...Wyatt Olsen 2012 in Review...

Facebook - Wyatt Olsen in Review for 2012

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Chicago-to-Calgary - Greyhound

Nope ... You either need to go out to Detroit or out to Seattle. I haven't checked it thoroughly but a connection may be made via Indian Trails at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan but I am thinking it would require a cab ride to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

It's mind boggeling to know you have to travel so far to get across the border now. Bad news for the passenger (like my wife who has a fear of flying).

Regarding Sault Ste. Marie, Greyhound only went as far as Saint Ignace, Michigan and then according to October 2001 Russell's Guide, you paid $40 for a 51 mile trip to Sault Ste. marie, Michigan (plus the border crossing). Going west there was a company that ran between Duluth, Minnesota and Thunder Bay, Ontario, but the name escapes me at this time. The next crossing going west would have been between Fargo, North Dakota and Winnepeg, Manitoba (Jackrabbit ran this run, and after Jefferson got involved ran it, but for reason unknown to me dropped everything north of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Triangle Transportation also ran this route but had no Interline Ticketing agreement).


Next border crossing would have been Coutts, Alberta ans Sweetgrass, Montana. This has some interesting history and I will return to it.

The next two border crossings would be Spokane, Washington and Creston or Yahk, British Columbia (I think it was Yahk), and Wenatchee, Washington and Osoyoos, British Columbia. Both of these routes were run by Empire Trailways (NOT to be confused with Empire Trailways in New York, no affiliation what-so-ever).

The Seattle, Washington to Vancouver, British Columbia was run by Greyhound as well as Western Trailways, and later Quick Shuttle added service. During the strike of the 90's Greyhound Lines Canada ran this schedule for a short while.

Regarding Coutts/Sweetgrass ... Originaly Northland Greyhound ran this route out of Great Falls, Montana and perhaps to Lethbridge or Calgary, Alberta. South oot of Great Falla Greyhound had servive to Salt Lake City, Utah. For reasons I do not know Intermountain Transportation acquired this route but at the border, there was a change of busses with Greyhound Lines Canada, no through service. Intermountain went belly-up in the early 1990's and this was acquired by Rimrock Stages/Trailways.

A lot of ridership on the run were people traveling between Canada and las Vegas, neveada. it is my understanding Rimrock and Greyhound Canada canceled this run because of low ridership due to lower fares on the airlines. Rimrock Trailways continues to run south out of Great Falls and Greyhound Canada continues service to Lethbridge, Alberta

If anyone has any further anformation about Intarmountain Transportation Company it may worth a post. 

Thanks!

Published by Wyatt Olsen

_Greyhound Mishap _ Bangor _

No one hurt in Greyhound bus mishap — Bangor — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine

........" Bus Driver's Digest "........

             
                                     December 02, 2012  by Robert Moore

            I just learned that our local Casa Grande, Arizona  Greyhound stop almost became yet another scheduled stop that would be in the "No Longer Serviced" schedule column.  The only thing that saved it was the owner of the Chevron station on the corner of Arizona State Route 287 (Pinal Avenue) and Florence Boulevard, who agreed to take on the local Greyhound bus stop ticketing and baggage handling concession from its long time former location, whose lease had expired, and was not able to be renewed due to the sale of the building where the bus stop had been for nearly 30 years, just one block from the historic Southern Pacific train depot, built in 1939.

   Illegal immigrants broke into the fenced-off train depot, which had been set aside for a ground-up restoration; they built a fire inside, which got out of control and spread, collapsed the old roof and quickly destroyed the entire building. The Art Deco, Santa Fe styled depot was already on the Register of National Historic Places. The illegal immigrants were caught fleeing the building shortly after the fire had spread and completely engulfed the structure. It was a total loss. The 1939 depot had replaced the original train depot, which was built in the mid 1800s, when Casa Grande was known as "Terminal", and the small desert town was the end of the Southern Pacific's line, hence its name.

