4 ms·

Given the development of FlixBus / MeinFernbus over the past 10 years here in Germany, I would expect them to massively expand the network very quickly. There

by lqet 5y ago

Given the development of FlixBus / MeinFernbus over the past 10 years here in Germany, I would expect them to massively expand the network very quickly. There was an interview with one of the founders, André Schwämmlein, in the FAZ a few weeks ago in which he talked about his vision for the US to become the biggest market for them [0]. Google translate version: > FAZ: In the US, greyhound has been synonymous with intercity buses for a century. Should the Americans think of the green Flix logo instead of a greyhound when it comes to bus transport? [...] > Schwämmlein: We are now bringing a lot of young people to the bus, for whom traveling by bus was not an option before. However, the image of many providers in the USA is not where it should be. We want to show people that the bus is an attractive alternative to the car. It WILL, of course, take a long time to grow in, given the size of the country. But our ambition is to see FlixBuses in Hollywood films at some point. > FAZ: And in the sparsely populated Midwest? > Schwämmlein: There is certainly still potential for the future. In the core relations in particular, we already aim to be the market leader in the near future. > FAZ: What do you do differently than the established providers? > Schwämmlein: It's about customer orientation in connections and stops. In L.A., most providers have one, two, or three stops - we have ten and we stop at universities, for example. Or in Vegas on the Strip and again in Downtown. We think of networks differently - not in terms of operation, but rather on the basis of the customer. If people want to drive from L.A. to Vegas on Friday afternoons to party, then the timetable has to map that with more trips instead of driving every hour all week when demand is significantly lower. The passenger determines the timetable. > FAZ: Will America one day become the biggest market for FlixBus? > Schwämmlein: It is very clear that this will happen within the next few years. In terms of potential, it can even be expected that it will be as big as all of Europe. [0] https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/flixbus-chef-andre-schwaemmlein-interview-ueber-wettbewerb-und-db-17580399.html?premium https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/flixbus-c...

Lamad123 5y ago
i wish they do to public transportion what t-mobile did to cell carriers in the US!!
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  The big problem with public transit is that since customers are sharing the same space, an excessively high ratio of customers that drive other customers away will make the business go into a downward spiral. It is particularly rough because there is almost no reason (outside a few large, dense cities) to take a bus if you already have a car in the US. The marginal cost of driving a mile is so low and the convenience of having your own vehicle so high, that buses are relegated mostly to people that do not have access to cars.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - panzagl 5y ago
    It can even be hard flying on weekends when the planes are full of non-business passengers- things move much more smoothly when everyone is just used to the grind.
dkarl 5y ago
I think he's on to something. Lots of young people in the U.S. don't want to drive. They are less motivated than my generation was, because more of their social life can be remote, and cars now carry a lot of stigma as well. Their generation are going to spend a lot less on personally owned automobiles and a lot more on other forms of transportation.
- Dracophoenix 5y ago
  It's not that they don't want to drive. Tesla as a brand has plenty of cachet with the Millennial and Gen Z demographics. It's that cars are expensive to obtain and drive. In both and nominal and real dollars, cars and car insurance have gotten expensive (even pre-pandemic) to the point that buying one is no longer a good deal unless you have no other mode of transportation.
  - genocidicbunny 5y ago
    Not to mention that in places like SF they're kind of a liability. Protected parking is expensive, on the street they're likely to get broken into. In some parts of San Jose, you would also just have a hard time finding street parking that's not a half-mile away from your home.

by lqet 5y ago

Lamad123 5y ago

i wish they do to public transportion what t-mobile did to cell carriers in the US!!

lotsofpulp 5y ago
The big problem with public transit is that since customers are sharing the same space, an excessively high ratio of customers that drive other customers away will make the business go into a downward spiral. It is particularly rough because there is almost no reason (outside a few large, dense cities) to take a bus if you already have a car in the US. The marginal cost of driving a mile is so low and the convenience of having your own vehicle so high, that buses are relegated mostly to people that do not have access to cars.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- panzagl 5y ago
  It can even be hard flying on weekends when the planes are full of non-business passengers- things move much more smoothly when everyone is just used to the grind.

dkarl 5y ago

I think he's on to something. Lots of young people in the U.S. don't want to drive. They are less motivated than my generation was, because more of their social life can be remote, and cars now carry a lot of stigma as well. Their generation are going to spend a lot less on personally owned automobiles and a lot more on other forms of transportation.

Dracophoenix 5y ago
It's not that they don't want to drive. Tesla as a brand has plenty of cachet with the Millennial and Gen Z demographics. It's that cars are expensive to obtain and drive. In both and nominal and real dollars, cars and car insurance have gotten expensive (even pre-pandemic) to the point that buying one is no longer a good deal unless you have no other mode of transportation.
- genocidicbunny 5y ago
  Not to mention that in places like SF they're kind of a liability. Protected parking is expensive, on the street they're likely to get broken into. In some parts of San Jose, you would also just have a hard time finding street parking that's not a half-mile away from your home.