Why doesn't Greyhound use the Rosa Parks Transit Center?

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · October-26-11, 05:34 AM

Why doesn't Greyhound use the Rosa Parks Transit Center as its Detroit home base? It's more conveniently located, I think, for people using it. And next to a PM station. RPTC is SOOO much nicer. I would think that Megabus has a real advantage in being located there. Just wondering. I generally take Megabus when going to Chicago anyway.

**467riverfix** · October-26-11, 07:30 AM

Are toilets still overflowing at RPTC? I would think G'hound has own terminal because it owns property. It tends to have its own terminals in most cities, incl Chicago, where Megasbus lets passengers out at Union Station.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-26-11, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by 467riverfix

Are toilets still overflowing at RPTC? I would think G'hound has own terminal because it owns property. It tends to have its own terminals in most cities, incl Chicago, where Megasbus lets passengers out at Union Station.

The last time I went there to wash my cat it sure seemed like it!

It would make a lot of sense to join inter and intracity bus routes at one spot. However, the Rosa Parks terminal is not near large enough to handle intercity traffic as well as the area needed for cabs and drop off space. We should tear down the parking structure next to one Detroit and build a 1950's style Greyhound station complete with a burger king, motel, and parking on the roof!

**Khartoum** · October-26-11, 09:59 AM

The washrooms were atrocious the last time I used the RPTC; not so at the Greyhound building.

Also, according to Google it's a 9 minute walk from the RPTC to the Greyhound building.

**iheartthed** · October-26-11, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

The last time I went there to wash my cat it sure seemed like it!

Not sure if you were implying kitty, but I laughed anyway.

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

It would make a lot of sense to join inter and intracity bus routes at one spot. However, the Rosa Parks terminal is not near large enough to handle intercity traffic as well as the area needed for cabs and drop off space. We should tear down the parking structure next to one Detroit and build a 1950's style Greyhound station complete with a burger king, motel, and parking on the roof!

A 1950s style Greyhound? That sounds like the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan... Minus the parking.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-26-11, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Not sure if you were implying kitty, but I laughed anyway.

A 1950s style Greyhound? That sounds like the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan... Minus the parking.

I was referring to an article from about a year ago where they said homeless people were using the bathrooms to wash thier cats. I dunno if I'd want to be stuck in a locked bathroom with a mad dirty/wet/cat. It had no perverted connotation.

The old Greyhound station used to be located at that site. Yeah it was much like the PATH Station near 42nd street.

**stromberg2** · October-26-11, 12:15 PM

^^^
Well, it was funny anyway!

Stromberg2

**EastsideAl** · October-26-11, 05:01 PM

Ye olde bus station [[back before the cafeteria was replaced by Burger King):

Name: greyhound station 50s.jpg
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**old guy** · October-26-11, 05:12 PM

And in 1942

Attachment 11002

**bugs1739** · October-26-11, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

Why doesn't Greyhound use the Rosa Parks Transit Center as its Detroit home base? It's more conveniently located, I think, for people using it. And next to a PM station. RPTC is SOOO much nicer. I would think that Megabus has a real advantage in being located there. Just wondering. I generally take Megabus when going to Chicago anyway.

Rosa Parks Transit Center isn't big enough to handle Greyhound Lines. If Greyhound does move to RPTC, the whole terminal would have to be remolded from outside to inside. However, its not going to happen in the future.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-26-11, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by bugs1739

Rosa Parks Transit Center isn't big enough to handle Greyhound Lines. If Greyhound does move to RPTC, the whole terminal would have to be remolded from outside to inside. However, its not going to happen in the future.

I don't expect Greyhound to move for quite some time. They just recieved a lot more space because the MITS center moved.

**Hypestyles** · October-27-11, 01:26 AM

what other cross-country bus services are active here besides greyhound or megabus?

**DetroitPlanner** · October-27-11, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

what other cross-country bus services are active here besides greyhound or megabus?

Those are really the only two that service at that level. We also have Indian Trail in Michgan, but you would need to leave the Metro and transfer from Greyhound to Indian Trails. Trailways typically covers N Michigan, while Greyhound does the south.

**EastsideAl** · October-27-11, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by old guy

And in 1942

That shot is inside the even older bus station, previous to the one I posted above [[which was built in the 1950s). The one you've posted with that cool staircase in the lobby was this long-gone 1930s moderne beauty on Washington Blvd. & Grand River

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · October-27-11, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

what other cross-country bus services are active here besides greyhound or megabus?

