Supporting Passenger Mobility and Choice by Breaking Modal Stovepipes: Comparing Amtrak and Motorcoach Service

In this report, the authors compare costs associated with twenty trips that can be taken between U.S. city pairs on both an Amtrak train and a scheduled intercity motorcoach bus. They focus specifically on customer costs, including fare and travel time, and societal costs, which include government subsidies and air emissions. Among the many findings, the authors highlight that more schedule options exist when traveling by bus than by train; for most trips, the minimum advanced purchase fares are lower for bus than for train; and the average impact of motorcoach service on air quality is lower than that of Amtrak.

• Record URL:
  http://reason.org/files/comparing_buses_amtrak.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  M.J. Bradley & Associates, Incorporated

  1000 Elm Street, 2nd Floor
  Manchester, NH  United States  03101
• Authors:
  • Lowell, Dana
  • Seamonds, David
• Publication Date: 2013-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References;
• Pagination: 34p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Bus transportation; Costs; Environmental impacts; Fares; Intercity transportation; Mobility; Mode choice; Passenger trains; Travel modes; Travel time
• Identifier Terms: Amtrak
• Subject Areas: Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Railroads; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01491563
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 13 2013 4:09PM