Passenger Trains > Amtrak Hiawatha Service Is Now A Bus

Starting Friday, Amtrak will temporarily replace train service between Milwaukee and Chicago with buses due to low ridership demand.Amtrak had already reduced train service on the Hiawatha line to two daily round trips, down from a regular schedule of seven round trips.

The Amtrak Thruway Bus service will serve as the two daily round trips and will serve all Amtrak stations on the Hiawatha service corridor except Glenview, Illinois. The bus substitution will be in effect through May 25, with train service expected to return on May 26.Over the last few weeks, the company has experienced a more than 90% decrease in ridership as well as a decline in future ticket purchases for the coming months, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Read more... https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/c/amtrak-to-use-buses-not-trains-on-hiawatha-line.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/20 10:39 by restricted_speed.

This isn't a good sign. If the National Railroad Passenger Corporation finds it's easier and cheaper to operate buses than its own trains I hate to see what's next.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/20 12:44 by DevalDragon.

People, this pandemic is temporary. With many jobs shut down and even the ones that are still open, people are very reluctant to take public transportation. If people have the option of working from home, then that's what's going to happen. This is not a good time to be traveling at all and the 90% plus ridership drop on Amtrak trains as well as commuter trains sums up the picture. The curve is flattening in many states but we still have a long way to go.

Right now buses are more viable on this route due to limited hwy traffic.  Ridership decline maybe to some extent is because  iseasier to drive and park and get to your final destination without a cab and bus.

Bob

Wonder how may seats on each bus they will block off and how many buses they will call for each frequency ?

Illinois and Wisconsin are willing to pay for this BUS? Or have they refused to pay and this is Amtrak's "National" substitute - and cheaper than the train? Pennsylvania got off the hook completely though with both Keystone service and the Pennsylvanian. So NOTHING is operating between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, other than SEPTA on Main Line redux. And how social distance friendly is the bus? I would think it's more "cramped" - regardless of how many passengers are aboard. Not sure how viable a bus between Chicago and Milwaukee really would be. Must be much longer than the train, so why even operate it all?

EDIT - Just to add, I think Amtrak should have cancelled the Hiawatha Service (like the Keystone service), and just let any existing buses or other public transportation fill the void - AS EVEN NECESSARY. People are supposed to be staying home and not travelling, so why be out at all? If you are an essential worker, more than likely you'd have a car. And if not, and employer REALLY wants you in to work, I am sure a creative solution can be had. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/20 15:02 by jp1822.

My guess is that the bus will be empty. Two days in a row there have been zero passengers in Glenview on and off the train at that station. It would be interesting to find out how many people travel Chicago-Milwaukee and Mikwaukee-Chicago. 

Unless the Amtrak reservation page is lying, it appears that the Empire Builder is making the intermediate stops between MKE and CHI and allowing boarding and disembarking both directions and so there is still one train available.

If you've ever wanted to travel directly from Wishram to the Milwaukee Airport, now's your chance.

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And how social distance friendly
> is the bus? I would think it's more "cramped" -
> regardless of how many passengers are aboard.

===========================================

It's another agency, but out in the San Francisco area, Golden Gate Transit is limiting each 40-foot bus to eight passengers.  Its 45-foot buses are permitted ten.  After that total is reached, no more passengers are accepted. 

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> EDIT - Just to add, I think Amtrak should have
> cancelled the Hiawatha Service (like the Keystone
> service)...

Again:  In Pennsylvania, Amtrak did not cancel the Keystone service.  The STATE did.  Amtrak is only a contractor and if the State doesn't want them to run...at least between Harrisburg and Philadelphia...they don't run.

NJT is limited to 50% of train or bus capacity. Various bus seats are roped off. Transit type buses - rear door only.
Good thing there are no more GM & Flxible Fishbowls with push-open exit doors.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jp1822 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > EDIT - Just to add, I think Amtrak should have
> > cancelled the Hiawatha Service (like the
> Keystone
> > service)...
>
> Again:  In Pennsylvania, Amtrak did not cancel
> the Keystone service.  The STATE did.  Amtrak is
> only a contractor and if the State doesn't want
> them to run...at least between Harrisburg and
> Philadelphia...they don't run.

YES, I totally understand that and have followed both the Keystone Service, Pennsylvanian Service, and Pennsylvania's funding level to passenger rail service. I am very well aware of what trains are funded by the States - and I think all of them have done curtailments of service. I answer and make that assumption quickly, so no judging!!!  

I had made an assumption about who may be funding the bus service along with another assumption, and SHOULD have written the following:

I think the Hiawatha service should have been cancelled, just like the Keystone service.  

yorknl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Unless the Amtrak reservation page is lying, it
> appears that the Empire Builder is making the
> intermediate stops between MKE and CHI and
> allowing boarding and disembarking both directions
> and so there is still one train available.
>
> If you've ever wanted to travel directly from
> Wishram to the Milwaukee Airport, now's your
> chance.



The Builder has been serving those intermediate stops for weeks. Even so, there are few if any passengers at all between them. I’m not even sure why there is a bus being run.

sethamtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> yorknl Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Unless the Amtrak reservation page is lying, it
> > appears that the Empire Builder is making the
> > intermediate stops between MKE and CHI and
> > allowing boarding and disembarking both
> directions
> > and so there is still one train available.
> >
> > If you've ever wanted to travel directly from
> > Wishram to the Milwaukee Airport, now's your
> > chance.
>
>
>
> The Builder has been serving those intermediate
> stops for weeks. Even so, there are few if any
> passengers at all between them. I’m not even
> sure why there is a bus being run.

Exactly - I would agree. Hopefully Amtrak is not paying for this "bus" as part of a way to preserve the national system in some sort of way. Since the Empire Builder is already operating onthe route - have it stop along the way. Not the purpose of this "national system" train normally, but under current circumstances - it will work!

Essential workers need a reliable and useful schedule. A middle of the day train, the eastbound being on the end of its 2,000 mile trip is not reliable transportation. 

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pennsylvania got off the hook
> completely though with both Keystone service and
> the Pennsylvanian. So NOTHING is operating between
> Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, other than SEPTA on
> Main Line redux.

Greyhound's website not only shows Pittsburgh - Philadelphia service, but additional service via Altoona and Harrisburg. 

Why didn't you check Greyhound's website before making that comment?

Greyhound is offering the following to essential personnel:

We are offering 2 free* one-way Road Rewards tickets to those individuals who are traveling from their home to a city or town that needs additional support during the COVID-19 outbreak.  Currently serving over 1,000 destinations throughout the country, we have a unique ability to help get volunteers where they need to be.If you’re a doctor, nurse, paramedic, EMT, medical technician, firefighter, member of law enforcement or mortician volunteering and needing to travel to your volunteer site, simply follow the steps below...

And how social distance friendly
> is the bus? I would think it's more "cramped" -
> regardless of how many passengers are aboard. Not
> sure how viable a bus between Chicago and
> Milwaukee really would be. Must be much longer
> than the train, so why even operate it all?

Amtrak's website shows a bus shedule of 119 minutes for a substitute bus.  Hiawatha service is 89 minutes.  Not sure, in the context of Covid-19 inconveniences, that I would agree that an extra 1/2 hour constitutes a "much longer" trip. 

> If you are an essential worker, more than likely you'd
> have a car. And if not, and employer REALLY wants
> you in to work, I am sure a creative solution can
> be had. 

Those two comments are arrogant and incredibly presumptuous.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/20 16:53 by RuleG.

There's alway a Regional train from Philly to DC and the Capitol Ltd.