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Bite of the Apple: goodbye to Fung Wah, the worst bus ride in the United States Bite of the Apple: goodbye to Fung Wah, the worst bus ride in the United States
(35 minutes later)
The notorious Fung Wah bus service is finally gone for good.The notorious Fung Wah bus service is finally gone for good.
The $15 coach from New York’s Chinatown to Boston was taken off the roads in 2013 for the rather conclusive-sounding reason that it was an “imminent hazard” whose bosses’ “irresponsible actions substantially increase the likelihood of serious injury or death”.The $15 coach from New York’s Chinatown to Boston was taken off the roads in 2013 for the rather conclusive-sounding reason that it was an “imminent hazard” whose bosses’ “irresponsible actions substantially increase the likelihood of serious injury or death”.
The company had no effective maintenance programme for their buses, the US department of transportation found; inspection records had been fraudulently filled out; and drivers were improperly vetted for qualifications and use of drugs or alcohol. The company had no effective maintenance programme for their buses, the US Department of Transportation found; inspection records had been fraudulently filled out; and drivers were improperly vetted for qualifications and use of drugs or alcohol.
Later that year, after hiring safety consultants and selling off 10 of its oldest buses, the bus service – founded in 1996 – was given permission to put the pedal to the metal again.Later that year, after hiring safety consultants and selling off 10 of its oldest buses, the bus service – founded in 1996 – was given permission to put the pedal to the metal again.
But now DNAinfo reports that owner Pei Lin Liang has told the New York City council that “he wasn’t able to continue the business”, according to Paul Leonard, a spokesman for city councilwoman Margaret Chin, who had been helping Liang with his application.But now DNAinfo reports that owner Pei Lin Liang has told the New York City council that “he wasn’t able to continue the business”, according to Paul Leonard, a spokesman for city councilwoman Margaret Chin, who had been helping Liang with his application.
A $30 return ticket from New York to Boston struck me as too good to be true when I considered taking that trip a few years ago, so I nervously scanned through the pages of Yelp to read some reviews left by customers.A $30 return ticket from New York to Boston struck me as too good to be true when I considered taking that trip a few years ago, so I nervously scanned through the pages of Yelp to read some reviews left by customers.
One said rival Chinese bus companies had attacked Fung Wah’s buses. Another said that the police once approached the bus at a rest stop and the driver ran off into the woods, never to be seen again. One woman said she got left behind at the rest stop.One said rival Chinese bus companies had attacked Fung Wah’s buses. Another said that the police once approached the bus at a rest stop and the driver ran off into the woods, never to be seen again. One woman said she got left behind at the rest stop.
Checking again in the wake of this week’s news, the claims made by Yelp users seem, if anything, even more alarming.Checking again in the wake of this week’s news, the claims made by Yelp users seem, if anything, even more alarming.
“Last Friday was the coup-de-grace,” wrote Howard G from Newark in 2010. “The bus caught on fire. There was absolute panic, and the driver was the first one off ... The fire department showed up along with the police. Their response: another Fung-Wah barbecue.”“Last Friday was the coup-de-grace,” wrote Howard G from Newark in 2010. “The bus caught on fire. There was absolute panic, and the driver was the first one off ... The fire department showed up along with the police. Their response: another Fung-Wah barbecue.”
“I sat next to a heroin addict going through withdrawal,” recalled Grant H from Brooklyn in 2008. “He was scratching, standing, mumbling, jittering, pounding his fists, undoing his pants while I was clinging to the far edge of the seat.”“I sat next to a heroin addict going through withdrawal,” recalled Grant H from Brooklyn in 2008. “He was scratching, standing, mumbling, jittering, pounding his fists, undoing his pants while I was clinging to the far edge of the seat.”
“The scary part was the ride back from Boston at 1 or 2am,” reports Brittyn L from Hillsboro, Oregon, in 2013. “I was lifted out of my seat and knocked heads with my friend on several occasions (not on purpose). They were going so fast that the bumps on the road were so extreme that my butt was off the seat by at least three inches!”“The scary part was the ride back from Boston at 1 or 2am,” reports Brittyn L from Hillsboro, Oregon, in 2013. “I was lifted out of my seat and knocked heads with my friend on several occasions (not on purpose). They were going so fast that the bumps on the road were so extreme that my butt was off the seat by at least three inches!”
