New Megabus stop arrives at Delaware’s campus, to travel to New York City, D.C., Baltimore, Md.

Despite competitors’ efforts to ban the company from coming to Newark, university students will have the option to take the Megabus to Baltimore, New York City and Washington D.C. starting next week. 

A new Megabus stop will be located in lot six near Laird Campus and Richard Rind, director of parking and transportation services, said the location will be convenient for students. He said Megabus was interested in placing a stop at the university because it is roughly half way between New York City and Washington D.C.

“I think it’s going to be pretty popular,” Rind said. “I think students want to go to New York and Washington D.C. either to go home or just to visit.”

Senior Darra Markland said she believes Megabus’ broad range of departure times, nonstop trips and cheap tickets are convenient for many traveling students.

According to the bus company’s website, tickets can be purchased online for as little as $1.

“I think it’ll be a big hit for all the people that don’t have cars on campus or can’t afford expensive parking passes,” Markland said. “I think it’s going to be huge for all of the incoming freshmen.” 

In the past, she said she had to travel to Philadelphia to catch a Megabus which was a hassle and an expense.

“Usually being a broke college student I can’t afford round-trip train tickets,” Markland said. “So it’s like music to my ears that I don’t have to go all the way up to Philly just to catch the Megabus.”

Senior Caroline White said she used to take the Megabus from Philadelphia, but she did not have a good experience there.

“They’re not really that organized up in Philly, so maybe it’d be better run in Newark,” White said.

Alumnus Jared Maldonado, founder of the bus company Catch-A-Ride, said he drafted a petition in protest of Megabus due to safety issues surrounding the company.

The petition states that, “Megabus buses have been involved in numerous incidents over the past four years that have resulted in injuries and deaths, and many more incidents that put passengers’ lives directly in harm’s way including buses catching fire and drivers operating the buses while intoxicated.” 

According to Maldonado, the main goal of the petition is to make the university realize that some parents and students oppose the use of unsafe bus services.

However Markland said she does not recall hearing about any of the accidents and prefers Megabus over competing companies.

“I used to travel on the Greyhound buses and that’s how I would get around,” she said. “The Megabuses that I’ve been on have first of all been way cleaner, and the fact that they go straight through is a lot more organized.” 

White said she has not heard of the dangerous Megabus incidents either and has never been nervous or scared to take it.

Markland said that she feels safe traveling on the bus but understands that as with all forms of public transportation comes a certain amount of risk.

Maldonado gathered more than 100 signatures for the petition and said many people called the school to voice their opinions on the matter. He said since the petition was drafted, there have been four more events surrounding the safety of Megabus, two of which lead to deaths.

The Megabus organization could not be reached to comment.