An interesting phenomenon is occurring as intercity bus travel has rebounded during the past couple of years.

New riders are going on the Internet in significant numbers to share their experiences bad and good, and in some cases making the case for others to hop on a motorcoach for their next trip.

In some cases, these unsolicited testimonials can even provide fodder for marketing bus travel. Heres an example:

In the deeply entrenched hierarchy of transportation options, flying has always been comfortable in its position above all others. In recent years, however, air travels superior convenience has been eroded by crowded routes, increasing delays, maintenance issues, lousy service, and long security lines.

At the same time, increases in fuel prices have made budget air fares difficult to find. By now, the glamour of flight has faded in the eyes of most travelers.

Meanwhile, the "lowly" bus industry has been working to craft its niche in the budget market. More comfortable buses and cheaper fares are covering more routes than ever before.

Here are the reasons newcomers say they are considering taking the bus:

1. Cost. Low-cost airlines have made huge progress in America over the last two decades but, even at their most discounted, its hard to compete with the bus on price. The well-known Chinatown buses continue to operate between Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and Washington D.C with fares around $15 one way. At the same time, newcomers like megabus.com and BoltBus are introducing fares on similar routes as low as $1. Even Greyhound has introduced a group of fares that range in price from $13 to $34 one way.

2. Coverage. Cheap buses have always been available to take you around town, but it used to be that longer routes were limited to trips between New York and Boston. Recently, however, these low-cost buses have dramatically increased their route coverage extending up and down both coasts, around the Midwest, and even, with some changes between carriers, across the country.

Currently, Gotobus and the megabus.com dominate these networks. Of course, if you are thinking about taking a really long trip, Greyhound still claims it will take you anywhere in the United States for $99.

3. Time. Its true that while the bus plods along around 55-60 mph, the airplane is high above, cruising at hundreds of miles an hour. But when you add up connection times and layovers, indirect routes that cater to an airline's hubs instead of your travel plans, security line waiting, and the time it takes to get to and from airports, the time savings in transit are drastically reduced.

The bus, which has a main station or curbside waiting in the center of most cities, may indeed get you there faster, especially if you are traveling to a nearby city. This article will not attempt to get into the hassle caused by delayed, canceled or missed airline connections, but it does remind one of the next point...

4. Reliability. The bus generally will continue driving through conditions that would stop your personal car, let alone an airplane. It is very rare for a bus to be canceled and the companies know their routes well enough that significant delays are rare (though they do occur, of course). When a bus ticket is purchased you can almost be guaranteed that the bus will depart as scheduled.

5. Its More Green. Many analysts say one airplane flight produces the same amount of CO2 per person per mile as if the passengers were driving alone in separate cars. In addition, airplanes emit many other harmful materials and it all goes directly into the upper atmosphere. The result of this, we are told, is that the damage to the atmosphere done by flying is almost twice that of driving the same number of miles in a car.

When you look at the numbers, a full bus is much more gentle on the environment than a flight of the same distance. That said, the debate is ongoing.

6. Free Wi-Fi. The second major complaint commonly voiced about bus travel, after its perceived slowness, is that it is uncomfortable. Interestingly, as many airlines strip amenities to become more bus-like, some bus lines have taken action to make travel more comfortable. A notable example is the BoltBus, which in addition to its $1 fares, offers free Wi-Fi access on all of its routes.

7. Flexibility. Many bus lines offer exceptional flexibility with their tickets. Greyhound, for one, allows you to use a ticket for the reserved route on any day or time for which there is availability, up to a year after the original departure date.

Other companies, notably megabus.com, allow you to change your reservation with 24 hours advance notice and only a $1 service charge. Drivers often are very generous with the baggage allowances as long as the bus is not too full, something you will never experience flying.

8. You can see where youre going. Compare flying from Paris to Bordeaux to the delicious pleasure of a bus trip through the French farm lands, villages and countryside.

The humble bus is coming back as a cheap and friendly alternative to flying. With the environmental controversy, security and scheduling hassles, and increasing prices and safety concerns, new passengers are asking: Why not give this old, budget travel standby another chance?