There’s a new way to travel between Hartford and Manhattan, but don’t be deceived by the elegance of its name. LimoLiner, which commenced service in April, is still a bus. Yet it’s nothing like you’ll find pulling out of Union Station.
Unlike its no-frills competition like Peter Pan, Greyhound, and MegaBus (which departs from Front Street), LimoLiner seeks to pamper its ridership with meal service, an onboard attendant and more comfortable seats and legroom.
It offers amenities like WiFi and power outlets for laptops, satellite TV service and recently released movies.
The LimoLiner, which seats 28 in a space that could accommodate up to 57 on a normal interstate bus, has a scheduled run time of two hours and 20 minutes to midtown Manhattan from Hartford.
Peter Pescatore, LimoLiner CEO, said the Hartford service came about because of a fortuitous change in federal law.
Previously, bus drivers could only be behind the wheel for 10 hours a day.
That figure was bumped up an hour, which was enough time for a stop in Hartford.
LimoLiner is based in Stoughton, Mass., and service originates from the Back Bay Hilton in Boston.
Interest in the route has been slower than Pescatore expected, but he is committed to continuing the service.
“We expect it will be good for us and the city,” he said. On a late May morning, only five passengers were on the 6:35 a.m. bus to NYC — only two from Hartford.
No plans are underway for weekend service, Pescatore added, because Hartford-NYC is viewed as a business commuting route.
“We’re going to evaluate that,” he said. “It’s possible we’ll add Saturday and Sunday.”
That could be hampered, though, by near-capacity buses operating between Boston and New York.
While not revealing specific numbers, he said ridership on the four-times-a-day service to Manhattan (with three-times — a-day service from Manhattan) has been about 60 percent of expectation since its April 16 start.
Pescatore hopes to bump that number up with increased marketing among business groups and through a billboard on I-84 east into Hartford.
“We feel like the demand is there,” he said.
The LimoLiner appeals to some former Amtrak riders mostly because it means avoiding the hassles of New York’s Penn Station.
Martha Dewey, a software consultant with C.I. Software Co. interviewed after a recent trip on the LimoLiner, said she used to take the 5:40 p.m. out of Penn Station but got frustrated by the delays and uncertainties of boarding.
“I think this is a good service. It’s reliable and runs on time. Compared to Amtrak, they’re really good,” she said, acknowledging buses are susceptible to traffic delays.
“I hate standing in Penn Station looking at the departures board,” Dewey added.
Dewey’s upbeat comments came even after the bus arrived more than an hour late because of heavy rush-hour traffic out of Manhattan.
The morning bus had run 30 minutes late as the bus fought rain and a traffic backup caused by, of all things, a charter bus that had burst into flames along I-684 in New York.
The trip is made somewhat smoother by the onboard attendant.
While the website (www.limoliner.com) conveys an image of uniformed attendants, the attendant, who checks passengers in, is more casually attired but still professional in dealings with passengers.
On the morning ride, a continental breakfast is served. Soft drinks and juice are included.
For the afternoon return trip from New York, sandwiches are picked up from a Manhattan deli.
Again, refreshments are free and complimentary wine is also served.
The free WiFi worked well on a recent roundtrip to New York. Satellite television coverage was best described as spotty because of thick cloud cover, according to Pescatore.
The morning run did not feature a movie, nor did the afternoon ride.
However, in an unwitting nod to Hartford history, an episode of “Columbo,” starring Peter Falk was shown.
The LimoLiner’s introductory rate of $39 goes away as of July 15 when prices rise to $49.
Customers are picked up across the street from the Hartford Hilton, next to the XL Center.
They are dropped off in Manhattan at Hilton New York City on 53rd Street at the Avenue of the Americas.
Parking is available at the Hartford Hilton garage.
