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For many, the bus is the ticket
Published Friday, June 27, 2008
Jelisa Seals and Ty’tania Hill watch for the Greyhound bus at Olson Oil Card Express in Fergus Falls Tuesday.
Jewell Moss, Jelisa Seals and Ty’tania Hill know what it’s like to sacrifice comfort in the name of affordable transportation.
The Perham sisters sat Tuesday at the Fergus Falls Greyhound Station, located inside Olson Oil Card Express on Lincoln Avenue, preparing themselves for a two-day bus ride — destination Mississippi.
They weren’t thrilled about the long ride, which includes a number of stops and lay-overs, but because of the high price of gas, Seals said putting up with a few uncomfortable days aboard a bus was their best bet.
The round trip bus ticket put them back $300 per person. Flying, they said, wasn’t even an option. One round-trip flight between Minneapolis and Mississippi would have cost them around $900 a head.
The girls had missed the first bus for the day, and were waiting for the station’s second daily bus to Minneapolis.
Up until mid-May, the station only saw two busses each day: One to Fargo and one to Minneapolis. Now, because of an influx in passengers over the past few months, Greyhound services to the area have doubled.
“We’ve seen a lot more (people),” said store manager, Sandy Kutze. “With gas prices, people are catching the bus.”
In April, Greyhound tickets throughout the nation increased in price by three percent across the board. The increases, said Greyhound spokesperson Eric Wesley, take part from time to time, and have little to do with gas prices.
“It (gas) doesn’t have a huge effect on prices,” Wesley said.
That’s because gas prices make up 10 percent of Greyhound’s total costs. More substantial are the costs of station maintenance and employment packages.
The average price from city to city runs around $45 one-way. Transportation from Fergus Falls to Minneapolis is currently running at $43 for a one-way ticket and $86 for a round-trip. Tickets from Fergus Falls to Fargo run at $16.50 one-way and $33 round-trip.
Gas prices will remain high throughout the summer but bus rates will remain steady.
“There are no increases planned for the near future at this point,” Wesley said.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by Newshound (anonymous) on June 27, 2008 at 4:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Okay, here's a little insight into Greyhound Bus service. Bought a ticket on line. When check out came I had been charged $18 for a "gift ticket", I guess since the passenger name not same as mine. Bus day. Bus two hours = late, making Twin City connection impossible to travel farther south. Called in second day. Bus two hours late again. When bus finally DID arrive NO SEAT for the passenger who canceled the day before due to no connection in MSP. Tried to get refund. Ladies say "Sorry, but we just don't have any Greyhound refund money here."
Okay. Go online for refund. Complete form. Get reply from Company in Dallas that they will "....try to get back to you in 7-14 days to get a refund form for you."
Can you believe this! Okay Greyhound. We tried. Sad part is Greyhound could really be building its business like crazy at this particular time. Not THIS way they won't.
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