In the Northeast, there is Boltbus, which is an offshoot of Greyhound, designed to compete more with Megabus. I took it a number of times, especially to DC. I would suspect that Greyhound will eventually role it out [[is that a pun?) to other parts of the country.

I am a little surprised personally that Megabus has yet to intiate a service from Detroit to Grand Rapids, with stops in East Lansing & Lansing. I would think that would be a heavily used route.

**HistoryNotHisStory** · October-28-11, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

Why doesn't Greyhound use the Rosa Parks Transit Center as its Detroit home base? It's more conveniently located, I think, for people using it. And next to a PM station. RPTC is SOOO much nicer. I would think that Megabus has a real advantage in being located there. Just wondering. I generally take Megabus when going to Chicago anyway.

Simple answer the question.

Because we have planner in Detroit that do not think regionally and long-term.

I respect that the terminal was named after Rosa Parks, but it was truly a very, very bad idea.

Why???

A transit center should allow for interconnection to other modes of transport such as rails [[Amtrak) and other buses [[SMART, Greyhound, etc.)

However, the Michigan Rail Plans call for Intermodal facility on Woodward Ave in the New Center Area that will provide access to Amtrak, the new Woodward Rail System, DDOT and SMART buses.
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The new facility will make the Rosa Parks Transit Center a waste of money. I always thought it should have been built in the New Center area and not in Downtown Detroit.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · October-28-11, 09:59 PM

I agree HNHS, that having the various methods of transportation in the same place benefits everyone. Because of the multitude of options and ease of connection, all the systems would be busier. I wish I were the planner...

**Rocko** · November-02-11, 09:22 AM

The old "Blue Era" Art Moderne Greyhound terminal in Evansville, Indiana was recently acquired by Indiana Landmarks who plans to adaptively reuse the historic structure. VERY cool!

http://aroundindy.wordpress.com/2011...ound-terminal/

Also, Greyhound spent some serious money maybe 10 years ago restoring the large Moderne terminal in Cleveland, Ohio. It's worth the detour if you're ever going down there for some reason.

**Russix** · November-02-11, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

Why doesn't Greyhound use the Rosa Parks Transit Center as its Detroit home base? It's more conveniently located, I think, for people using it. And next to a PM station. RPTC is SOOO much nicer. I would think that Megabus has a real advantage in being located there. Just wondering. I generally take Megabus when going to Chicago anyway.

Its four blocks away from the PM station. Is it suppose to have a moving conveyor belt built to it?

**DetroitPlanner** · November-02-11, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by Rocko

Also, Greyhound spent some serious money maybe 10 years ago restoring the large Moderne terminal in Cleveland, Ohio. It's worth the detour if you're ever going down there for some reason.

I actually took the Greyhound East and stopped there a while back. It was like stepping back in time.

**R8RBOB** · November-02-11, 12:17 PM

A real transit center would have been to restore the Michigan Central Depot to its past glory and designed it to a transit for high-speed rail, light-rail, bus, etc...

**Bham1982** · November-02-11, 12:22 PM

I don't see why this makes any sense.

Greyhound is long-distance travel, not local/commuter travel. These uses are usually segregated in the vast majority of cities, because the needs are totally different.

And not sure what proximity to the People Mover has to do with relative locational advantages. Why do folks think that the typical Greyhound traveler wants access to the People Mover?

My guess is that the typical traveler wants easy access to the region's freeways. In that case, the Greyhound station couldn't be more well located.

**Bham1982** · November-02-11, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by HistoryNotHisStory

Simple answer the question.

Because we have planner in Detroit that do not think regionally and long-term.

I respect that the terminal was named after Rosa Parks, but it was truly a very, very bad idea.

Why???

A transit center should allow for interconnection to other modes of transport such as rails [[Amtrak) and other buses [[SMART, Greyhound, etc.)

In what major city is this the case? I can't think of any.

A big city will very rarely have all these uses in a single structure, or in close proximity. In a place like Battle Creek or wherever, often all these uses are combined, because they don't need much space.

**Detroitnerd** · November-02-11, 12:28 PM

Last time I checked, Multimodal Transit Centers were a growing phenomenon, especially in smaller cities.

**R8RBOB** · November-02-11, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

In what major city is this the case? I can't think of any.

A big city will very rarely have all these uses in a single structure, or in close proximity. In a place like Battle Creek or wherever, often all these uses are combined, because they don't need much space.

Dude, it is just a forum. You love being the voice of opposition. Always ready to rip on one's thought.