Long Hauled on a shuttle

Thought we would try the shuttle to get from the airport to the Plaza, downtown. We have not taken the shuttle in many trips/years. We usually take a cab but have used the limos and even the bus in the past. Wish we would have taken the bus this time, it would have been faster.
After arriving at the airport we went out to the shuttle area. Showtime said they wouldn't be going downtown for a while so we tried Bell Trans. After paying for ticket was sent to a shuttle that had about six people on it already. After two more people got on, total of ten, we were on our way. First stop Bellagio, then Ceasars Palace, then Imperial Palace, then Wynn, and finally the Plaza. Took about an hour in the rain. Traffic on all the main roads was horrendous as the rodeo is in town. The shuttle could not pull into the valet area at the Plaza so he let us out on the street, in the rain. Never again will we take a shuttle......

 

Curious why he couldn't pull into the valet area, which I'm assuming you mean the circle driveway at the end of Fremont St?

 

I'm not understanding the use of the term "long hauled" here... that sounds like the logical progression for the shuttle to take heading north... Plaza would be about the last stop, unless someone was going to Jerry's Nugget as well. Perhaps you're just using the term to indicate it was one looooong ride, which I sure can believe. I've used shuttles in other towns and my hotel ALWAYS seemed to be the LAST one. Very frustrating for sure...

 

When I arrived on Dec. 2 (the day of the marathon when the strip was shut down to traffic) it took over an hour to get from the airport to The Mirage. It was a nightmare. Our shuttle driver dropped off people who were staying at NYNY off at the Monte Carlo(!) because he didn't think he was able to get anywhere closer to NYNY.

After that we got stuck in the bowels of the Aria for a while to drop off the one guy that was staying there.

Caesar's Palace was next. We had to go in the back way along with everyone else cause you couldn't get there from the strip. Clusterf**k.

Then finally made it to The Mirage.

It took FOREVER. My worst shuttle experience.

 

I think the only shuttle I would take would be to MGM or the next 1 or 2 properties on the route.

I had a similar experience once going to the Hilton. It took forever...

 

That's not long hauled that's just shuttle. But I agree I also took a shuttle once, and never again. Then my boss made me take a shuttle again once with him, then he said never again.

 

Unfortunately it seems that the number of downtown people taking the shuttle is very small. As others have mentioned, since downtown is so far away it is usually last on the shuttle stops, usually taking an hour or longer depending on number of stops, traffic, time of day, etc.

I don't understand why the shuttle couldn't drop you off in that roundabout area, they could even drop you off at the side entrance under the parking structure.

While I would take the shuttle again, the past few years I have been renting a car for most of my stay so I don't have to worry about cabs or shuttles and I can just drive myself everywhere. Probably costs more but I love the convenience of being able to go anywhere I want and not have to worry about cabs or shuttles. (I'm not a big drinker so not a problem).

 

Isn't "getting long hauled on a shuttle" really just "taking a shuttle"?

 

taking a shuttle to bally's is pretty short trip, however when leaving if you are a party of 2 a cab will be cheaper.

 

People take shuttles to the Bellagio and Wynn? Never would have thought that.

 

This. Otherwise what you save in money as opposed to a cab, you're paying with vacation time.

 

I would never again take a shuttle downtown. Did once and regretted it. On Strip is one thing, depending on where you're going. But downtown it's more trouble than it's worth. Better off taking the bus.

 

took one from airport to flamingo on dec 3

Got tunneled and i was like WTF but i happened to be the first stop (4 other people were on the bus)

 

I had the exact experiance. I swore never again. The only positive was I gont a mini tour of the stirip.

 

Typically I prefer to WAX it downtown from the airport. For my next trip, my flight isn't scheduled to arrive until 11:57pm, which is well after the last WAX runs. So, the choices I have identified are:
1) Take the non-express 108 bus to the Bonneville Transit Center and transfer to the 106 bus downtown from there. This will take 50 minutes, require a transfer, and cost $3 total.
2) Take a shuttle (e.g. Showtime, Bell Trans, etc) directly to my downtown hotel. This will cost $9 before tip, will require no transfer, but who knows how long it will take.
3) Take a taxi. According to this document from the Nevada Taxicab Authority, cab fare will be approximately $25 before tip. The ride should take 22 minutes, plus an estimated 15 minutes to wait in the cab line at the airport.

After contemplating these choices, I am eliminating option 3. It is not worth it to me to pay $22 extra dollars to save 13 minutes of time.
I am leaning toward the bus option, because at least with the bus I know when it is scheduled to depart and arrive (unlike the shuttle). However, not having to transfer is a nice perk that the shuttle offers.

I wonder what the people-watching will be like on the local bus at 12:30am on a Friday night?

 

But what would your tab have been in a cab? You mention it was raining and traffic was bad. In a situation like that, a cab would have gotten you there sooner but it at a much higher cost. I understand some of the complaints about the shuttle but in situations like this, some people would be glad to have had a fixed cost.

 

Shuttles

I love taking the shuttles. It doesn't bother me if we stop at different hotels first before I am dropped off. I like to see where the tourists are dropped off at each hotel. It gives me an idea on how long a walk it take to reach the entrance door and front desk. I don't like to walk with my luggage too far.

When there is rain or too much traffic.... I think it will cost more than taking a shuttle. The shuttles sometimes put me in a limo for the price of a shuttle ticket because I travel solo. I like to sit in the front with the driver and I have lots of fun talking with the limo driver. It's fun for me.

Yes, there are times when things don't go right and we have to suffer the inconvenience. Some people prefer to take a taxi even if it costs more.

We all have different preferrences. Lucy

 

Yeah, we always get a rental car, and my brother usually gives me the keys and I am too busy watching the road and traffic to be able to look around. Taking a bus/shuttle/cab would actually be a great way for me to see things I usually don't. Normally it is stop at a red light and take a quick look around before it turns green.

 

I took a shuttle only once...and that was enough! It is certainly worth a few extra bucks for a cab to any location.

 

Agree with this 100%. Which is why I would never, ever take the shuttle.

And, the OP should change the title. He was not "long hauled"