   Now, the buses stop in Casa Grande twice a day, one each going east and west, next to the fuel pumps under the Chevron station's canopy. It's the best we can do at this time. This location is just a couple of blocks away from the former bus stop site on Sacaton Street, just off of Main Street, near Florence Boulevard in Old Town Casa Grande.

   It is anyone's guess how long this scheduled stop in Casa Grande will survive. Coolidge, Arizona lost its Greyhound and Trailways stops years ago. Without the Casa Grande location, the nearest Greyhound bus stop is in Tucson to the east, or Mesa, Arizona, to the north, both about an hour's drive away from Casa Grande. Casa Grande is the only scheduled stop for Greyhound in all of Pinal County. This is pretty sad in my view, especially with it being 2012. The only other bus service Greyhound offers near me is the CoachLink bus service that is directly tied to AMTRAK east-west passenger train service at Maricopa, Arizona, along the Union Pacific's southern route across Arizona.  AMTRAK does not currently service the city of Phoenix directly. It once did service Phoenix Union Station downtown, along with the once-separate Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe/Burlington Northern Railway (ATSF/BNSF).  How time has changed everything!

    Click on the links below to access the images. The photo is of the westbound daily afternoon bus stopped at Casa Grande, headed toward Phoenix from Tucson, El Paso and points east. The bus pulled out just after I took this photo.  The video clip shows the bus pulling out onto northbound Pinal Avenue. The loud 'noise'  in the video is from a junky old Ford Ranger with no muffler being started near me, as I shot the video clip of Greyhound  'neoclassic'-painted MCI D4500 #6488's on-time scheduled departure toward Phoenix.  -MC-7 Rusty

...Megabus Las Vegas Express...

California and Nevada residents can now travel express to/from Los Angeles; San Francisco; Oakland, Calif.; Riverside, Calif.; Las Vegas; Sparks/Reno, Nev.; Sacramento, Calif.; and San Jose, Calif. for as low as $1 on megabus.com, with frequent daily service beginning December 12. “Express bus service from new hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles is another way megabus.com keeps Americans connected,” said Mike Alvich, megabus.com’s VP, marketing and public relations. "As California and Nevada residents continue to look for ways to stretch their dollar, megabus.com is committed to safe, affordable travel during this holiday season and beyond.”
To celebrate the new service, during first week of travel December 12 to 19, all tickets will be $1. Megabus.com always offers fares as low as $1, with many other affordable fares on all of its services.
“Megabus.com, which previously served West Coast residents in 2007-2008, has returned based on customer demand,” said Alvich.
More than 80 new jobs will be created with megabus.com’s expansion into Nevada and California.

 Published by Wyatt Olsen

Prevost ownership and lifestyle

PREVOST: Prevost forum, ownership and lifestyle, motorhomes

Greyhound Bus # 914 (animation)

New Prevost Bus X3-45 50 seaters

Decamp Albany NY Greyhound New Prevost Buses Bus X3-45 50 seaters WiFi comfort express bus service to NYC Montreal Canada to Albany NY to New York City www.photosfromonhigh.com

www.photosfromonhigh.com DALLAS, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- In its continued commitment to offering the best in leisure bus travel, Greyhound Lines, Inc., the largest North American provider of intercity bus transportation, today began unveiling its fleet of new buses designed to offer a more comfortable riding experience. The first of the 102 re-designed buses debuted on the company's New York to Montreal and New York to Toronto routes, with additional buses slated to begin appearing on the New York to Boston route by mid-April. Over time, Greyhound will replace the entire nationwide fleet. "More than an updated paint job, our new buses offer a truly upgraded experience for customers and a new way to sit back and experience the open road," said Dave Leach, president and chief executive officer, Greyhound Lines, Inc. "As the industry leader, Greyhound sets the bar for what bus travel should aspire to be, continuously evolving and innovating to offer the very best service."
The new buses will feature a sleek exterior of strong blue and premium silver colors, highlighting a new Greyhound logo. Inside, passengers will be delighted with the vast upgrades and amenities available onboard including extra legroom, free Wi-Fi access, power outlets and three-point seat belts.

