Where do Megabuses come from?

The back of the Megabus!

Well, I did go to New York again.  And I took the Megabus from the Baltimore stop in White Marsh.  I bought two round trips — one for today (April 9th) and the other for May 17th.  The fare for both of these trips was $4.50 — a dollar for each of the trips and a fifty cent booking fee.

Once again, the journey went without a hitch.  The ride out was on time and everything was fine.  I had the seat just behind the driver, which is the one I prefer.  On the way back, I sat in the front row at the top, which was fine too.

I am going to keep reporting on these trips because, at these prices, it really does seem too good to be true.  But it really works, and it is such a delight to be able to visit New York frequently.  My only problem with the Megabus is when you show up at Penn Station to come back, everything seems a bit chaotic, and it can be a bit miserable waiting around in the crowds particularly if it is cold or rainy.  But it always seems to work out in the end.

I like taking these trips to New York so much that I have booked a trip every single month from now until September!

Megabus leaving New York with the Empire State Building in the background

Today, I became a bit curious about where these splendid machines come from.  I wondered how much they cost and that is what I decided to find out.

Entering the Lincoln Tunnel

They are made by a Belgian company called Van Hool.  The model is the TD925 Astromega USA.  There is a TD925 Astromega that is made for European market.  As far as I can tell, the American model is pretty much the same except that it is equipped to comply with US laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act.  And in case you’re thinking of getting one, the cost is $615, 000.  Investing abour $10 million, Megabus bought 18 of them.

Just like cars. the TD925 comes with all sorts of options.  The specification chosen by Megabus has 59 seats upstairs and 22 on the lower deck.  It is powered a Cummins ISM07 engine that generates 450 bhp.  On the lower deck, wheelchair riders can be accommodated by sliding the seats forward.  The gear box is a 12-speed automatic, and the buses also feature ABS.  There are power outlets all over the bus and Wi-Fi.  There are two staircases and a toilet.

I noticed that an option on the European version was an elevator (lift).  That sounds like a lot of fun!.

Before buying these buses, Megabus commissioned engineers at the University of Michigan to do a study to make sure that they were safe enough in terms of their ability to tilt.  According to Wikipedia, there have been a couple of accidents with these buses, but I don’t think a Megabus has never toppled over.