bets lines
Greyhound Lines is an inter-city common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and incorporated as "The Greyhound Corporation" in 1926. Today, it is headquartered in Dallas, Texas (United States operations) and Calgary, Alberta (Canadian operations), and is a subsidiary of the British bus operator FirstGroup plc.
Carl Wickman was born in Sweden in 1887. He moved to the United States, and in 1914 began a bus service in Minnesota where he transported iron ore miners from Hibbing to Alice at 15 cents a ride in a 1914 Hupmobile.[1]
In 1915 Wickman joined forces with Ralph Bogan, who was running a similar service from Hibbing to Duluth. The name of the new organization was the Mesaba Transportation Company, and it made $8,000 in profit in its first year.
By the end of the First World War Wickman owned 18 buses, and was making an annual profit of $40,000. In 1922 Wickman joined forces with Orville Caesar, the owner of the Superior White Bus Lines. Four years later, Wickman reached an agreement with two West Coast operations, the Pickwick Lines and the Pioneer Yelloway System.[clarify]
In 1926 Wickman's bus operations became known as the Greyhound Lines. Wickman, who was president of the company, continued to expand it, and by 1927 his buses were making transcontinental trips from California to New York.
Wickman's business suffered during the Great Depression, and by 1931 was over $1 million in debt. However, with the improvement in the economy, the Greyhound Corporation began to prosper again. In 1935 Wickman was able to announce record profits of $8 million. By the outbreak of the Second World War the company had 4,750 stations and nearly 10,000 employees.
Wickman retired as president of Greyhound Corporation in 1946, and was replaced by his long-time partner, Orville Caesar. Carl Wickman died at the age of sixty-seven in 1954.
After World War II, and the building of the Interstate Highway System beginning in 1956, automobile ownership and travel became a preferred mode of travel in the United States. Along with a similar downward trend in public transportation in general, ridership on Greyhound and Trailways bus routes began a long decline.
But for many young people from Europe, Greyhound was the way they got to know America because of a special unlimited mileage offer - "99 days for $99" or, in other words a dollar a day, anytime, anyplace, anywhere..
Ready for boarding in Salem, Oregon for a fast trip north on new Interstate 5 in Autumn 1965.Greyhound leadership saw the trend, and used the profitable bus operations to invest in other industries. By the 1970s, Greyhound had moved its headquarters to Phoenix, Arizona, and was a large and diversified company, with holdings in everything from the Armour meat-packing company (which in turn owned the popular Dial deodorant soap brand), acquired in 1970; Traveller's Express money orders, MCI bus manufacturing company, and even airliner leasing.
Greyhound established the Premier Cruise Line in 1983. It would last until 2000, and at one time billed itself as the "Official Cruise Line of Walt Disney World".
In late 1984, Greyhound had bus driver's strike, typified as bitter, with one fatality in Zanesville, Ohio.[citation needed] By the time contract negotiations were due again, three years later, the bus line had been spun-off from the parent company to new owners. This resulted in Greyhound Lines becoming solely a bus transportation company headed by Fred Currey, a former executive with the largest member of the National Trailways Bus System. Greyhound's corporate headquarters then relocated to Dallas, Texas. The old parent changed its name to the Dial Corporation.
Under new ownership in 1987, led by Currey, Greyhound Lines acquired Trailways, Inc. in June of that year (formerly Continental Trailways), the largest member of the rival National Trailways Bus System, effectively consolidating National Bus Service. Greyhound was required by the ICC in their action approving the merger, to maintain coordinated schedules with other scheduled service operators in the U.S.
Three years later there was another costly strike. This, combined with the loss of diversification and strength of the former parent company, and labor-law violations, forced the company to file for bankruptcy, from which it emerged in the early 1990s. At the same time, Greyhound had to contend with the rise of low-cost airlines like Southwest Airlines, which reduced further the market for long-distance inter-city bus transportation.
In 1997, Greyhound Lines acquired Carolina Trailways, one of the largest members of the National Trailways Bus System. Though as of 2008 Carolina Trailways still operates as a brand name, most of the other independent members of the Trailways System began interlining cooperatively with Greyhound. Some discontinued regular route services, while others diversified into charters and tours or went out of business.
