City Life

For more than a century, intercity buses have connected communities in ways no other mode can. They reach small towns, rural areas, and regions untouched by airlines or passenger rail. They serve people from all walks of life, but they are especially vital for millions of Americans earning under $50,000 a year, as well as students, seniors, military personnel, people with disabilities, and travelers priced out of flying or owning a car.

Buses connect nearly 95,000 unique origin-and-destination pairs across the country, far more than any other long-distance mode. Yet they are routinely excluded from transportation planning and policy discussions and are underappreciated in public perception.

What is not widely recognized is that intercity buses are the most cost-effective, least subsidized, and most fuel-efficient mode of long-distance travel.