Discount van service from Cambridge to Amherst/Northampton

[Jimmy]

I was recently thinking that someone should start a discount bus
between Boston and the Pioneer Valley, and I just came across a new
one.

http://www.roadrabbit.com is a van service between Alewife and Amherst/
Northampton. It has one trip each way Friday-Sunday, and costs
$19.95. They say they could cancel a trip if not enough people buy
tickets.

They call it a charter rideshare service, and refer to their tickets
as rideshare coupons. Is this a way around regulations that only
apply to scheduled bus services?

Peter Pan costs $30 ($57 round trip, $28 online), and makes 2 or 3
intermediate stops.

Jimmy

[Matt]

You could alternatively take the Commuter rail out to Worcester, then
take Amtrak to Springfield on the 449 Lake Shore Limited train.

[Jimmy]

Matt <mattking5...@gmail.com> wrote:
> You could alternatively take the Commuter rail out to Worcester, then
> take Amtrak to Springfield on the 449 Lake Shore Limited train.

The Lake Shore Limited starts in Boston, so there's no reason to take
the commuter rail first (unless you're starting in the suburbs). But
it only runs once a day, and is often very late eastbound.

And worst of all, it leaves you in downtown Springfield, which is
little help to someone trying to go to Amherst or Northampton. I
suppose you could wait 65 minutes to transfer to the Vermonter, but
why would anyone waste 4:25 on Amtrak when Peter Pan gives you a one-
seat ride in 2:45 - 3:15? And the return train trip is even worse: a
3:23 layover, *if* the eastbound Lake Shore is on time.

Jimmy