[Research] Intercity Bus Services 2021 | American Bus Association

Intercity Bus Services Research by DePaul University

The 2021 Intercity Bus Services research by DePaul University examines the sector’s economic performance and trends shaping its future.

On the Brink: 2021 Outlook for the Intercity Bus Industry in the United States

Executive Summary

  • About the Report: This report evaluates the intercity bus industry in six areas: i) The status of bus travel booking through January 2021; ii) Notable marketing and service developments of 2020; iii) The decline of the national bus network sold on greyhound.com that is relied upon by travelers on thousands of routes across the U.S. Mainland; iv) Trends in bus fares versus those for air and rail travel; v) Legislative trends and service innovations; and vi) Conclusions and predictions about near-term developments likely to affect the industry.
  • Key Highlights:
    • Bookings for bus travel ended 2020 at around 16% of the previous year in the Northeast and at 24 – 35% of the previous year in other parts of the country. Cash shortfalls will make the next five or six months a tumultuous time for scheduled bus lines, particularly those with asset-intensive business models. Optimism is nonetheless growing that a recovery will gather momentum by mid-summer.
    • Although the pace of route development dramatically dropped due to the pandemic, intercity bus lines made various strategic moves last year, including experimentation with new booking platforms and service enhancements. These innovations will likely accelerate as demand gradually rebounds.
    • The duration of trips on the intercity bus network has lengthened markedly over the past several years as a result of schedule cuts before and during the pandemic. On 186 routes we evaluated in which the network is critical due to the lack of direct express coach or Amtrak service, the average length increased by more than an hour between 2016 and 2021. On more than a quarter (26%) of these routes, the trip is now two hours longer due to the need to make more stops and accept longer wait times at transfer points.

Citation

Methodology

  • The information in this report was compiled using public data sources and an analysis of industry news.

Download the Full Report (PDF)

Additional Resources

The American Bus Association serves a thriving industry that provides nearly 600 million passenger trips annually on charters, tours, scheduled service, and shuttles. Membership in ABA includes motorcoach operators, tour operators, tourism-related organizations, and products and service suppliers.

© 2011 - 2025 American Bus Association