Buses have somehow received a bad reputation when compared to the relative independence of car travel. However, bus travel provides many wonderful benefits that should not be overlooked by travelers.

Group Travel

The convenience of group travel can’t be overstated. Travelers can talk to friends, family, and fellow travelers, while relaxing and watching the scenery. Groups can easily travel together, instead of having to go through the trouble of coordinating directions and travel time for each individual person. Bus travel takes the guesswork out of group travel, making it simple and enjoyable.

Safety

Bus transportation is an astounding 46 times safer than car travel. Bus travel is one of the safest options out there. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the average fatalities per 10 billion passenger miles are a mere three for bus travel, as opposed to 140 for auto travel. Buses also present similar statistics for airplane travel, citing six fatalities per 10 billion passenger miles, twice that of buses. Additionally, taking public transportation means that the number of cars and drivers on the road is far less, which translates to fewer accidents and less congestion.

Environmentally Friendly

Buses give off 80% less carbon monoxide fumes then do cars. That’s one huge reason to make the change to bus transport. Another is the reduction on imported oil. It’s estimated that if we incorporated bus travel into our daily travel, we’d – as a country – drastically cut back on oil dependence by an estimated 40%. Not only that but bus riders can help conserve natural resources. According to CNN, a bus is more environmentally effective than cars because buses often have many people on board, resulting in a high mile per gallon count per passenger, approximately 210 gallons a person.

Inexpensive

The previous point about the high fuel rate per person is also why bus travel is so darn inexpensive! Bus travel is much cheaper than car travel, especially when you factor in the cost of gas prices, garage parking, and car maintenance. For example, the wear and tear on your car from a 100-mile trip could completely be avoided by relying on bus travel.

Fuel Efficiency

Buses have the lowest BTU per passenger mile. What’s a BTU? A BTU stands for British thermal unit – the energetic intensity per passenger mile. Buses use almost 800 BTUs per passenger mile, while the BTUs of trains, planes, and cars are more than doubled, with trains using 2450, planes using over 4800, and cars using over 3600 BTUs, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Whether you’re interested in local travel or crossing the country, bus travel is clearly the most energy efficient, inexpensive, safe option currently available. Questions? Call ESCOT Bus Lines and hit the road with us.