'Goodbye Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Hello, Luxury Bus?' diff viewer (0/1)

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Goodbye Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Hello, Luxury Bus?	Goodbye Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Hello, Luxury Bus?
2022-10-19 10:14:24 UTC	2022-10-19 15:22:17 UTC (about 5 hours later)
John Rosenberg found a last-minute flight for $200 last month from Washington, D.C., to Nashville to see Pearl Jam. But flights home were $600 and there was no easy way to take the train.	John Rosenberg found a last-minute flight for $200 last month from Washington, D.C., to Nashville to see Pearl Jam. But flights home were $600 and there was no easy way to take the train.
Mr. Rosenberg started searching for buses online. He stumbled on Napaway, a company that promised premium overnight accommodations on an 18-passenger bus with seats that fold into a flat bed and come with a pillow and plush blanket.	Mr. Rosenberg started searching for buses online. He stumbled on Napaway, a company that promised premium overnight accommodations on an 18-passenger bus with seats that fold into a flat bed and come with a pillow and plush blanket.
The week before, Mr. Rosenberg and his friends had spent 18 hours at Midway Airport in Chicago after they were bounced off their connecting flight to Washington. He spent the night cold and slept a total of 45 minutes in the airport chapel before security kicked him out.	The week before, Mr. Rosenberg and his friends had spent 18 hours at Midway Airport in Chicago after they were bounced off their connecting flight to Washington. He spent the night cold and slept a total of 45 minutes in the airport chapel before security kicked him out.
The Napaway, Mr. Rosenberg reasoned, could not be worse. And at least he would be traveling, not waiting.	The Napaway, Mr. Rosenberg reasoned, could not be worse. And at least he would be traveling, not waiting.
He booked the flight to Nashville and a ticket home on the Napaway for $125.	He booked the flight to Nashville and a ticket home on the Napaway for $125.
“My friends were all making fun of me,” Mr. Rosenberg, 47, said. “You’re going to spend 11 hours on a luxury bus?”	“My friends were all making fun of me,” Mr. Rosenberg, 47, said. “You’re going to spend 11 hours on a luxury bus?”
He was.	He was.
On a Sunday night, after spending the weekend in Nashville, Mr. Rosenberg joined five other passengers, including me, on the Napaway, which in June began taking travelers back and forth from Washington to Nashville.	On a Sunday night, after spending the weekend in Nashville, Mr. Rosenberg joined five other passengers, including me, on the Napaway, which in June began taking travelers back and forth from Washington to Nashville.
The company, and other premium bus companies like it, are betting that Americans will abandon the image of the rumbling, cramped bus as the transport of last resort for the cash-strapped and embrace long-haul coach travel.	The company, and other premium bus companies like it, are betting that Americans will abandon the image of the rumbling, cramped bus as the transport of last resort for the cash-strapped and embrace long-haul coach travel.
Giant sleeper buses have been a staple of travel in parts of Latin America and Asia for decades. But in the United States, the concept has never taken hold, despite our vast highway system. Around 2017, Cabin, a two-story bus with beds tucked into private pods, began taking passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco for overnight trips, but stopped in 2020. Gaetano Crupi, the founder of Cabin, declined to comment on why the service ended.	Giant sleeper buses have been a staple of travel in parts of Latin America and Asia for decades. But in the United States, the concept has never taken hold, despite our vast highway system. Around 2017, Cabin, a two-story bus with beds tucked into private pods, began taking passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco for overnight trips, but stopped in 2020. Gaetano Crupi, the founder of Cabin, declined to comment on why the service ended.
More successful have been high-end coach services that offer shorter journeys, like Red Coach, Vonlane and the Jet, a 14-seat bus that ferries people from Metro Center in Washington to Hudson Yards in Manhattan.	More successful have been high-end coach services that offer shorter journeys, like Red Coach, Vonlane and the Jet, a 14-seat bus that ferries people from Metro Center in Washington to Hudson Yards in Manhattan.
They advertise seats that recline far back, high-speed Wi-Fi and a feeling that even though you’re technically on an intercity bus, you are on a refined, affordably priced journey, said Andisheh Ranjbari, an assistant professor of travel behavior at Penn State.	They advertise seats that recline far back, high-speed Wi-Fi and a feeling that even though you’re technically on an intercity bus, you are on a refined, affordably priced journey, said Andisheh Ranjbari, an assistant professor of travel behavior at Penn State.
“You don’t see the word bus anywhere in the advertisements,” she said. “They say it’s a first-class luxury experience.”	“You don’t see the word bus anywhere in the advertisements,” she said. “They say it’s a first-class luxury experience.”
