Travelling on the greyhound bus can be an experience. I travelled non-stop for one day and 20 hours from Chicago to LA (Hollywood) in April 2001. I was in the US on the work USA program and the organization I was doing it through had warned us at our orientation about travelling on Greyhound buses, such as to watch our luggage at all times among other things. In the past many participants had lost luggage whilst travelling on Greyhound. I had travelled on Greyhound earlier that year, but only for 12 hours from San Francisco to Mammoth Lakes. I was worried about the luggage on that journey, but it wasn't as bad as I had heard. So for this journey I was less concerned about my luggage as previously, but still concerned enough to watch out for it. After this journey from Chicago to LA I have come to the conclusion that everything people say about Greyhound and the way they handle things is true.
The bus was due to depart Chicago at 11:00am, but it ended up being full and the staff couldn't tell us when and if a second bus was going to be put on, nor did anyone seem it appropriate to inform the passengers of the situation. I overheard two staff members trying to debate whether a second bus should be put on. One option was to make everyone wait for the bus at 3:30pm with 3 connections. The 11am had no connections, just the same bus for one day and twenty hours. However, after much anger from passengers and debate between employees, I guess they decided to put on a second bus. Two hours after the scheduled departure time we were off in the second bus. I think that second bus was left from the 70's as it looked like they had pulled it out of storage. The air conditioning wasn't working, it was hot and, even though I was sitting near the front of the bus, you could still smell the toilet!!
We were told that our bus, as it was the second bus, would be running with limited stops (which was great) to Omaha Nebraska and terminating at Omaha. Then at Omaha we were to re-join the first bus. We arrived at Omaha Nebraska and all the luggage was unloaded ready to go back on the first bus, only to discover that there was still not enough room, so then the second bus had to be reloaded (myself carrying my luggage back to the second bus, just to make sure it was there.) The second bus was now going to terminate in Denver, Colorado instead. This meant I had to endure a journey on that hot smelly bus for more fun-filled hours!
The bus arrived at about Denver at 6:30am. We were all summoned inside and told that our bus would definitely be terminating here, and we would be boarding the first bus once it arrived. The baggage was left sitting in the bus with the baggage doors open just asking for anyone to walk up and take them. Meanwhile an American woman was complaining as they had lost her luggage along the way. With memories of what I had been previously told I started to feel nervous about my luggage's whereabouts. I knew my luggage had to still have been there as I made sure whenever possible at stops that mine wasn't unloaded and left behind. I wanted to stand guard of my luggage to see where they were moving it to. I offered to make the transfer myself to the first bus once it had arrived, but was told "to go inside and that the Greyhound staff will do it". Well after experiencing the Greyhound staff along this journey, I didn't trust them. I tried this many times, but after being told by some oversized security guards to go back inside, I watched my luggage from behind the glass windows. Thankfully, I eventually saw them load my luggage on the first bus.
At 8am we got a call to board the bus. I got on the 1st bus as my luggage was on it, and we were told that there would be only one bus going to LA. Surprise, surprise! What do you know - they need a second bus again!! We were informed that the second bus would only be running to Grand Junction. The Greyhound staff then started to unload passenger luggage off the first bus, and back onto the second bus. I notice that while I was on the bus, being paranoid and watching if they are moving my luggage, they actually moved my luggage from the first bus back to the second bus!!! I saw this, pushed past everyone still boarding and got told off by the driver to get back on the bus and "don't worry its going to the same destination." I didn't care. I didn't believe him. I ignored him as I was on a mission to get my luggage back. I finally got off the bus and the driver yelled at me from inside the bus "No, you are on this bus". I replied, "Well I want my luggage on the bus I am on!" I heard him mumble something like "Oh my God", or something like that. He was just being a typical unfriendly Greyhound driver, although along the way some of the drivers were actually quite good.
I started to pull my luggage off the second bus and load it back on the first bus, but only to be stopped by security yet again. They took my luggage and tried to put it back on the second bus. This time I said "Where I go my luggage goes", so I grabbed my luggage and loaded it back on to the first bus, where I was rudely told belonged.
When we arrived at Grand Junction I knew there would be a delay in our departure as the second bus had to be unloaded, then everything loaded back onto the bus first bus. Eventually the passengers that were on the second bus were allowed to board our bus, only to discover there still were not enough seats. Surprise, surprise!!! It then took Greyhound much more debate and, after counting and recounting the seats and passengers and people that needed seats, they finally agreed to put the second bus back on, but this time on all the way to LA. By this time I didn't care that we were behind schedule, that I had undergone stress or I had gained weight from eating uneatable junk food from fast food restaurants. I sort of expected that there would not be enough seats at Grand Junction, and that they would take there time in getting the second bus back on.
Anyhow, after Grand Junction there was no more stress about having to change busses and having to sit around while greyhound staff debated amongst themselves etc. By the time we reached Green River UTAH we changed drivers and I guess you could say he was the greyhound driver from hell, he had typified what I had heard about the drivers. We were at a stop buying food for our dinner break and he had to cut it down to 10 mins he came into the road house hurried everyone up, told the cashier off for taking too long to serve etc. We got rid of him at some stage before Vegas. We reached Vegas only 30mins behind schedule, which isn't too bad considering the journey so far. The passengers that were on the second bus had arrived before us which what it seemed like eagerly awaiting their luggage from the first bus. I bet there properly were some anxious and angry passengers awaiting their luggage arrival. I only wonder if they lost any of those peoples luggage!
Overall, travelling on with Greyhound was an experience in itself and no trip to the USA could be complete without a trip on their buses. The bus stations themselves are something that you couldn't even imagine. Most are old and gloomy with unclean toilets and old black and white televisions attached to the chairs, like something you see in an old movie. I did however get to see some spectacular scenery in Utah, got to meet some very interesting people such as a married couple from a small town in Illinois heading to LA for there son's college graduation. I also met a man from a small town in Iowa heading to LA to get back with his ex-wife who he hadn't seen for five years.
I must say you get them all on Greyhound. Some you would talk to others you wouldn't want to, but it all makes for an interesting trip!!! I guess you get to see how different people live in different parts of the US and it is a very cheap way to travel. I guess its true what an American college student told me that I met in Florida. He said "that everyone has to take the cross country trip on Greyhound buses once in their lives." I did however also get to experience a cross-country trip on the Amtrak and I must say that Amtrak is less stressing and more comfortable for me!!!!
Just be careful of your luggage if you are travelling on Greyhound!!
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