Wheels on the Megabus
Megabus plans to upgrade Austin service with new downtown terminal
Megabus has big plans to upgrade its service in Austin with a new terminal. The low-cost bus service, which provides transportation from Austin to Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, wants to transform a former gas station into its new Austin hub.
"We're looking to refurbish a building and then have a terminal there for one of our buses to come in and come out," Sean Hughes, director of corporate affairs for Coach USA and Megabus, told KVUE. "There'll be a bathroom in there, there'll be Wi-Fi, there'll be a little bit of a sitting area if you will, so you know, obviously it will be indoors."
The transportation service currently operates on Whitis Avenue near the University of Texas campus. The outdoor space means no bathrooms — and no protection from the weather. KVUE reports that Megabus has spent the past year searching for a new space that would not only better serve customers, but meet the city's requirements for restrooms and shelter for patrons.
The City of Austin Planning Commission has approved Megabus' request for a conditional use permit at 1500 San Jacinto Blvd. The space is the former home of Nuevo Leon Taco Express.
Megabus executives say that the service has brought $12.5 million into the Austin economy since it began operating in 2012.