Back in the college days, bus rides were basically essential. I was going to college in the southern part of the state, and my girlfriend at the time, was going to school in Massachusetts. So over the course of that time, I feel like I got to know the inside of a Concord bus pretty darn well.

I preferred them over other companies because Concord showed movies and gave out snacks. To the average college kid, it spoke to me. Loudly. Hahaha. If there's two things college folk needed in the days before smart phones and widespread internet use, it was to be able to ass the time on a long ride. Snacks and movies nailed it.

Fast forward 25+ years, and COVID-19 came along. We all know that it pretty much shut down all forms of group travel for extended periods. There were no flights, no trains, no buses... But now, as things have been easing up a bit, especially here in Maine, bus rides are making a comeback.

Concord Coach Lines just announced that they will be once again, getting folks back on their buses to head to Boston, Logan Airport, NYC, etc. Naturally, that will come with several precautions built into it. One would expect nothing less during this time, when safety is literally on everyone's mind.

Concord says high contact areas will be constantly cleaned, ticket counters will have a screen in front of them, and riders and drivers alike will be asked to wear masks for the entire duration of their trip. All stuff that is basically common sense these days, but at the same time, always needs to be said out loud.

Obviously, not everyone is ready to travel right now, but for those who are willing to do it safely, at least there's an outlet for some travel. Sometimes you need to go on a trip and just don't want the hassle of driving. And, according to News Center, now that's getting a little easier. And if that's you... Safe travels!

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