Greyhound explores alternate locations
Greyhound Lines Inc. will cease making stops in Hot Springs at the end of the month, but the city and intercity bus line said Thursday they are working to keep the city on the route schedule.
The city’s intracity transit department said Greyhound currently has 7:10 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 2:50 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. scheduled stops at the city’s Transportation Depot. Assistant City Manager/ City Clerk Lance Spicer and a Greyhound spokeswoman said locations for a new terminal are being pursued.
Spicer said Greyhound has indicated an interest in relocating to Dodge’s convenience store at 640 E. Grand Ave. It’s been closed for remodeling since last year,
and, according to property records, ownership of the property transferred to Cottrell Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in December.
Lanesha Gipson, senior communications specialist for Greyhound, said the company has yet to secure a location.
“We will continue to explore alternative options in Hot Springs, as we understand this is an inconvenience for customers,” she said in an email.
The city announced earlier this month that Greyhound will discontinue its Hot Springs stop at the end of the month. The registered ticket agreement that made it a third-party ticket agent for Greyhound expired at the end of last year. The city sells tickets at Transportation Depot and receives a commission based on the type of ticket sold, Spicer said.
“We’re basically a contractor for Greyhound,” he said. “We sell tickets, print tickets and do everything you would think a ticket agent would do. There is a commission percentage based on what portion of the ticket agreement you’re in. It varies based on the type of activity — if somebody is shipping something, buying a ticket in advance, or at the window or if we’re just printing the ticket.”
According to the city’s 2017 budget, $13,000 in revenue from contract fare commissions is projected for the intracity transit fund. Revenue projections were $14,000 and $15,000 in 2016 and 2015, respectively.
Spicer said the ticket agreement was a short-term solution that has been in place since the company Greyhound contracted to sell tickets abruptly ended its relationship with the bus line five years ago. Greyhound leased space for the contractor to sell tickets at Transportation Depot.
“Their contractor left quickly, and there was no service,” Spicer said. “The city felt the need to step in and assist them. That began a five-year agreement. It helped Greyhound and the city as well. We received a commission, and we got Greyhound back up and running relatively quickly.”
Spicer said the bus line previously operated a terminal in the 600 block of Malvern Avenue.
The Central Arkansas Development Council in Malvern at 830 W. Moline St. will be the closest Greyhound stop to Hot Springs when the company’s Transportation Depot terminal closes next week.
Gipson said Greyhound also stops in Little Rock at 118 E. Washington Ave.