Napaway is the only “fully flat” sleeper bus in the country, said Dan Aronov, the company’s founder and chief executive. He is aware that many travelers may be skeptical of taking a 10- to 11-hour bus ride when a flight from Washington to Nashville takes less than two hours.	Napaway is the only “fully flat” sleeper bus in the country, said Dan Aronov, the company’s founder and chief executive. He is aware that many travelers may be skeptical of taking a 10- to 11-hour bus ride when a flight from Washington to Nashville takes less than two hours.
He responds by pointing out how miserable the airport experience can be. Flying is faster, but a passenger will still spend several hours getting to the airport, going through security and then waiting at the gate. And that is assuming a flight is not delayed, Mr. Aronov said.	He responds by pointing out how miserable the airport experience can be. Flying is faster, but a passenger will still spend several hours getting to the airport, going through security and then waiting at the gate. And that is assuming a flight is not delayed, Mr. Aronov said.
Contrast that experience with traveling while lying on a memory foam mattress pad and snuggling under a blanket, he said.	Contrast that experience with traveling while lying on a memory foam mattress pad and snuggling under a blanket, he said.
“You were going to spend seven to eight hours asleep,” Mr. Aronov said. “Now you’re just doing it in motion.”	“You were going to spend seven to eight hours asleep,” Mr. Aronov said. “Now you’re just doing it in motion.”
Ironically, it was companies like Megabus and BoltBus, which offered $1 rides and curbside pickup in the early part of the 2000s, that paved the way for premium coach travel, said Joseph Schwieterman, professor of public service at DePaul University in Chicago and director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, which studies intercity bus travel.	Ironically, it was companies like Megabus and BoltBus, which offered $1 rides and curbside pickup in the early part of the 2000s, that paved the way for premium coach travel, said Joseph Schwieterman, professor of public service at DePaul University in Chicago and director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, which studies intercity bus travel.
Those companies renewed interest in intercity bus travel and spurred more innovation and investment, he said.	Those companies renewed interest in intercity bus travel and spurred more innovation and investment, he said.
Now, as train service remains elusive in much of the South and air travel continues to frustrate travelers, it is possible the “stars have aligned” for premium coach travel, Professor Schwieterman said.	Now, as train service remains elusive in much of the South and air travel continues to frustrate travelers, it is possible the “stars have aligned” for premium coach travel, Professor Schwieterman said.
Premium coach lines have significantly fewer overhead costs than rail and especially airlines, which have much higher fuel costs and need a “small army” of employees to operate, he said.	Premium coach lines have significantly fewer overhead costs than rail and especially airlines, which have much higher fuel costs and need a “small army” of employees to operate, he said.
By contrast, a premium bus requires a crew of one to two drivers and perhaps one attendant, which means that even if a company sells fewer than half of its seats on a trip, it can still cover its costs, so long as ~~its~~ does not lower fares to compete with conventional bus lines, Professor Schwieterman said.	By contrast, a premium bus requires a crew of one to two drivers and perhaps one attendant, which means that even if a company sells fewer than half of its seats on a trip, it can still cover its costs, so long as it does not lower fares to compete with conventional bus lines, Professor Schwieterman said.
Mia Reed, a singer from Brooklyn who found trains too costly and airplanes inconvenient, said she was eager to find a luxury bus that would take her to visit her parents in Fredericksburg, Va., after having “nightmare” experiences on other bus rides.	Mia Reed, a singer from Brooklyn who found trains too costly and airplanes inconvenient, said she was eager to find a luxury bus that would take her to visit her parents in Fredericksburg, Va., after having “nightmare” experiences on other bus rides.
Ms. Reed, 29, said she learned about the Jet on Instagram and TikTok, where videos showed wide seats, powered by “motion-canceling technology.”	Ms. Reed, 29, said she learned about the Jet on Instagram and TikTok, where videos showed wide seats, powered by “motion-canceling technology.”
Booking online was easy, and the Jet was “beautiful” and “a little bit better organized” than an ordinary bus, Ms. Reed said. An attendant came by frequently during the four-hour trip to check on passengers and pass out snacks, coffee, wine and soda.	Booking online was easy, and the Jet was “beautiful” and “a little bit better organized” than an ordinary bus, Ms. Reed said. An attendant came by frequently during the four-hour trip to check on passengers and pass out snacks, coffee, wine and soda.