In 1999, Burlington, Ontario-based transportation conglomerate Laidlaw Inc. acquired Greyhound Lines, Inc. (U.S. operations)including Carolina Trailways and other Greyhound affiliates. It had previously acquired Greyhound Canada .
After incurring heavy losses through its investments in Greyhound Lines and other parts of its diversified business, Laidlaw Inc. filed for protection under both U.S. and Canadian Bankruptcy laws in June 2001 .
Naperville, Illinois-based Laidlaw International, Inc. listed its common shares on the New York Stock Exchange (Ticker: LI), on February 10, 2003, and emerged from re-organization on June 23, 2003, as the successor to Laidlaw Inc.
On February 7, 2007, FirstGroup plc of Scotland, agreed to purchase Laidlaw International for US$3.6 billion (£1.9 billion). The deal closed on September 30, 2007.[2] The Greyhound name has been retained by FirstGroup; the brands of its subsidiaries, however, is notDuring 2004, Greyhound Lines announced major schedule reductions in its route system, particularly in the northwest and north-central United States, and elimination of some long-distance routes. Similar changes were taking place during 2005 in other parts of the country. These changes have eliminated some routes, most notably the Interstate 90 route between Chicago and Seattle, and cut many stops in rural areas. Service to rural towns has been assumed by local transit agencies or independent bus companies, requiring government subsidy in some cases.[4][5]
Recently, Greyhound has come under criticism for its bus assignment practices. Although bus tickets have times and dates printed on them, seating is not guaranteed, and is first-come, first-served. Greyhound will add additional "sections" (buses) in periods of high demand, but the threshold required to trigger an additional section varies. Passengers may have to wait for the next bus departure time.[6] In response to the lack of guaranteed seating, in late 2007 Greyhound began a program where riders could reserve a seat for an additional $5. However, the $5 fee would have to be paid at the terminal, even if the ticket was bought online, and only a limited number of seats could be reserved. [7]
Increasingly, concern has been given to bus security. As a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks, train and airplane security have been substantially increased, but the same increase has not been provided to bus security. Drug smuggling is increasingly common on buses, as baggage is not inspected, nor is identification checked. Greyhound says that metal detector wands have been deployed on buses, but they do not appear to be routinely used.[8] Although the majority of bus terminals continue to operate from the downtowns of major cities, some terminals can be found in depressed neighborhoods, while some competitors have terminals in more attractive areas. Competition from discount airlines like Southwest Airlines, increased reliability of inexpensive automobiles for long trips, and other bus lines attracting an Internet-savvy rider market such as Chinatown bus lines, represented by Gotobus, and Megabus have led to Greyhound's revenue decline.[citation needed]
During the past few years, Greyhound Lines has been expanding its charter and sightseeing services, and is the largest operator of Gray Line Sightseeing Tours franchises in major markets. Though it no longer owns the firm, Greyhound's fleet is still composed primarily of buses built by Motor Coach Industries (MCI).
Greyhound also has been taking steps to improve its image, spending $60 million to refurbish many terminals, add new buses, and staff terminals with associates who are able to help those who have questions about the bus system. Greyhound is initiating an advertising campaign aimed at attracting 18-24 year olds and Hispanics.[9] As a result, after the FirstGroup acquisition, Greyhound began advertising as "The New Greyhound".
