"The drivers intentionally go slowly and take back roads so that the trip, normally six hours, lasts eight."
Why not just get there 2 hours early, park, and sit for 2 hours. This would (1) reduce vehicle motion, so you can sleep better, and (2) allow people who aren't asleep anyway to get out early if they want. It may also save gas, although once buses are electric, this becomes less of a factor.
I've taken quite a few overnight buses during a 6 month trip through South America. Even when paying for the luxury option (which is literally $10-$15 more, totally worth it) and having fully reclining comfortable seats, it all comes down to one thing, the drivers.
If the drivers are maximizing for time you're not going to sleep very well because they are driving like a maniac. Sudden halts, near misses, and sharp corners make for a particularly terrifying experience when you're attempting to sleep.
The fact that this endeavor is focusing on drivers that go slow is 100% a positive for me and I would now consider trying it.
This is an issue that really just exists with overnight buses, as trains don't make sudden stops and they are not competing with other trains for a lane.
Buses like this should be fitted with accelerometers, and drivers be rewarded for good driving. Actually the same applies to ordinary buses, a careful driver makes the journey much more comfortable.
While I agree with the sentiment, it does nothing to account for all the other drivers on the road. I don't really see how this is fair to the bus driver.
That's true, but a lot can be avoided with conservative driving. Anticipating what other drivers might do is major part of the skill. Also, stopping suddenly can be a serious health risk if you're expecting the elderly to use the buses.
But I do take the point, I'm not a big fan of the overbearing tracking that you read about, for instance, in the Amazon warehouses. Especially when you're asking for skilled performance but paying unskilled wages.
Perhaps it could just be asking a percentage of drivers to take extra training, but I do think it should happen to some degree.
Do we really want to measure drivers by smoothness only, ignoring other factors like safety?
When a difficult situation on the road arises, the drivers may be less likely to hit breaks, knowing they are being constantly watched.
A better option would be to allow passengers to rate the drivers easily, Uber style. Such system would count in more factors, and (I guess) would be less likely to optimise for just one factor.
Driving slower might quite possibly save on fuel, even if it takes longer. Parking a bus that long where it is convenient for the early risers to get off isn't necessarily easy either.
Plus, as others mention, you'd wake everyone else up.
Agreed. When you get into the part of the efficiency scale where aero dominates, it becomes an exponential cost increase for speed. 60mph and 68mph are night and day in a school bus.
Why not just get there 2 hours early, park, and sit for 2 hours. This would (1) reduce vehicle motion, so you can sleep better, and (2) allow people who aren't asleep anyway to get out early if they want. It may also save gas, although once buses are electric, this becomes less of a factor.