Ride Along

New motor coach service chauffeurs Texas commuters for less

Shofur starts shuttling Texas commuters in July.

Photo courtesy of Shofur

Texas already has Megabus and Vonlane, and now we'll be the first to get a brand-new commuter bus route from a technology startup called Shofur.

Beginning July 14, Shofur will offer bus service from Dallas to Houston. Assuming all goes well, that route will be followed by service to and from other Texas cities, including Austin, Waco, and San Antonio.

The buses offer amenities such as reclining seats, Wi-Fi, power outlets, and the option to select your seat just as you would choose your seat on an airplane.

Shofur, or "chauffeur" for people who can't spell so good, is designed primarily as an alternative to airfare and trains for "super commuters" who live in one metropolitan area but work in another.

As proof that a market exists, the company cites a study by Mitchell Moss, director of the Rudin Center for Transportation at NYU, who found that Texas cities, including Dallas, Houston, and Austin, have a growing population of super commuters, with the number from Dallas to Houston increasing 218 percent from 2002 to 2009, to 51,900 people.

The Dallas-to-Houston route represents the first scheduled service for Shofur, which previously specialized in charter bus service only.

The company plans to take an Uber-like approach to the motor-coach industry. "We’ve developed a mobile app allowing customers to select their seat, track their bus in real-time, and view the location of their stop," says CEO Amir Harris in a release. "We are excited to launch this service in Texas and then grow throughout the United States."

Riders can book bus tickets and charter bus reservations on the website and via a mobile app or go old-school by calling 1-800-436-8710. A one-way ticket from Dallas to Houston on July 20 leaving at 4 pm costs $29.23; if you want to leave at 10:45 am, the ticket is $57.57. The service seems most similar to Vonlane, the luxury bus company that operates four routes per day from Dallas Love Field to Houston for $99-$109.

Shofur started out as a website to book charter buses, and it claims to have more than 5,000 coach buses, with more than 400 bus companies in over 200 locations. The company serves as a platform, aggregating mom-and-pop bus companies. It has provided buses to airlines when their planes cannot fly, and it has supplied transportation for big sporting events like NCAA championships, wedding parties, and large conventions — anyone who needs a bunch of buses in a pinch.

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Airline News

San Antonio gets nonstop flights to this Washington, DC airport

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

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American Airlines will soon introduce long-awaited nonstop flights between San Antonio (SAT) and Washington, D.C. (DCA). One flight will be scheduled daily, starting in March.

Tickets for the new service will be available on sale starting December 23 through aa.com or American’s mobile app.

The route was tentatively announced in October, but the U.S. Department of Transportation has now formally approved the application by American Airlines.

“This new service will offer convenient nonstop access to our nation’s capital for San Antonians, while helping further connect customers to our comprehensive global network," said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, in a press release. "American thanks the many elected officials and citizens who supported our application, and we look forward to welcoming customers onboard this new service soon.”

Flight 1718, reflecting the year San Antonio was founded, will depart SAT at 6:35 am and arrive in DCA at 10:41 am. Flight 1947, reflecting the year the U.S. Air Force was established, will depart DCA at 7:45 pm and arrive in SAT at 10:43 pm.

“This long-awaited connection to our nation’s capital is a game changer for our community, opening doors to countless opportunities for travel and economic development,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “I’m grateful to those who have championed this effort and for the bipartisan support of our representatives in the Senate and House, whose advocacy was instrumental in making these flights a reality. We look forward to the positive impact this nonstop service will have for years to come."

San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh echoed the sentiments about economic development and pointed out some growth already happening in San Antonio. The release also notes that San Antonio is the largest city in Texas lacking nonstop service to DCA and the largest city in the U.S. with a majority Hispanic population without nonstop service to DCA.

“Serving the fastest-growing city in the country, SAT has achieved record-breaking passenger numbers throughout 2024. This nonstop service to and from DCA addresses a need for our military, business, educational and research communities, among others. It also promotes competition and offers more travel options for passengers flying to and from San Antonio, enhancing connectivity as we continue making progress on the airport Terminal Development Program.”

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