Michelle V from Richmond Hill, New York, made a suggestion: “If you’d like to arrive at your destination alive, maybe Amtrak or Greyhound would be a better choice. It’s a few more bucks, but at least you’ll get to Boston, ya know, NOT DEAD!”Michelle V from Richmond Hill, New York, made a suggestion: “If you’d like to arrive at your destination alive, maybe Amtrak or Greyhound would be a better choice. It’s a few more bucks, but at least you’ll get to Boston, ya know, NOT DEAD!”
“Fung Wah, more like Fung AHHH!!” added Julia D from Long Island City.“Fung Wah, more like Fung AHHH!!” added Julia D from Long Island City.
But many reviewers take Fung Wah’s side, sometimes passionately so, making the argument that you get what you pay for, even praising the breakneck speed of the buses as well as the convenience of the tickets.But many reviewers take Fung Wah’s side, sometimes passionately so, making the argument that you get what you pay for, even praising the breakneck speed of the buses as well as the convenience of the tickets.
“It’s just so easy to hate on Fung Wah, isn’t it?” writes Sue K from Seattle. But “in the end, nothing beats the price and convenience”. She adds reasonably: “If you really fear for your life – just leave during daylight hours.”“It’s just so easy to hate on Fung Wah, isn’t it?” writes Sue K from Seattle. But “in the end, nothing beats the price and convenience”. She adds reasonably: “If you really fear for your life – just leave during daylight hours.”
Davin L from Chicago takes the same attitude. “Yeah, maybe it’s sketchy. Yeah, maybe you were sitting next to a dead crack whore. Yeah, maybe you waited at the rest stop 30 minutes too long because the guy who was supposed to pick up the ‘care package’ from the driver was late trying to duck the cops. But for 15 bucks, look at what you get.”Davin L from Chicago takes the same attitude. “Yeah, maybe it’s sketchy. Yeah, maybe you were sitting next to a dead crack whore. Yeah, maybe you waited at the rest stop 30 minutes too long because the guy who was supposed to pick up the ‘care package’ from the driver was late trying to duck the cops. But for 15 bucks, look at what you get.”
Kat H from Brooklyn provides a list of tips for the potential Fung Wah passenger, which begins sternly – “This ain’t no disco. Nor is it the Ritz. This is a four-and-a-half-to-five-hour bus ride to Boston for $15” – and then digresses slightly: “The first time I took the Fung Wah, I only brought a copy of Tropic of Cancer along for the ride. A long, hot bus ride (sans snacks) is not the time to find out that Henry Miller is a whore-loving bore.”Kat H from Brooklyn provides a list of tips for the potential Fung Wah passenger, which begins sternly – “This ain’t no disco. Nor is it the Ritz. This is a four-and-a-half-to-five-hour bus ride to Boston for $15” – and then digresses slightly: “The first time I took the Fung Wah, I only brought a copy of Tropic of Cancer along for the ride. A long, hot bus ride (sans snacks) is not the time to find out that Henry Miller is a whore-loving bore.”
So anyway, I got the Fung Wah. No wheels came off, it didn’t roll over, it didn’t crash into any other Fung Wah buses coming the other way.So anyway, I got the Fung Wah. No wheels came off, it didn’t roll over, it didn’t crash into any other Fung Wah buses coming the other way.
The worst thing that happened was there was no air-con during the journey back in the stifling July heat. Which is ironic, given that the name Fung Wah means “magnificent wind”.The worst thing that happened was there was no air-con during the journey back in the stifling July heat. Which is ironic, given that the name Fung Wah means “magnificent wind”.
Rows of passengers lay as silent and still as possible, barely allowing themselves to breathe, too crushed by the heat to even move, empty bottles of water describing desultory circles on the ground by their feet.Rows of passengers lay as silent and still as possible, barely allowing themselves to breathe, too crushed by the heat to even move, empty bottles of water describing desultory circles on the ground by their feet.
There was one other problem, too. No one could open the bathroom door. There was one other problem, too: no one could open the bathroom door.
As the bus tore on through the night towards Manhattan and things reached crisis point, an unpromising would-be saviour tottered up the aisle, mumbling: “I’m MacGyver, MacGruber ... Coming through ... Folks, MacGyver’s here ... Give it up for MacGyver.”As the bus tore on through the night towards Manhattan and things reached crisis point, an unpromising would-be saviour tottered up the aisle, mumbling: “I’m MacGyver, MacGruber ... Coming through ... Folks, MacGyver’s here ... Give it up for MacGyver.”
He opened the door first time.He opened the door first time.
It wasn’t the Ritz. But for $15, what did I expect? It was the Fung Wah. And we may never see its like again.It wasn’t the Ritz. But for $15, what did I expect? It was the Fung Wah. And we may never see its like again.