Luxury hotel-on-wheels debuts in Charlotte to compete against air travel
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Jitterbug, a Charlotte transportation startup founded by Carnegie Mellon MBA Jay Jovick, is now available for booking.
The Jitterbug coach fits 11 people comfortably. The custom bus has two private cabins — a first class cabin with six seats and bedding for five, and a junior cabin with seating for five and two beds.
I asked Jay how much the Jitterbug coach cost to build, and he told me, “I’d rather not disclose specifics on price, but it took well over a year to create and was custom-built from top to bottom. The final result is a one-of-a-kind experience and premier level of comfort during travel.”
I agree it looks unreal.
Amenities include a private bathroom with toilet and sink, huge TV, reclining seats with footrests, mini-refrigerator, wi-fi, electrical outlets, video intercom, and more.
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Pricing is based on distance, dates and passengers, but it’s generally comparable to or cheaper than airfare.
For example, I researched an 11-person trip to Asheville for a weekend in January and the total roundtrip price was $657 ($60 per passenger).
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As a consumer, I find this fascinating and a very attractive option for either a family trip (I’ve got 2 young kiddos and driving stinks) or a golf trip with buddies.
Remember, Uber started off as just random black cars and people thought it would never scale or make sense.
“We’re focused right now on our North Carolina clients and giving them the absolute easiest and most comfortable travel experience possible,” Jitterbug President Jay Jovick told the Agenda. “After that, there’s clearly lots of other cities where this product would help make family and group travel effortless.”
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