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New Bus Service To Run From SJ, Oakland To Los Angeles

SAN JOSE (KCBS) – A new bus company is offering low-fare, express service to and from the Bay Area to Los Angeles.

This week marks the launch of BoltBus service in California. The bus line service is largely popular in the Pacific Northwest and East Coast, offering premium on-board amenities.

BoltBus General Manager David Hall said starting on October 31, the subsidiary of Greyhound will start running buses on three daily trips each way between San Jose and Oakland and Los Angeles.

New Bus Service To Run From Bay Area To Los Angeles

"The bus is not your typical bus. The bus has leather seats. It has seat belts," Hall said. "You get a little bit of extra leg room, similar to the exit row on an airline."

The launch of BoltBus service comes less than a year after MegaBus started service between Northern and Southern California. Hall said, like those buses, the BoltBus will also offer free Wi-Fi and power outlets.

"When we say we're competing with each other, we're actually competing more with the car, that's the dominant mode of travel here," said Hall. "The more people we can get out of the car and onto the bus, it's better for the environment, And it's certainly cheaper, when you run the math."

A recent DePaul University study found that bus transportation was the fastest growing form of U.S. intercity travel last year.

To celebrate its launch, BoltBus is offering one-way fares - for $1 plus a booking fee - through November 3. The highest fare will adjust based on demand, but the earlier passengers purchase their tickets, the lower the fare will cost. Full price tickets are expected to range from $25 to $45.

Curbside service in Oakland will be available at the West Oakland BART Station and in San Jose at Diridon Station.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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