"Its an achievement, nonetheless, to be flat in this economy," he said.

Schwieterman said Greyhound is also becoming "more aggressive and ambitious" following a major overhaul last year. The company closed routes across the country in an effort to improve efficiency throughout its network.

The company is also spending more to advertise than ever before, he noted.

But the biggest recent move by Greyhound is undoubtedly the launch of BoltBus, he said, with those alluring $1 fares.

But in the bitter battle for the East Coast, Schwieterman said it does not appear that Chinatown operators have pulled back either.

"It's a consumer's paradise right now, with cheap fares galore," Schwieterman said. "The incentives for taking the bus have never been better. And it comes at an interesting time, with airfares shooting up like a rocket."

Schwieterman said rising airfares are adding to existing concerns among consumers about rising gas prices. With gas topping $4 per gallon, buses — especially discount carriers — are becoming increasingly attractive.

American Bus Association spokesman Eron Shosteck suggested that riders are also increasingly focused on reducing their carbon footprint, looking at buses as a greener alternative to cars.

Shosteck said this trend has continued as bus services revamp their fleets with more fuel-efficient motorcoaches with added creature comforts.

According to the association, motorcoaches get 184 passenger miles to the gallon, domestic air carriers reach about 42 passenger miles to the gallon and the average automobile gets 28 miles to the gallon.

Coach's Moser said the company is keenly focused on maintaining a fleet of newer, fuel-efficient fleet to reduce emissions.

Moser said the bus company is primarily getting people out of their cars, although he also sees frustration among his riders with the current state of the airlines.

And as the economy gets tighter, Moser suggests that the demand for bus services will continue to grow.

"People are looking for a simple way to get from Point A to Point B, and in this economy, buses are a great way to stretch that dollar." he said.