The I-45N commute from Houston to Dallas is not yet on the fast track

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The fast lane between Houston and Dallas gets off-track when commuters have to head south sixty miles to Hobby Airport to catch a plane; spending over sixty minutes in traffic, the equivalent of one-fourth the commuting distance going north. It’s a mute point for Woodlands residents who might as well take the path of least resistance, and head north.

Vonlane thinks they’re heading in the right direction with their luxury motor coach commuter service, which has already been servicing the Austin - Dallas route as of May 5, 2014. The cost is $100 for a one-way ticket; round trip is comparable to a roundtrip ticket by plane...just $10 less; $32 for business service.

Conceived by Alex Danza, a University of Texas graduate and the former president of Savoya LLC. a global chauffeur service, Danza became disenchanted with the complexities of making the less than one-hour flight between major cities in Texas. The bus ride time may seem longer than flying, but not when you factor in the hour and 15 minute commute across the Greater Houston area (longer depending on traffic), parking, shuttling, and getting through security at the airport.

Unlike air travel, Vonlane’s amenities include comfortable seating for sixteen with plenty of leg room, WiFi, television, satellite radio, and newspapers. Each bus will have an attendant onboard to serve passengers complimentary food and drinks, closets for hanging coats, and no baggage fees for up to three bags weighing 50 pounds or less. The service is aimed mainly at business travelers, providing a conference room, shoe-shining service, and even RON kits (“remain over night”).

Vonlane has indicated that Danza would like to expand to other Texas cities, citing Houston as the next target, but no timetable has yet been set, but more than likely it will precede the 2021 target date for high-speed rail connecting Houston and Dallas, which seems light years away. The 240-mile project could transport commuters from Houston to Dallas in 90 minutes, but would cost more than $10 billion. When complete the train would travel at a speed of 200 mph.

The effort appears to be on a fast track though, with open forum meetings scheduled around Texas to determine the greatest demand, identify the best route and terminal locations. Unfortunately neither one of the two routes being considered by the Federal Railway Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation connecting Dallas and Houston by rail, would come down I-45 through Montgomery County, whose population is projected to double by 2040.

An environmental impact study is underway and expected to take two to three years, followed by the four to five year construction project. Do the math. If the project runs at the high end of the completion dates for the study and construction phase, then the completion date would more likely be 2023. The closest open forum meeting on the subject of the high-speed rail project is scheduled for December 3, at Lone Star College - Tomball. For more information read Open house on topic of Dallas to Houston high-speed rail project.

In the interim, Vonlane could fill an essential gap for Houston-to-Dallas commuters for at least the next half-decade, with hopefully a terminal in The Woodlands; providing an upscale method of travel without the hassle.