Female rapper Destiny Da Chef

On the road with Megabus.com



Megabus.com

RICHMOND, Va. (May 6, 2011) – Most individuals take several things into consideration when traveling.  They look into prices, hotels, things to do, location and other amenities.  For years airplanes, trains and cars have dominated most travel, but travel by Megabus.com is becoming more popular.  But most people don’t consider travel by bus or at least not until 2006 when Megabus.com was established.

            Through Megabus.com, passengers are offered low-cost, speedy bus service from city to city for as low as $1.  However, this is where most individuals get confused.  There are only a select few $1 seats and they are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.  The only exception is days when seating is not in high demand like weekdays or winter months. 
            Mike Alvich, vice president of marketing for Coach USA and Megabus.com, says prices escalate as the trip date gets closer but their prices are still more reasonable than other competitors.

            “The earlier you book and depending when you want to travel, the better chance you have for the $1 fare,” says Alvich.  “So if you wait until the last day you might pay the highest fare and still the cheapest fare in the marketplace.”

            Like other travel agencies, Megabus.com provides amenities to make the passenger’s ride easy and enjoyable. Things like free Wi-Fi, safety first seatbelts and power outlets are among the many features megabus.com offers.  According to Alvich, when you put all these and other elements together like brand new environmentally friendly buses, low fares, lots of good service, various departure stations and cities that are popular among people, then you go and promote to your consumer.

            So with these seemingly expensive services yet low prices, how exactly does Megabus.com make money?  Alvich says one way to do this is to not use unnecessary “brick and motor” offices like Greyhound and other bus companies that have ticket offices.  All Megabus.com reservations are made online which eliminates having to pay rent, insurance, salaries, etc.

“[in other words] you keep your operating costs as low as you can and you keep your quality of services as high as you can,” says Alvich.

            And consumers not only appreciate what Megabus.com offers, but they also find it very dependable.  Amaris Lemus, a student at VCU and a Megabus.com consumer, says that she enjoys the  website which is easy to use, and the buses always arrive and depart on time, too.

            “There also aren’t too many ‘sketchy’ people on it,” says Lemus.  “Everyone takes it…college students, parents and their kids, older people, etc.”

            But with any company, there are always advantages and disadvantages.  Megabus.com provides several cities in the U.S. with reliable service, but Richmond, for example, only travels to six other cities.  Hampton, Charlotte and Washington D.C. are among the few places Richmond's Megabus.com would travel.  Lemus says sometimes trying to travel from Richmond to other places can be difficult because there aren’t any buses that travel directly from Richmond to a place like New York.

            “If you’re trying to go to New York City, you have to buy one ticket from Richmond to D.C., then another from D.C. to Baltimore and then Baltimore to New York City,” says Lemus.

             This is where competitors try to gain the upper hand.  Travel agencies like the Chinatown bus and the Number 1 Bus Tour are similar to Megabus.com in that they have very low prices.  However, one difference is the available travel straight from Richmond to New York. 
            But are they profitable?

            When asked about how each company profits off of such low prices, the Chinatown bus company failed to respond.  However, a Number 1 Bus Tour representative said that it’s not uncommon to struggle in an industry where there are many traveling outlets.

“We don’t [make money]…we just try to keep up with every other company and stay alive,” said a Number 1 Bus Tour representative.

            It's not possible to determine how many passengers travel with Megabus.com daily or monthly.  However, after celebrating its nine millionth customer, Megabus.com does not look like its stopping anytime soon.  It plans to continue to offer great service, great prices and great travel.

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Q&A with Mr. Lee Ivory

RICHMOND, Va. (Apr. 13, 2011) – Intelligent media such as the internet, radio and various news stations help convey, to their respective audiences, relevant local and international information. 

            Virginius Dabney Professor Lonnie Lee Ivory, born in Hot Springs, Ark. and graduating from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Ark., got his start as a sports editor of the campus paper, The Oracle.  Even though he credits himself as a dynamic writer, he also warns about believing everything posted in most media.

            “I think the public has to be very careful about what it digests…what it considers news,” said Ivory.  “Pretty much anybody can write a column or a blog and post it.”

            With the rise of internet and false news, journalists have to approach their audience in a way that gives them straight facts and portrays the world entirely.  And although some parts of internet news are faulty, other parts can be very helpful.

