BusTalk

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From: "THE GREYHOUND STORY" (Schisgall)......

"......this resulted in an agreement that GREYHOUND would ship 40 used buses to Korea, to be operated by Koreans as a joint venture with GREYHOUND. This arrangement proved initially successful, one of the reasons was the efficiency of Korean mechanics, who kept the buses in immaculate condition, matching the skill of their American counterparts......"

".......in another category of subsidiary problems was the Korean venture in bus operations. Uncertainties of exchange rates and political changes, in a business 12,000 miles from Phoenix, finally eroded a good deal of GREYHOUND's enthusiasm for the operation......."

".....this international operation was profitable enough; but, when a suitable offer was made, GREYHOUND sold the operation to Korean interests $3.5 million dollars......"

[traildriver]

As stated, Korea Greyhound was related to The Greyhound Corporation. And so was Vavo Greyhound, a Dutch operation...

Here is a capsule history of The Greyhound Corporation that I have not seen previously...published by accounting firm, Touche, Ross, and Co. And done in 1968...just prior to Greyhound more than doubling in size after its leveraged buyout and merger with Armour-Dial...there is mention of Vavo Greyhound...
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1463&context=dl_tr

More on Vavo...
https://www.britishcommercialvehiclemuseum.com/product/aec-regal-vi-vavo-greyhound-aep34892a/

We've already made note of the Aramco Greyhound operation to transport oil field workers in Saudi Arabia, with those modified MC-5's.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

Appreciate these links; I will indeed enjoy "sinking my teeth" into them later this evening!

Brief mention should also be made of GREYHOUND's brief foray into Nigeria*, which, sadly, was not successful at all.

Whenever a parked bus was left unwatched overnight, its tires disappeared, its batteries were stolen, and every moveable item was taken away.

Thievery was so rampant, that, within months, the Nigerian operations had to be abandoned; this brief mention is from "THE GREYHOUND STORY" (Schisgall)

No mention of what model buses were used in this short-lived venture........

"NYO"

*Oddly, no mention whatsoever about the unsuccessful Nigerian operations in Carlton Jackon's "Hounds Of The Road".......

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*Interestingly, the first SCENICRUISER to travel overseas was #4374, an EGL PD-4501; GREYHOUND, as you already know, partnered with PAN AMERICAN WORLD AIRWAYS to promote travel to the USA.

The bus was shipped to Europe to embark on a 30-day promotional tour; the bus was painted in a special paint job that included both the GREYHOUND name and the PAN AM logo.

The coach was also fitted with interchangeable banners that were printed in different languages; this program, it was reported, was a huge success.

Once back home, this SCENICRUISER was used in a REYCO brake magazine ad, and, also, in an oversized GREYHOUND picture postcard......

"NYO"

*Info source: "GREYHOUND SCENICRUISER" (McNally/Rayman)

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traildriver:

You mentioned "VAVO".......

www.vavohistorie.nl/fotoboek.html

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Just did a little "extra" research, and came upon this interesting page (w/NEAT photos!!) of the "Spanish Scenicruiser" (Pegaso).........

https://www.curbsideclassic.com/bus-stop-classic/bus-stop-classics-1951-57-pegaso-z-403-monocasco-coach-spanish-scenicrusier/

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.....in the previous link, note the interesting comment made that the front end of the "PEGASO" resembled the rear of the 4106.......

"NYO"

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See also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegaso_Z-403

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Random views........

Today, in 2020, it is sad to think that was what was once the great "CONTINENTAL TRAILWAYS" system is no more, and that the "TRAILWAYS"" name itself now only represents a fragmented "system", with only regional companies carrying the "TRAILWAYS" name.

GREYHOUND, as we've discussed at length, has been shrinking almost by the week, in recent years.

Who ever thought that the day would come where what was once the nation's foremost intercity bus system would bcome but a mere skeleton of what it once was.

It is, in all honesty, impossible to "place the blame" on any one reason why GREYHOUND has declined so greatly, during the past few decades.

Changing demographics, deregulation, financial woes, competition for airlines and private autos, have all contributed to the downfall of GREYHOUND (AMTRAK, now ready to celebrate its 50th birthday, has not turned a profit in nearly five decades, and, like GREYHOUND, continues to axe routes and cut services)

I particularly feel for older folks, who live in the more rural areas (people who either do not drive, or own a car), who, though at one time, once enjoyed both rail and bus service, now have nothing, and must travel great distances to reach the nearest rail or bus line.

Given all this, one does not really care to speculate at just how much may disappear, in the coming years.......

"NYO"

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As AMTRAK is, of course, a Federal agency, we often hear in the news of what the future holds for the intercity passenger train operator, in a post-pandemic world.

Will AMTRAK eventually only retain the NEC operations, and simply end all non-NEC operations?

Certainly, as it is no secret that the freight lines over which AMTRAK trains run would not be too unhappy, given the fact they have long been known not to be overly fond of passenger trains on their rails.

As for GREYHOUND these days, one can only wonder what the future holds.

IMHO, if I heard on the news that GREYHOUND finally folded, I would, sadly, not be the least bit surprised.

One cannot help but wonder, especially in the wake of widespread deregulation in past years, why an AMTRAK-like agency was nver created, to operate not only the former GREYHOUND routes, but also, whatever remains of intercity routes which were/are operated by private carriers......

"NYO"

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All:

Given today's ongoing "social distancing" procedures, one cannot help but wonder if today's current health crises might affect intercity bus travel in the future; by this, I mean would bus builders now have to design buses with less seating? Staggered seating? Interior partitions?

With large highway coaches, operating with "a-less-than-capacity" load (restricted seating) might be one way to handle social distancing, within the confines of a public vehicle.

Too, one cannot help but wonder how the current COVID-19 might affect the ventilation/air-conditioning systems on future bus orders.

I'm sure that there are many challenges that will have to addressed....

"NYO"

[traildriver]

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traildriver:

Your reply was quite brief, but, nonetheless, spoke volumes.

If "pols" care virtually nothing for intercity rail passenger service, rest assured they care even less about what's left of the once-vast intercity bus network.

AMTRAK, at it's best(??) has pretty much existed day-to-day, hand-to-mouth through the past several decades; GREYHOUND (and intercity bus travel in general) is indeed the proverbial "red-headed stepchild".

What with the airlines now facing massive cuts and layoffs, it's anyone's guess as to what the future holds for AMTRAK, and also, the buses......

"NYO"

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A sobering thought......

Compare a map from a circa-1960's RUSSELL'S GUIDE, showing the vast, extensive, national network of the intercity bus routes (and their respective companies) then in use.

Now, look at what remains today.......it's NOT a pretty picture, by ANY means......

"NYO"

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IF and WHEN the once-great GREYHOUND leaves the scene, and disappears into history:

1:

What will happen to the current routes now being operated?

2:

Will other operators step in to "pick the bones", only to further consolidate and retreat even further?

3:

Could, possibly (as I'd mentioned earlier), an AMTRAK-type operation take over the routes and fleets of what remains of the intercity bus network today?

Of course, no one is certain on what the future may hold, but it does make for some interesting (and sobering) speculation.......

"NYO"