Eco-bus offers luxury commute

Photo by Mike Kepka, San Francisco Chronicle

As cities around the world try to get cars off the roads, there’s been increasing emphasis on public transportation, ride-sharing, telecommuting and bicycling as eco-minded alternatives. One we hadn’t yet seen, however, is a luxury eco-bus used to give commuters a high-end ride to work. San Francisco now requires that all employers with 20 workers or more offer a transit benefit program to support greener commuting. With that in mind, Bauer’s Worldwide Transportation recently launched Wi-Drive, a green, weekday bus service that offers high-end transportation for commuters. Targeting professionals who wouldn’t normally consider public transportation, Wi-Drive aims to emulate the comfort of a limousine or company shuttle. Padded leatherette seats, wifi, LCD screens, ports for phones and iPods, and work tables at each prereserved seat are among the amenities Wi-Drive commuters can enjoy, as well as the availability of food and beverages and an attendant on duty. The 52-seat vehicles themselves, meanwhile, run on CNG, propane or bio-fuel, and most stops on their routes are close to major companies or transit hubs. Bauer’s will also work with companies or groups of commuters to build custom routes, and it has partnered with pre-tax transit programs Commuter Checks and WageWorks to integrate their offerings as well. One-way prices on Wi-Drive are USD 8.20 for most trips among Marin County, San Francisco and San Jose, according to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, with discounts for preloading the service’s swipe card by the month. A loyalty program, meanwhile, rewards users with points to spend toward future commutes, and Bauer’s allows companies to add their own custom incentives as well. With all the many reasons to reduce driving, there’s no doubt it needs to happen, and a first-class alternative may be just what it will take to get high-end commuters out of their BMWs. One to emulate on the roads near you? (Related: Rewarding consumers who drive less.) Spotted by: Treehugger via airlinetrends.com