Fullington Trailways is fighting back against competition like MegaBus by offering loyalty rewards programs and special summer rates.
Fullington Trailways recently started its $10 express trip deal that provides trips to New York, King of Prussia and Pittsburgh. The summer special will run until Aug. 22.
Milt Weisman, Vice President of Fullington Trailways Intercity Coach Services, said the $10 deal comes during the first summer that Fullington has offered the trips.
After Aug. 22, Fullington will return to its regular prices, which will be cheaper than last year’s fall prices, Weisman, said.
Weisman said the company will also be starting a rewards program for repeat customers.
“One of the things we are going to start is a Fullington rewards loyalty program,” Weisman said. “People will be given a card, and after buying five one-way tickets, the sixth is free.”
Fullington may be expanding their services during the fall to include additional stops on trips that already run, Weisman said.
Weisman said Fullington may add a stop in York, Pa. on the Baltimore/Washington D.C. trip and a stop in East Stroudsburg, Pa. on the New York City trip.
Along with special offers on trips and the potential for new stops for travelers, Fullington offers new amenities including free Wi-fi and free bottled water during the hotter summer months.
The increase in amenities comes after companies like MegaBus offered cheap trips with similar amenities.
“We have seen over the years other bus companies offering Wi-fi,” Weisman said. “We recognized over the years that we need to stay modern.”
While other bus companies offer similar amenities, Weisman said Fullington offers superior customer service with live telephone operators, effective lost-and-found services, excellent on-time records and terminals.
Weisman said the combination of on-time schedules and indoor terminals offers travelers a superior alternative to curbside service offered by other companies by providing an escape from the extreme temperatures during the year.
“A lot of times, if you’re curbside service, you will not have a terminal,” Weisman said. “We have a terminal, we have employees at the terminal, we feel that having a terminal is the better way to go.”
Dale Moser, president of Coach USA and MegaBus.com, said MegaBus provides about 70 departures and arrivals every week in State College.
Moser said MegaBus has become popular with students over the past few months with tickets starting at $1 and amenities like free Wi-fi and plug in outlets for electronics.
“Even if you don’t get $1 seats, you get some other discount,” Moser said. “It’s hugely popular.”
Moser said the company has served more than six million passengers in its four years of business and is now serving about one million passengers every four months.
He added that MegaBus.com has given away 9,000 free tickets on various trips through September over the past three weeks and will give away another 1,000 tickets as part of a special to increase traveling.
“It was a promotion to get people out and traveling,” Moser said. “What we wanted to do is to stimulate travel. It was sort of our way to give back and try to get people out and moving.”