A cut-rate bus service operating under the radar in Binghamton has been offering service to New York and recently unveiled additional routes to Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Allentown.

OurBus describes itself as an intercity bus service for the technology age. It doesn't actually operate the buses. Rather, the company finds existing charter operators looking to supplement their current system on crowd-sourced routes.

Fares from Binghamton to New York City, for instance, range from $10 to $43.50 depending on date and departure time. Currently, OurBus usually has three New York buses leaving from Binghamton — in the morning, afternoon and evening. B

By comparison, Greyhound fares range from $20 to $42, depending on departure time, while Shortline fares range from $36 for students to $42 for adults. Both traditional bus companies have about 20 departures daily between them, from early morning to late night.

Megabus, operating through Shortline, features fares from $13 to $49 for the typical three-and-half-hour ride between the two points.

"There’s demand for efficient and inexpensive travel between upstate New York, and other locations beyond New York City, ” said OurBus co-founder Axel Hellman.

Customers can find a wide variation in fares for OurBus, and fares can, on high demand days, be higher than established carriers.

Hellman said the company practices demand pricing, adjusting the cost depending on demand, a model used by ride-sharing car service Uber.

Emily Schemerhorn discovered that when she booked a recent trip to New York, a trip she makes regularly to visit her boyfriend.

For a mid-afternoon bus to New York City, Schemerhorn paid $26 for the trip down. For the return, on an apparently busy Columbus Day, she paid $40.

There are no ticket booths. OurBus tickets are issued from its website or phone app.

"I had to go to New York City and this was the cheapest way," said Josh Tyler, 24. The fare for his ticket was $20.

Tyler discovered the service through word of mouth. Schemerhorn did a Google search for "cheap bus tickets from Binghamton to NYC."

Even paying $66 for the round trip was a mild shock to Schemerhorn, who gets a ride from her home in Auburn to catch the cut-rate service in Binghamton. She has paid as little as $10 for the trip on previous excursions.

Still, for the most part, "it's a lot cheaper," Schemerhorn said, "and there are no stops."

New York City buses can originate in Ithaca or Syracuse, or on high demand days start in Binghamton. Similar with Washington D.C. route, which stops in Allentown, Philadelphia before the final destination in the nation's capitol.

Depending on which bus company provides the service. passengers arriving in Manhattan on OurBus are dropped off at either the Port Authority or Park Avenue South between 26th Street and 27th Street. Binghamton departures are from the west side of the city bus terminal.

Schedules are irregular to New York. On a recent Sunday, there was one morning bus to New York and three scheduled for departure between 4:40 p.m. and 8:40 p.m.

Trips to Washington, Philadelphia and Allentown are scheduled as demand warrants, Hellman said. Trips are only scheduled on Friday and Sundays, for now, with prices comparable or higher than Greyhound for the the same route, based on a recent search of fares.

OurBus says it offers free WiFi, water and outlets for charging. Other carriers typically offer similar amenities.

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