In mid-January, Midwesterners got some exciting news about a new bus service. Megabus, one of the biggest providers of intercity bus services in the region, was partnering with Miller Transportation, another major provider. The team-up was supposed to help both services expand their networks. By doing so, they’d provide a new way for Indianapolis and Bloomington residents to get to some of the other major cities in the region.

However, this plan was short-lived. Just over a month later, in February, Megabus announced that it would reduce service in Indianapolis. It also announced that it would cancel upcoming trips between Indianapolis and cities like Chicago. This quick turnaround has customers wondering: what happened?

Why the Reduction in Service?

We don’t know exactly what happened between the beginning of the new service and the announcement. All we know is that the company put the onus for the decision on its partner, Miller Transportation. Megabus called it a “business decision by our partner” and said it would no longer sell tickets in the Midwest.

Miller Transportation is one of Indiana’s biggest bus service providers. It operates through a subsidiary known as Hoosier Ride. It seems as though the two companies had a disagreement about how to split the revenue they got from ticket sales in the region.

Unfortunately, Miller’s decision to end its partnership will affect Indianapolis residents negatively. There will no longer be an easy bus ride that people can take to Chicago, Detroit, or Minneapolis.

What’s Next for Megabus?

For what it’s worth, Megabus seems to have few concerns about the termination of this partnership. Since its agreement with Miller ended, it has confirmed that it will continue to operate in cities like Kokomo. It also announced a new service that will take people from Detroit to Toronto. The company is clearly still focused on service expansion. It’s just unfortunate that Indiana won’t see much of that expansion.