GOGO Charters, a Texas bus company, plans to expand into interstate travel this summer and will make Akron a stop on routes that will connect to Cleveland, Columbus and other parts of the Midwest.
The cost to ride to Cleveland is likely to be $10; a trip to Columbus will cost more, but the price has yet to be determined.
Jon Schneider, a company representative, said the buses will have televisions, WiFi and seats that recline.
Schneider said it’s too soon to know the route schedule, but he expects at least one daily Cleveland-to-Columbus route and one in reverse.
“We’re excited to bring the service to the region,” Schneider said.
From Cleveland or Columbus, riders can connect to other cities in a loop that includes Indianapolis, Chicago and Detroit as well as smaller cities along the way. An additional branch route from Chicago will connect to Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin.
Schneider said GOGO Charters is also starting a route that connects major cities in Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana. The company later plans to build out routes on the East Coast and other parts of the country to connect to Texas and the Midwest.
Where to catch a GOGO bus in Akron
GOGO Charters has been planning the expansion for about a year, Schneider said, and is looking at areas other bus operators are pulling back from. He said the company is using artificial intelligence and picking up in front of hotels so it doesn’t have to maintain its own buildings.
In Akron, the pickup and dropoff point will be in front of the BLU-Tique hotel at 1 S. Main St. The service is expected to begin early this summer.
The company decided to start in the Midwest because of the many medium and large cities that are close to each other, Schneider said, as well as the number of colleges and large events in the region, like music festivals.
“We’re preparing ourselves for what we know is coming to the market the next few years,” he said. “We’re sensing a demand.”