“It’s meant to feel like a private jet experience,” said Chad Scarborough, the company’s founder and chief executive. “Hence the name the Jet.”	“It’s meant to feel like a private jet experience,” said Chad Scarborough, the company’s founder and chief executive. “Hence the name the Jet.”
Still, buses have a tricky place in the American imagination. Weird Al Yankovic warned us of them in “Another One Rides the Bus,” his parody of Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” In movies, more often than not, they are used as settings to show the protagonists at their most annoyed, imperiled or dead. When I told relatives that I would be riding an overnight bus to Nashville, one of them suggested I carry a pocketknife.	Still, buses have a tricky place in the American imagination. Weird Al Yankovic warned us of them in “Another One Rides the Bus,” his parody of Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” In movies, more often than not, they are used as settings to show the protagonists at their most annoyed, imperiled or dead. When I told relatives that I would be riding an overnight bus to Nashville, one of them suggested I carry a pocketknife.
I arrived in Washington on Friday to catch the Napaway with my friend Theresa.	I arrived in Washington on Friday to catch the Napaway with my friend Theresa.
We found the bus at 9:30 p.m. at the designated meeting spot — a well-lit parking lot on L Street NE near the Wunder Garten, an outdoor beer garden where Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the U.S.A.” blared from the speakers and the sound of laughter wafted over the fence.	We found the bus at 9:30 p.m. at the designated meeting spot — a well-lit parking lot on L Street NE near the Wunder Garten, an outdoor beer garden where Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the U.S.A.” blared from the speakers and the sound of laughter wafted over the fence.
We were joined by three other passengers: Ammie Conner, an 80-year-old retiree who was visiting her grandson in Nashville; Guillerma Saltano, a shy, 50-year-old woman from the Dominican Republic; and Catherine Lee, a 50-year-old graduate student studying social work.	We were joined by three other passengers: Ammie Conner, an 80-year-old retiree who was visiting her grandson in Nashville; Guillerma Saltano, a shy, 50-year-old woman from the Dominican Republic; and Catherine Lee, a 50-year-old graduate student studying social work.
We gawked at the bus, an enormous black coach with a galaxy of stars painted on the side. Inside, there were 36 seats, two for each passenger, that convert into flat, sort of S-shaped beds.	We gawked at the bus, an enormous black coach with a galaxy of stars painted on the side. Inside, there were 36 seats, two for each passenger, that convert into flat, sort of S-shaped beds.
Ms. Conner, who sky-dived for the first time at 70 and went zip lining at 80, said she booked the bus “for the novelty of it.”	Ms. Conner, who sky-dived for the first time at 70 and went zip lining at 80, said she booked the bus “for the novelty of it.”
She said when she told a friend about the bus, the friend replied, “‘What a great idea for a ~~Bachelorette~~ party.’” But rowdy partygoers run counter to the ethos of the Napaway, which asks passengers to refrain from loud talking or playing their devices out loud.	She said when she told a friend about the bus, the friend replied, “‘What a great idea for a bachelorette party.’” But rowdy partygoers run counter to the ethos of the Napaway, which asks passengers to refrain from loud talking or playing their devices out loud.
No one under 8 can ride the Napaway, said Mr. Aronov. The Jet, which charges fares starting at $99 for a one-way ticket, has an age minimum of 6.	No one under 8 can ride the Napaway, said Mr. Aronov. The Jet, which charges fares starting at $99 for a one-way ticket, has an age minimum of 6.
“I’m very sympathetic to parents,” Mr. Aronov said. “But right now, for the comfort of the other passengers, we have an age minimum.”	“I’m very sympathetic to parents,” Mr. Aronov said. “But right now, for the comfort of the other passengers, we have an age minimum.”
Mr. Aronov, 29, said he chose Nashville because it’s a busy urban hub popular with tourists in an area of the country with few public transit options.	Mr. Aronov, 29, said he chose Nashville because it’s a busy urban hub popular with tourists in an area of the country with few public transit options.
Mr. Aronov, an Oxford University graduate who worked at ~~Barclay’s~~ Investment Bank and Loews Corp., said he started Napaway with the help of “individual” investors, not large institutions. He declined to say how much it cost to start Napaway but said the company is not breaking even yet.	Mr. Aronov, an Oxford University graduate who worked at Barclays Investment Bank and Loews Corp., said he started Napaway with the help of “individual” investors, not large institutions. He declined to say how much it cost to start Napaway but said the company is not breaking even yet.
“It’s a new concept and it takes time for the word to get out,” Mr. Aronov said.	“It’s a new concept and it takes time for the word to get out,” Mr. Aronov said.