A ride on the Chinatown bus to New York is cheap, convenient and sometimes explosive.
A bus operated by the Fung Wah Bus Transportation company burst into flames just after its 45 passengers evacuated on Interstate 91 on Aug. 16. The bus was on its way from South Station in Boston to Canal Street in New York's Chinatown district. When it exploded, the bus was traveling through Meriden, Conn.
Fung Wah, along with other Chinatown bus companies, is now facing price competition from larger companies that travel station-to-station along the same route.
Another so-called Chinatown bus, from the Travel Pak company, exploded in March while on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Its passengers got out safely as well.
A Sept. 4 article in the Boston Globe revealed some of the Chinatown operations have received lower-than-average safety ratings from the federal government.
The article listed details from July's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration report. The report rated safety on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being the best and 100 the worst.
Fung Wah received a driver risk rating of 73, meaning 73 percent of companies had a lower driver risk. A rating of 75 can trigger a federal investigation. The company is not under investigation from the government, though the explosion incident is being investigated by insurance companies.
Travel Pak, a division of Kristine Travel & Tours Inc., received a driver risk rating of 97. Kristine Travel is also not under investigation, but it no longer runs the Travel Pak service between Boston and New York.
According to the Globe article, following the Fung Wah bus' explosion, Senator Charles Schumer (Dem., N.Y.) made an appeal for stricter safety measures for bus services.
Despite the negative press coverage, Tufts students are still willing to use the Chinatown services. "I would definitely take the Fung Wah bus still because I don't have extra money to spend on more luxurious travel back to
New York," freshman Aliza Norcross said.
Fung Wah charges $15 each way. Two years ago there was an even cheaper option, $10, for late-night trips.
The other bus companies traveling from South Station to Port Authority Station in New York charge more than Fung Wah. Greyhound and Peter Pan each normally charge about $30 but they have online specials for $18. The Greyhound Web site links to Peter Pan.
Students interviewed said they did not notice a major difference between the safety of the Chinatown bus services and other companies.
"They use the same kinds of buses that Greyhound and Peter Pan do," sophomore Will Kent said. "If you're taking a bus it could burst into flames regardless of what company. They have standards."
Kent said he takes a Chinatown bus about three times a year. "I guess the only difference would be how they maintain the bus," he said.
Sophomore Alejandro Pinero has taken a Chinatown bus in the past, but he now takes Greyhound because he said it is more convenient. His experience on the Chinatown buses was positive.
"I didn't feel threatened at any time," he said. "Safety-wise, it seemed better than I expected."
Sophomore Rachel O'Donnell, who has taken the Lucky River bus, another Chinatown company, said the lower online prices for Greyhound and Peter Pan make them an appealing alternative to the Chinatown bus.
"You get to go to real stations, and you get to leave on time," she said. "And no explosions."
Most students said their ultimate decision depended on the trip's price, not its safety. "I'll take my chances," Norcross said.
