ABA report: People like taking the bus

WASHINGTON -- More people travel by motorcoach than by airplane or by intercity or commuter trains, according to a new study conducted for the American Bus Association.

At least 860 million people travel by motorcoach each year in North America. Of that, some 774 million travel within the U.S. by motorcoach, compared to 568 million carried by airlines and 377 million who take the train.

ABA said the Motorcoach 2000 Census report, compiled by R.L. Banks and Associates, is the first of its kind. Roughly 1,000 bus companies participated in the study, as did another 1,030 companies that are related to motorcoach travel.

"When it comes to carrying America's travelers, motorcoaches are way ahead of the pack," said ABA president Peter Pantuso. "Until now, the motorcoach's central role in connecting America's communities has gone unreported and thus unrecognized," said Pantuso.

"This report shows that more Americans depend on motorcoaches than on any other mode of commercial passenger travel."

The study provided the following information:

The rest, the study noted, are used for tours, private commuters, airport shuttles, sightseeing and contract commuters.

A total of 320 companies are medium-sized, operating between 25 to 99 buses each, and about 50 are large companies with 100 buses or more on the road.

Significantly, the study noted that motorcoaches are fuel-efficient. For instance, motorcoaches average about 5.5 miles per gallon as they carry 30 to 50 passengers or, at least, 165 passenger-miles per gallon.

In 1999, motorcoaches traveled over 2.5 billion miles.

"This report shows that more Americans depend on motorcoaches than on any other mode of commercial passenger travel," Pantuso said.