Thread: Bus Terminals in Las Vegas, Nevada and San Francisco/Oakland, California

Does anyone have any specific familiarity with these bus terminals?

Does anyone have *recent* non-specific familiarity with getting bus tickets and traveling by bus in the US?

To the point, I have a fugitive, someone suspected of a national security crime (hacking NSA computers) fleeing a city via bus. (He doesn't have a car.)

I'm curious how many security cameras there are in and around bus stations, how much of a security guard presence they have, and if the FBI or other agencies ever go there looking for suspects. Also, do drivers get calls from dispatch regarding BOLOs and such?

Thanks!

Interesting. This has changed a lot recently (many terminals now requiring a ticket to get into a departure area, removed all lockers, etc) so I can't help you with specifics. But one thing that you might look into is the BART service in the Bay Area, light rail connecting up a huge mass of the area, including tubes from SF to Oakland. No security, vigilance there, and might be a ploy.

The Greyhound terminal here in Vegas is located next to The Plaza Hotel and Casino on Main Street. As it's a rather seedy operation, I doubt there are any security cameras there. In all the while I drove a cab, I never saw Metro there and if there is any security, it's probably rent-a-cops.
Here in the Southwestern USA, there are a number of private bus companies that cater to Hispanics. I know of three with terminals here in Las Vegas and, for sure, they have no security cameras. If I were on the lam, those are the ones I would use as they are out-of-the-way and nobody would think to look there. Also, their destinations are NOT major stops and, with the current political climate, I feel certain NO POLICE would go near them!!!!!

That's a great idea on the MexiBuses, Taxi. There are jillions leaving from the border areas to Vegas and they are, like you said, a sort of underground railway.

Lemme tell you about a conversation I had outside the downtown LA Greyhound station (which is like Beirut meets Fort Apache meet Drugs4Us). I'm walking in with a backpack and two cholos hit on me.
Where ya going?
San Diego.
Hey, man we can drive you, cheaper than bus, leave right now, drink some beer, hit a bong on the way.

I told them I'd keep it in mind, check the ticket window first, get back to them. They then said, true story, "Hey, ese, you want to leave your pack here in the car while you check, get a load off, we'll watch it for you."
I laughed my ass off, which pissed them off.

But what if I'd been on the lam? And said, How much to Vegas?

Originally Posted by lin

Interesting. This has changed a lot recently (many terminals now requiring a ticket to get into a departure area, removed all lockers, etc) so I can't help you with specifics. But one thing that you might look into is the BART service in the Bay Area, light rail connecting up a huge mass of the area, including tubes from SF to Oakland. No security, vigilance there, and might be a ploy.

I'll definitely use the BART for any local transport once my character is in the Bay area.

Originally Posted by Taxiday

The Greyhound terminal here in Vegas is located next to The Plaza Hotel and Casino on Main Street. As it's a rather seedy operation, I doubt there are any security cameras there. In all the while I drove a cab, I never saw Metro there and if there is any security, it's probably rent-a-cops.
Here in the Southwestern USA, there are a number of private bus companies that cater to Hispanics. I know of three with terminals here in Las Vegas and, for sure, they have no security cameras. If I were on the lam, those are the ones I would use as they are out-of-the-way and nobody would think to look there. Also, their destinations are NOT major stops and, with the current political climate, I feel certain NO POLICE would go near them!!!!!

Thanks for the idea. Do they have websites? lin referred to them as Mexibuses; is that their actual name (Mexibus)? I need to get info on how they look, what their typical clientele looks like (demographics), their ticket purchase procedure, any security measures, and their routes. I'm thinking of taking a trip to San Francisco for pleasure, and can do research when I'm in the area if I have to, but I'm not even sure where to look.

Originally Posted by lin

That's a great idea on the MexiBuses, Taxi. There are jillions leaving from the border areas to Vegas and they are, like you said, a sort of underground railway.

Lemme tell you about a conversation I had outside the downtown LA Greyhound station (which is like Beirut meets Fort Apache meet Drugs4Us). I'm walking in with a backpack and two cholos hit on me.
Where ya going?
San Diego.
Hey, man we can drive you, cheaper than bus, leave right now, drink some beer, hit a bong on the way.

I told them I'd keep it in mind, check the ticket window first, get back to them. They then said, true story, "Hey, ese, you want to leave your pack here in the car while you check, get a load off, we'll watch it for you."
I laughed my ass off, which pissed them off.

But what if I'd been on the lam? And said, How much to Vegas?

That is an awesome story. I'll have to steal it and make it mine

Many are wildcat lines out of San Ysidro and such places, some are just Greyline or whatever doing hispanic business

What I would use, if it were me, is Los Paisanos. Trouble is, they don't go to SF in real liife http://lospaisanosautobuses.moonfrui...gas/4531615521

You know, I [pass their terminals on a regular basis and, for the life of me, cannot remember a single name!

Their buses are newer and far better than anything Greyhound operates, at least out of Vegas. Most are new Marco Polos made in Mexico. As I drove buses for a while, I can tell you the Mexibuses [my term for them] are a lot safer and more fuel economic. They also have plenty of video screens and the drivers play videos during the trips.

I think the one at Maint and Charleston is called El Paso Limo Service - although they only operate buses. http://www.eplalimo.com/
There's another on Las Vegas Blvd North near The Silver Nugget and the third is at the corner of Eastern, Main and Charleston.

They have an office at each location and sell to anyone, although, by far, their major market is Hispanics. As you can see from the schedule at the above website, they servivce Hispanic-heavy locations.

Taxiday, thanks for the info and the link.

Until this thread, I wasn't aware of the booming transportation service catering mainly to Hispanics. It's interesting that there are shiny, comfortable, new buses out there, doing good business, while Greyhound is slowly dying. From what I've read, breakdowns and delays are common with Greyhound.

I'll try to find photos of one of these terminals, but I'd really love a shot of some of the clientele.

This should fit perfectly into my novel.