(put in "Beyond the Beltway" as it doesn't directly deal with a DC-area agency)
As I mentioned in the Megabus expansion thread earlier, this weekend I'm down in the Raleigh area visiting (future) family. Megabus cost $30 RT for two people to go DC-Durham. Greyhound was 6 times that and the cost to have filled up the future wife's '07 Toyota would've been probably $30 one-way. It gave me a good idea to see how Megabus operates in an environment that isn't full of daytrippers that the runs to NYC and Philly have.
DC-Durham
We took the 9:15 departure from 10th & H on the morning 1/15 and I'd have to say that we had an 80% load leaving DC. The person right behind us in line had come off the overnight Boston-DC run and was bound for Charlotte, that alone takes determination. We got one of the ex-CoachUSA-branded MCI's (SD1572) which has been refurbished with power plugs but still has its original non-flush toilets. To be honest, the seats on them are much nicer than the seats on the Van Hools. The Wifi was also very stable compared to how it often flakes out on the double deckers.
Outside of a car fire near the Quantico exit on I-95, we ran into no traffic issues whatsoever and stuck to schedule.. The Richmond stop was a bit abysmal with nobody waiting and only one person getting off. I know the lack of morning northbound departures or any one-seat service to NYC hurts Megabus, but that's a bit disappointing. Our driver ended up missing the turn into the stop at Main Street Station and had to back up while under the CSX tracks.
We arrived into Durham at around 2:05 PM (scheduled for 2:30) which would've been earlier had the driver not missed the exit for the NC-147 freeway into Durham and we had to detour around the Duke campus and southern Durham which included some VERY tight underpasses (under 12') that it really shouldn't have attempted. Given that we were really early, nobody really minded. I'd say about half the bus got off with me and about 10 people had boarded by the time I got picked up at Durham and people were trickling one by one given how the bus was early.
Durham-DC
We arrived at the stop at 3:00 this afternoon to find that the DC-bound bus (a reserve fleet MCI with "...to New York" markings, SD 53855) had already arrived. I'd have to say there was a 40% load upon arrival at Durham which swelled to 95% leaving Durham on-schedule at 3:25. Though the power outlets worked, the wifi was non-operational which pushed a lot of people to their phones and two people to put mobile internet cards for their laptops. They wouldn't last an hour on a typical NC Greyhound line run. This wasn't the least of our worries.
SD53855 had some mechanical issues and its roadworthy was at most debatable. Whenever it'd change gears, the tires would squeal in a "burning rubber" fashion which adding to the fact that the bus was going at LEAST 70 up I-85 made things a bit risky. In lieu of this, we made exceptional time by getting to Richmond in only 2:25. The downside is that we had to wait 25 minutes in Richmond to get back on schedule with the heat cranked to 80 while it rained outside. Two people got off, one person got on.
We got into DC at 8:30 after a series of accidents and volume between Fredericksburg and Woodbridge slowed us down. I was shocked to see PRTC's express service running as late as it does on a holiday. I'd do this again and am planning on going elsewhere when the weather gets better. The first trip was better than the second but the fact both were early is a good sign. Schedules should be adjusted though, especially as the buses seem to be going faster than the schedules assume they are.