Question about Chinatown bus lines up to/back from NYC

[xneverwherex]

My guess is as it gets closer to the date the bus is departing - if the bus isnt full they lower fares to get people on. I think with so many choices now - you almost have to. I wonder how much they charge tho at the gate (for all the real last minute fares). Not sure how it is in DC, but in NYC theres always a ton of people trying to get down that way.

Last time I got to DC on a $8 fare (not even booking it far in advance either).

this begs the question: how the hell do bus companies stay in business?  i can't believe that $8 a person pays for gas, staff, and the bus rent/loan.  poeple used to claim that chinatown busses could do $10 to $20 fares because they were money laundering fronts.  i can't beleive that greyhound and peter pan have gotten into the field too.

(why yes, i know it's a thread - but my name isn't jack)

[Jaguar]

I've always assumed that some entity like the Chamber Of Commerce, the city, or some other group somehow funneled money to the bus companies to get people into town. They know that once in town, they spend money, so it indirectly pays for the buses. Don't know about any of this though as it's purely speculation. Not sure, but I think the casinos do things like that to get them into places like Atlantic City.

[Vas Deferens]

This is for Megabus:

Exciting news! We're giving away 200,000 FREE seats for travel between Jan. 4 and March 1!! Use promo code GOFREE.

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

My guess is as it gets closer to the date the bus is departing - if the bus isnt full they lower fares to get people on. I think with so many choices now - you almost have to. I wonder how much they charge tho at the gate (for all the real last minute fares). Not sure how it is in DC, but in NYC theres always a ton of people trying to get down that way.

That's the conventional wisdom, but for Megabus, specifically, it's the opposite. The earlier you purchase, the cheaper. But the closer you get to departure, the more expensive, and THAT is where they make money. I take Megabus to get back and forth between NYC and DC all the time and only a handful of times have I ever been on a full bus. In mid October I went to NYC to visit a friend and took the 7 am bus from N Capitol and K. The bus was less than half full. Predicting such, I was really tempted to just show up for the bus at 7 am and say "Hey, I'll pay you $10 for one of your many empty seats on the bus." But I also had a feeling they'd say "we don't accept cash" or just flat out "no." Why they'd pass on $10 instead of having another empty seat is beyond me, but they have their ways of doing business.

[HoyaSaxa03]

Why they'd pass on $10 instead of having another empty seat is beyond me, but they have their ways of doing business.

you, sir, are an astute businessman

[sweetcell]

I was really tempted to just show up for the bus at 7 am and say "Hey, I'll pay you $10 for one of your many empty seats on the bus." But I also had a feeling they'd say "we don't accept cash" or just flat out "no." Why they'd pass on $10 instead of having another empty seat is beyond me, but they have their ways of doing business.

same reason airlines won't sell you an empty seat on a departing plane for cheap.

[Vas Deferens]

but you can upgrade for first class cheaper if they are available 

I was really tempted to just show up for the bus at 7 am and say "Hey, I'll pay you $10 for one of your many empty seats on the bus." But I also had a feeling they'd say "we don't accept cash" or just flat out "no." Why they'd pass on $10 instead of having another empty seat is beyond me, but they have their ways of doing business.

same reason airlines won't sell you an empty seat on a departing plane for cheap.

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

Why they'd pass on $10 instead of having another empty seat is beyond me, but they have their ways of doing business.

you, sir, are an astute businessman

I know. So why do you think they'd rather have the empty seat than take someone's $10? Is it because they just don't want people handling cash?

[HoyaSaxa03]

Why they'd pass on $10 instead of having another empty seat is beyond me, but they have their ways of doing business.

you, sir, are an astute businessman

I know. So why do you think they'd rather have the empty seat than take someone's $10? Is it because they just don't want people handling cash?

i doubt handling cash has much to do with it, more like basic business principles of not wanting to set a precedent of discounting/diluting your product