For cheap-bus passengers, an unexpected side trip

Pennsylvania cities must all look alike to Canadian bus drivers. Either that or this is a lesson in "you get what you pay for."

What other explanation could there be for an unexpected detour taken on a supercheap bus ride from Toronto to Philadelphia?

Paul Lucre, 41, had spent five days in Canada and left Toronto at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

He was scheduled to arrive early Thursday morning in Philadelphia. He was a bit surprised when he woke up in Harrisburg, not ordinarily a stop from Toronto on the Megabus route.

The slightly bewildered driver pulled over by the side of the road and went to a nearby shopping area to ask directions, Lucre said.

"There was no explanation," Lucre said. "We were all wondering out loud."

When the driver returned, a female passenger offered him her GPS-equipped phone.

About 9 a.m. the driver reoriented himself and headed east.

"It was bizarre," Lucre said. "The bus should have arrived at 8:15 but it wasn't until 10:34 we got back."

Officials for Coach USA, which operates Megabus, were apologetic, but they could not explain the detour.

"The journey didn't happen the way we wanted it to," said Edward Hodgson, director of operations. "We want to know why our passengers had a longer trip than they should."

Hodgson said the company began running from Toronto to Philadelphia on July 21.

He said passengers would be given a full refund.

Lucre said he laughed when he first heard the offer.

"A refund? That really isn't the point," he said. "The fare was $3."