On January 2, 2008, a Greyhound bus traveling from Richmond to Raleigh hit a tractor trailer on U.S. Route 1 in Henderson, NC. The tractor trailer was slowing down to make a turn. The Greyhound bus did not slow down and rear ended the tractor trailer. At least 50 people were injured.[1]
On August 28, 2006, at approximately 6:45 p.m. local time, a Greyhound bus traveling from New York City to Montreal overturned on the Adirondack Northway in Westport, New York after suffering a blown tire, killing five and injuring 48.[2]
On November 27, 2005, at approximately 7:10 a.m. local time, a Greyhound bus traveling from Los Angeles to San Francisco crashed near Santa Maria, killing two people, one of whom was a 7-month-pregnant woman. While the cause remains unknown, at the time of the crash, driver fatigue was suspected.[10] Later, an epileptic seizure was cited as a possible cause.[11]
On October 3, 2001, at approximately 4:15 a.m. local time, Greyhound passenger Damir Igric attacked the driver of his bus, slitting his throat. The bus careened off the highway and crashed near Manchester, Tennessee, killing Igric and five other passengers and injuring 32 others. As the incident occurred weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Greyhound shut down its entire system as soon as the company learned of the incident for fear that it may have been part of a larger co-ordinated attack. After investigation by the company and the FBI, it was confirmed that Igric had acted alone, and service resumed later that afternoon.[12] After the incident, Greyhound bus stations increased security, though not nearly to the same level as airports or train stations.
Almost exactly one year later on September 30, 2007, Arturo Martinez Tapia attacked another Greyhound driver near Fresno, California, resulting in two passenger deaths after the bus then rolled off an embankment and crashed.[13] Following this attack, driver shields were installed on most Greyhound buses that now prevent passengers from directly touching the driver while the bus is in motion, even if the shield is forced open.[14]
The deadliest accident to befall Greyhound occurred on May 9, 1980, when a freight ship collided with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge across Tampa Bay in Florida. A Greyhound bus was among several vehicles falling into the bay. A total of 35 people, including all 26 on the bus, died.
A major accident happened at Bean Station, Tennessee in 1972, when a Greyhound Scenicruiser hit a tractor trailer head on. Fifteen people on the bus were killed, including the driver.
These incidents, however, should be viewed in light of the volume of customers that Greyhound serves: the bus line serves 19 million passengers per year.[15] Thus, the chance of a fatality aboard a Greyhound Lines bus, roughly one in several million, is many orders of magnitudes lower than by private transportation.
Greyhound announced in a press conference in 2007 that a pilot program to test various security measures would be implemented at select stations and on select coaches starting later in the year. Some of the stations included in this project, are in Boston, Cleveland, Dallas, and St. Louis. Measures may include:
Requiring photo ID to be displayed by all adult passengers prior to boarding. Minors, in accordance with Greyhound's policy, must either have to be accompanied by a parent or a legal guardian, or to obtain permission to travel from one [3], and when unaccompanied, have restrictions on traveling. In the United States, passengers who are not citizens will be screened to determine the legality of their presence within the country's borders. Also, some may be checked for outstanding felony warrants, and boarding may be denied to those who fit into one of these categories[citation needed]. Passengers may have their luggage visually searched. Devices similar to those used at airports may be used to check passengers and luggage prior to boarding buses for various banned items, including firearms, explosives, or other hazardous materials. On most newer coaches (excluding the MC-12s), operators are shielded from passengers while the coach is in motion. A gate prevents passengers from entering the driver's area. Though the gate does not prevent an emergency exit, it will continue to shield the driver if opened by a passenger while the coach is in motion. Installing video surveillance on coaches and at stations. Installing GPS tracking devices on select coaches. In addition to providing emergency location of the vehicle, this may also alert supervisors of unsafe driving behavior on part of the operator, including speeding. Operators, at their own discretion, now reserve the right to prohibit or limit the use of cell phones while the coach is in motion. Greyhound already prohibits taking photographs, videotaping, or audiotaping while on board its own coaches or within its owned stations
http://www.enterbet.com
props betting lines and odds for basketball, soccer betting proposition ... Bets Gone Wild offers Sports Betting Lines and Online Gambling Entertainment on
Bets Gone Wild Online Betting offers Triple Crown props, celebrity betting lines, ... Bets Gone Wild offers Sports Betting Lines and Online Gambling Entertainment on'
Both Odds and Money Line bets. Lines are available throughout the whole season (Presidents' Day until ... Plenty of Money Lines and Point Spreads on head-to
Labels: belmont races, belmont results, belmont track, belmont wheel works, bets lines, saratoga stakes
