Bought 2 seats for myself on Bolt Bus, and was not treated well by fellow passengers
 

On a recent trip from NYC to Boston I opted for the Bolt bus instead of Amtrak. Since I found a bus ticket for $13 each way I decided to buy two for myself to hopefully guarantee an empty seat next to me.
The bus was sold out since it was a Friday afternoon. There were a lot of people trying to stand by. Every time someone asked to sit in the empty seat next to me I said that I bought 2 seats and got a dirty look. Then the driver boarded standbys. The last standby tried to sit next to me and I didn't let him. I told the driver that I purchased 2 seats on the same bus, and even showed him both tickets. He thought one was a fake because the confirmation numbers were consecutive. Of course they would be consecutive since I bought one right after the other. Eventually the driver relented after calling his manager to confirm my tickets and explain the situation. The standby passenger thought I was being mean for denying him the seat next to me. I said that I'd let him sit there if he paid me $13, he didn't, and chose to leave and wait for the next bus.
I felt like its well within my rights to buy 2 seats for myself and defend the second seat I paid full price for. It's just like my imaginary friend was sitting next to me. I shouldn't have to let someone sit in the seat I paid for without expecting compensation, the price I paid for the seat. Everyone has the option to pay for 2 seats for themselves, so it's not like I'm special.

I bought 2 seats for myself on Bolt Bus, and was treated badly
 

I would do the same. I am bit clausphobic (spelling). At least, you offered to sell the ticket to standby. Kind of you to do that.

Good strategy and good for holding your ground.

lucky to get away with that. trains and planes need a real person for each ticket for the ticket to be valid. for example one person buys two tickets for the same flight - you only get one seat.

bit much to say "treated badly" - you had to explain the situation as everyone could see the empty seat. what you'd expect?

GOOD For You
 

I would have done the same thing.

interesting strategy...not going to make you friends but clearly works.

only 2 reasons for standby on bolt (i don't believe they allow overbooking): the pax were either were unable to buy a ticket online and are trying to buy one on the spot, or pax were late to their ticketed bus. in either case, they are at the mercy of boltbus, and since you bought 2 tickets, you shouldn't be forced to give one up for standbys.

that being said, this is also the nicest budget nyc-bos transport option (relative to greyhound, megabus, and lucky star), and you're traveling on peak time. just because you can legally do it doesn't mean people aren't gonna be pissed, unless you have like a medical claim or something.

Au contraire!

A customer of size gets both seats that he/she paid for. So does a passenger who buys the second seat for a service animal or similar essential cabin item.

Treated badly? How is anyone supposed to know that you bought the second seat? Was there a "Reserved" sign on it? Not to mention, seats aren't assigned beforehand.

At the same time, I can relate. On my first chicken bus trip, in Nicaragua, I paid the cobrador (person who collects money on the bus) for two seats, since I had a lot of luggage. He didn't bother me afterwards, but I did get some displeased glances from fellow gringos. My brief moment as a fachento.

The bus driver thought I was lying, even when I showed him both tickets. He thought they were fake because the confirmation numbers were consecutive.
Besides, wouldn't BoltBus find it better for business to retain a customer who would pay twice the fare for the same service?
I guess there was an increased demand for NYC-Boston due to the Fung Wah bus being shut down.

And I thought that anyone can buy 2 tickets on the same plane flight and as long as they're reserved next to each other, no one can sit in the other seat.

youre certainly not in the wrong
although not sure how it works when seats arent assigned (some air travel like this too)

but this is one of the things that keeps me away from these buses
even though i recall there was one bus that had single seats along one side

Not really sure what you expected, everybody to welcome you with open arms? To the rest of the bus you probably seemed like some kind of fool with a invisible friend.

the animal is a pax.

a person can't have two seats on a flight because you can only ever have one BC for security reasons.

Not true. The second seat (and boarding pass) have a different name, usually with "Extra" as the first name.

FWIW, I've been known to buy 2 seats on bus trips in Thailand, even though it's not really the done thing over there, either. Except for the VIP buses it can feel a little cramped otherwise, but I always fill the other seat with a carry-on and have both ticket receipts out. With those buses there isn't much overhead space and anything of much size has to go in the hold, so if anyone asks I just say that I bought 2 because I have fragile/valuable items and also want the space.

Also u must've missed the new slogan: Ride Bolt, & get treated like a Dolt.

In all fairness, if I was standing on that bus and I saw your empty seat I would not be happy to be told that you bought the seat and want it empty. I understand that you had the right to the seat, but unless you're a person of size, have baggage or have a good reason for buying the second seat, I would just let someone sit there. Call it a good Samaritan rule or whatever you want, the bus ride is not a short ride, and its unpleasant to stand on a crowded bus for hours.