Greyhound first ordered 33 Prevost X3-45 buses for its BoltBus service last year. The X3-45 is a high-end model in the Prevost line, similar to those used by entertainers and celebrities. The bus, which seats 50 passengers, provides Greyhound with the most environmentally friendly vehicle on the road, along with the comfort of a smooth ride.
The Golden Age of Bus Travel, Today

For nearly a century, Greyhound has been an American icon, providing safe, enjoyable and affordable travel to nearly 25 million passengers each year. To take the brand into the next century of service, Greyhound worked with its advertising agency of record, San Francisco Bay Area-based firm Butler, Shine, Stern and Partners (BSSP), to develop the new design.

Inspiration for the new bus design started with a look back at Greyhound's rich and recognizable design heritage from the early and mid-20th century, when the brand's signature colors and running dog were first introduced to underscore the adventure, luxury and efficiency of leisure bus travel. This "Golden Age of Bus Travel" era provided a launch point for not only updating the color palette and logo to modern tastes, but also improving the onboard amenities as well.
"Our iconic running dog is one of the most-recognized brands in the world," noted Leach. "With these new innovations, we are poised to strengthen the Greyhound brand in the minds of current customers, as well as introduce the convenience of bus travel to a new generation of passengers."
Continued Commitment to Innovation

The bus re-design is part of an on-going effort by Greyhound to improve the travel experience and modernize its service offerings. In 2005, it began a three-year $60 million initiative to enhance its buses, terminals and services from coast-to-coast. Greyhound upgraded its 125 facilities with new signage, fresh paint, renovated restroom facilities, plasma screen televisions and other improvements.
Over the next five years, Greyhound will continue to invest in the new fleet, with even more terminal upgrades and new driver uniforms, which will reflect the company's new brand identity. For more information about the new buses, visit www.greyhound.com.
About Greyhound

              Published by Wyatt Olsen

.....Driving Techniques Videos.....

Defensive Driving Techniques Videos

..Winter Driving Safety Video..

..How to Handle a Down Hill ..

...How to Drive on Ice or Snow...

...'38 International house car...

...Model Bus Collection Prevost..

....Neon Greyhound Bus Depot....

Obama signs Highway Safety Act

..Model Bus Collection Gallery..

Classic Greyhound SceniCruiser

Roundabouts for highway safety

Courtesy of The Greyhound Group

.....Driver's Ed Commentary.....

Courtesy of The Greyhound Group

..National Antique Show (2013)..

I am the organizer for the upcoming “Ghosts of Highway 61-Dixie Tour 2013” National Antique bus show – to be held at the restored former Greyhound terminal in Blytheville, Arkansas April 4-6, 2013. I recently became aware of a most unusual historic vehicle that I feel would be an outstanding display at the event.

Chuck Conrad of the Chalk Hill Media Museum located in Kilgore, Texas, has restored a rather amazing and truly rare vehicle. A 1949 Flxible DuMont Television “Telecruiser” (Model B, Number 101). This coach was sold new to KBTV Dallas channel 8 TV and was one of the very first mobile TV production vehicles ever built.  When new, it was outfitted with state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment of the time. This is believed to be the last survivor of twelve ever produced.

This Telecruiser is believed to have been used during part of ABC TV/WFAA coverage of the Kennedy assassination in Dallas.

Chuck has a large collection of vintage TV broadcasting equipment (cameras, etc.) that would make a very interesting display to accompany the Telecruiser coach.

Due to the untested reliability of the original Buick straight eight engine, Chuck feels more comfortable if the Telecruiser is treated as a static display. Therefore, it is necessary to transport the Telecruiser to events by truck. Chuck Conrad is the founder and President of Chalk Hill Educational Media, Inc., a not for profit 501 (c) (3) corporation museum established in 2000. Due to the limited financial resources of the group, we are asking for help from bus enthusiasts like YOU !

To donate please visit the Telecruiser website. Also see  fascinating history, archival photos, and cool  facts:

http://www.telecruiser.com/     

Please donate as much as you like toward the truck transport expenses for the Telecruiser. It will cost $5,000. to transport the Telecruiser round trip. Every dollar counts! Please send donations via credit card, etc. through Paypal  to:  dumonttelecruiser@yahoo.com or send donations payable to:

Chalk Hill Educational Media, Inc.

