COVID-19 cutback
Luxury bus curbs some Austin routes in response to coronavirus
UPDATE: Vonlane announced April 15 that, due to lack of demand, it is suspending operations until May 28. For more information and to book reservations May 29 and beyond, visit the company's website.
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As the coronavirus cripples travel, luxury bus operator Vonlane LLC has temporarily eliminated four routes serving Texas, including one in Austin.
In a March 24 email to customers, Vonlane founder and CEO Alex Danza said the four routes that have been paused are:
- Dallas-Oklahoma City
- Fort Worth-Austin
- Fort Worth-Houston
- Houston-San Antonio
As a result of these changes, no service is currently available to or from Fort Worth.
“While we are significantly impacted by the circumstances of the day,” Danza wrote, “we continue to operate a minimal schedule between Austin, Dallas, and Houston as an essential public transportation provider. Our goal is to be a solution for your urgent personal travel.”
Once the coronavirus pandemic has subsided, the Dallas-based bus operator will return to its normal schedule of 70 to 78 daily departures in Texas and Oklahoma, according to the email.
For those passengers who travel on Vonlane buses, some seats have been blocked to enable six feet of social distance, Danza wrote. Other coronavirus safety measures include disinfecting bus interiors, stocking buses with hand sanitizer, and outfitting on-board attendants with gloves to wear while serving food and beverages.
“Everyone at Vonlane is excited about the day we see you all aboard the coaches someday soon,” Danza wrote.
Vonlane launched its high-end bus service in 2014 with the Dallas-to-Austin route. Each bus, which holds fewer than two dozen passengers, features amenities like WiFi, satellite TV and radio, and leather seats.
