Luxury bus services in S.F. - * PA: Talking buses
* New York - Two of City’s biggest tour bus operators have agreed to pay $7.5 million and give up nearly 50 of their stops in Manhattan to settle an antitrust lawsuit brought by state and federal officials
-- The proposed settlement, announced on Monday night by the Justice Department and the New York attorney general, could reshape an industry that officials said the two companies, City Sights and Gray Line New York, effectively monopolized after forming a joint venture called Twin America... The companies’ double-decker buses can seem ubiquitous in many parts of Manhattan, and for many visitors, a ride on one is a requisite part of the tourist experience... As part of the agreement with officials, Twin America must give up nearly 50 stops in Manhattan, creating slots for other tour bus companies to stop near popular tourist destinations, including Times Square and the Empire State Building. The companies also agreed to pay $7.5 million in profits they made from operating together. The money will be split between the state and federal governments...
(Photo Credit Kirsten Luce for The New York Times - A Gray Line tour bus in Times Square. A suit filed by state and federal officials said City Sights and Gray Line New York created a joint venture to eliminate competition and push up prices) -- New York, NY, USA -The NY Times, by EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS - MARCH 16, 2015
* California - 'Leap' luxury bus service launches in San Francisco
-- Leap luxury bus service will now run from San Francisco's Marina District to the downtown... Leather seats inside the Leap bus, along with leather seats, Leap buses also have Wi-Fi, and passengers can buy snacks on board the Leap bus... It's being described as a blend of a coffee shop, work space and living room... Starting Wednesday, four buses will run during the morning and evening commute... It has eight stops on the route from the Marina District on Lombard Street to the downtown... And you pay for everything on your app... Single rides are $6, but it can drop to less than $4 if you buy in bulk or use pre-tax commuter benefits... Leap says you won't have to wait at the bus stop. You can see where the next bus is on your app and if a seat is available... Leap expects more people to jump on if the early adopters are impressed...
(Photo: Uber, Lyft and other ridesharing companies have grabbed a lot of attention, but now, a new bus service called Leap is jumping into San Francisco's transportation game) -- San Francisco, CAL, USA - KGO, by Matt Keller - March 18, 2015
* Pennsylvania - SEPTA unveils talking buses in an effort to keep pedestrians safe
-- In an age when smartphones are many people's lifeline - and walking without talking on the phone, listening to music or checking email is a rarity, SEPTA is doing its best to keep distracted commuters safe... One way the transportation company is doing so, is with the unveiling of the talking bus -- complete with an alert system that audibly and visually warns pedestrians that the bus is turning... The warning systems have been installed in 12 SEPTA buses in the city so far as part of the pilot program. SEPTA officials will ride on these buses to access the alert system's effectiveness... The Safe Turn Program is an extensions of SEPTA's Distracted Commuter Awareness Program launched last year...
(Photo: The new "Safe Turn Alert System" will audibly warn passengers when a SEPTA bus is making a turn) -- Philadelphia, PA, USA - NBC Philadelphia, by Kelly Bayliss- Mar 17, 2015Labels: public transport USA
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