            “The internet has given us more eyes than ever and transparency is always a good thing,” said Ivory.

            Like Ivory, students and those aspiring to be journalists and reporters must approach their writing in a “meticulous and ethical” manner that is objective and factual.  He understands that great writing takes a lot of practice and that a certain practice can add substance to your writing and gives you a visual of how other writers put their ideas together.

            “Read and write, then read and write some more,” said Ivory.  “No one comes out of the womb a journalist.  It’s a craft that has to be practiced.”

            When it comes to good writing, there may be times a student has to emulate someone of great writing stature.  Not plagiarize, but more so using someone else’s style in efforts to help better their own.  Ivory compares it to bike riding.

            “You can’t pick up a bicycle and expect to be the best bike rider after just one time,” said Ivory.  “You have to practice.  It’s the same with writing.  There’s no secret formula to it.”

            Sometimes a job like this could seem complex, however, Ivory says he believes in students that work hard and show strong journalism qualities.

            “It’s one of the greatest professions in the world, especially if you’re curious, a quick learner and like talking to people,” said Ivory.

            Ivory considers himself confident, a problem solver and a leader.  He says he thinks that students not only have to build on their craft but they should also have the same confidence in themselves that he has in himself.  He credits his late HSU journalism professor, the late Dr. Claude Sumerlin, for helping to build on his character and prepare him and his colleagues for the real world.

            “He taught us that no matter what, you could always fall back on your writing,” said Ivory.  “We did a lot of it in school, which is the same thing I try to pass on to my students here at VCU.”

            Therefore real news media can stay alive.

            “I think most people appreciate good, honest work,” says Ivory.  “In the end, journalistic integrity will prevail.”

Christina Irizarry profile

RICHMOND, Va. (Feb. 9, 2010) – Even though Christina Marie Irizarry doesn’t remember a lot from her past, her future seems very clear because she has big dreams of being an entertainment reporter.

Irizarry, born April 23, 1991 in Woodbridge, Va, spent most of her childhood in Fredericksburg where she played field hockey and acquired an interest in sports reporting.

“I played sports my entire life and my dad always watched ESPN,” she said.

 After participating in the yearbook club and being editor for the Riverbend High School newspaper she later shifted her interest to entertainment reporting.

“I love entertainment TV and I love magazines and anything to do with fashion and celebrities,” said Irizarry.  “I do enjoy the spotlight and I like to talk.”

When asked why her interest changed from sports reporting to entertainment she simply stated that it changed with age.

Irizarry says her interest in reporting sometimes gets discouraging because the industry and economy prove difficult to obtain and keep a job.  Even though test taking also can be an obstacle, in order to stay focused on her goals, Irizarry says that she studies frequently to get good grades and exercises to relieve any added stress.

Irizarry considers herself loving, creative and competitive and would one day love to interview Brian Williams from NBC Nightly News.

“I’m obsessed with him and I think he is such a great reporter,” said Irizarry.

Irizarry’s background consists of a sister, Stephanie, who is 13 months her senior and parents of Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian descent, both who are from Long Island, N.Y.  Irizarry considers her parents a major inspiration because they have always made her and her sister’s lives meaningful and made sure they were well taken care of. 

“My parents…did not go to college but have made me and my sister’s lives amazing,” she said.  “They have worked so hard for everything we have. They are always there for us no matter what.”

Irizarry, who enjoys country music and seafood, has travelled to various places including Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Bahamas and Dominican Republic through an ultimate cruise experience.  Her fondest memory was her time spent in the Dominican Republic.

“It was just a very nice vacation.  We spent thanksgiving there,” she said.  “We went four wheeling on the beach and shopping at the local shops.  We stayed at a beautiful resort.”

Similar to Irizarry’s previous vacation experience, if she could live anywhere in the world it would be Greece because she says the water there is beautiful and the atmosphere seems peaceful.

When asked about her future in the next five years she stated that she plans to be in law school so she can have a back up career plan.

Some of Irizarry’s interests include listening to music by Kenny Chesney, Nicki Minaj or Taylor Swift.  She also enjoys watching animated movies and reality TV shows such as “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”  In her spare time, she likes to shop at places such as Express, Forever 21 and Nordstrom, go to the gym, hang out with friends, and relax.

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