Why not connect commuter agencies end to end?

Supposedly the Connecticut DOT is pitching the idea of operating trains into Rhode Island (at least as far as North Kingstown) so eventually it may be relatively easy to go from boston to New York City without Amtrak...

Personally, I think Amtrak should operate a cheap service. Reserved seating only (to ensure that no unhappy customers find themselves in a cruddy seat), five-wide, and minimal amenities would very possibly be popular, and compete in a different market than the Acela and Regional as-is. At least one can get up and walk around a railcar, unlike a Megabus or one of the fabled Chinatown buses. Likewise, they ought to offer this sort of service around the country, where there are useful city pairs no more than 10 hours apart. Then again, I'm also a poor collegiate type with more time than money.

However, I see no reason why a commuter agency should compete with Amtrak over its own turf. Given that Amtrak, a quasi-governmental agency, is already attempting to compete with private (airline and bus) companies, and also considering that those private companies have fairly low fares, they ought to be the ONLY ones competing with them.

RailBus63 wrote:New England already has an interurban mass transit service:

Don't forget this one

NE2 wrote:

RailBus63 wrote:New England already has an interurban mass transit service:

Don't forget this one

Strange that these two outfits are mentioned on here. I am going to be in Connecticut next month and as a side trip, I will
be taking the train from New Haven to Boston. I haven't been to Cape Cod for many years so I thought a bus trip from
Boston to Hyannis and then return to Providence might be interesting. I priced the two trips and was not impressed with
either the fares nor the level of service especially between Hyannis and Providence on Peter Pan. Hyannis is about the
same distance from both Boston and Providence but Peter Pan charges $29.00 one way with a 5 per cent discount for a
senior. I thought this was kind of high considering that the fare on P & B between Boston and Hyannis was $16.00 with a
senior discount.
I may still do this trip but if I do, I will simply drive over from Berlin, Connecticut where I will be for a week or two.
OH, I think these two outfits might be the only bus lines involved in the two routes so with no competetion, I guess they
are free to charge what the market will bear. Not for me, I will drive.
Noel Weaver

v8interceptor wrote:Supposedly the Connecticut DOT is pitching the idea of operating trains into Rhode Island (at least as far as North Kingstown) so eventually it may be relatively easy to go from boston to New York City without Amtrak...

Only if an eight or nine-hour trip in non-reclining commuter seats over three carriers qualifies as ‘easy’.