P.O. Box 1008

Kilgore, TX 75663

Please select “gift” within the Paypal menu, so the museum receives your full donation without any fees from Paypal. If the Paypal link from the Telecruiser site does not cooperate for you, just know that you can log into https://www.paypal.com/ to send your donation.

Every donor will receive a thank you letter for tax deduction purposes. Please send me your email or mailing address to receive such a letter.  tbonemcnally@hotmail.com

Please help us achieve this very worthy goal.  I feel the general public would love to have a chance to see such a historic vehicle up close. I will report back with updates on our progress! We can do this!

Thank you for your kind consideration. (Please see attached photos)

Tom McNally

Peoria, IL.

(309)253-2169

Attachment(s) from tom mcnally

3 of 3 Photo(s)

telecruiser.gif

telecruiser2.gif

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Canada Remembers

Canada Remembers Thank You for our Freedoms Lest we Forget We Salute You

....LifeStyles by Alpha Women....

 So many truckers and bikers stop at coffee spots, truck stops, donut shops, gas stations and they are often chatting with the waitresses, clerks or fellow truckers and bikers. I was disappointed many times, when in a group of non truckers or non bikers and because they do not know that I am one, they say judgmental remarks about 'our breed'. Yes, I call us a breed, a breed of people who do not limit ourselves to the boring lifestyles, those of us who take an adventurous, exciting approach to living life as a trucker or/and a biker.

 I rode a Greyhound Bus with these two drivers and they were very friendly and impressed with me being enroute to a trucking academy. They admire the many females who drive Greyhound buses. I admire them also.

Written by Alpha Woman

.....Scenicruiser Home Page.....

Scenicruiser Home Page

Tauck Tours Canadian Rockies

For More Info: > Canada Tour | Tauck World Discovery

Greyhound Bus in Prince George

 

Greyhound Looking to Dramatically Reduce Service in Prince George, B.C.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012 - 4:14 PM
By Julie O'Connor
Prince George, BC

Greyhound has proposed significantly reduced service around Prince George, and the city is not happy about it.
The bus company is looking to cut down their service to Prince George from 7 days a week to just one.
The company has noted that Northern Health's bus service for healthcare patients is taking away customers from them.
Mayor Shari Green has written a letter to the BC Passenger Transit Board.
"What my letter to the Passenger Transit Board says is work with the premier, work with the MLAs responsible, the ministers responsible for health, to figure out what the real crucks of the issue here is between these busing services. So get the right people in the room, figure it out, and I don't belive that they'll need to have a reduction in services as a result."
Green says Greyhound reducing service is an unacceptable option, as there's recommendations coming from the Highway of Tears symposium that talks about how critical it is to have a safe transit route along the Highway 16 corridor.
She says the transit board has now put an extension to the deadline for people to make written submissions to them, but they do charge a 50 dollar fee.

Nelson Star - Nelson woman preserves Greyhound’s past

Nelson Star - Nelson woman preserves Greyhound’s past 

...Megabuses New Innovation's ...

Full Time Bus/Trucks Drivers Job | Fort McMurray Online

Full Time Bus Drivers Job | Fort McMurray Online


 

....." The Bus Driver's Digest ".....

  

The Bus Driver and the Preacher

A Bus Driver and a Preacher died and went to Heaven at the same time. After checking in they were both given Mansions to live in. The Preacher's Mansion's was in the heart of the city, and the Bus Driver's Mansion sat on a hill overlooking the city, and was about three times larger than the Preacher's. The Preacher was very upset and went to the Lord and asked why the Bus Driver's Mansion was larger than his. Lord, I know I have served you better than this Bus Driver. Why is his Mansion larger than mine?? The Lord Replied, When you preached on Sunday, People slept Thur your sermon, but when the Bus Driver drove his bus-----------PEOPLE PRAYED!!!!!!! Charles