Short answer: it depends how you define “trusted.” For U.S. intercity travel, the companies most often named or recognized for rider trust are those with recent customer‑choice awards, strong safety audits, and good on‑road safety records. Recent, widely‑reported examples (2024–2025) are:

• Indian Trails — voted #1 in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice “Best Bus Service in the U.S.” for 2025. (indiantrails.com)
• FlixBus / Greyhound (Flix North America) — both brands made USA TODAY’s 10Best lists (2024–2025) and are the largest intercity network in North America. (FlixBus.com)
• Trailways network — named among the top 3 U.S. bus companies in USA TODAY’s 2025 10Best. (prnewswire.com)
• Peter Pan Bus Lines — highlighted recently for top safety recognition (TSX highest rating). TSX is an independent motorcoach safety rating organization used by many trip planners. (peterpanbus.com, prnewswire.com)
• Jefferson Lines, regional operators (and other regional carriers such as Indian Trails, Lamers, etc.) — often highly rated by riders regionally and appear on national “best” lists or nominations. (jeffersonlines.com, busandmotorcoachnews.com)

A few cautions to keep in mind

• Financial/operational stability matters for “trust.” For example, Coach USA (which operated Megabus and many regional lines) entered Chapter 11 proceedings in June 2024; that can affect routes, ownership and service continuity even if day‑to‑day operations continue. Check recent news before booking. (Reuters.com, edition.CNN.com)
• Awards and reader polls show customer sentiment but aren’t the sole safety measure; independent safety audits and government safety records matter too. TSX approval and FMCSA safety data are strong objective signals. (prnewswire.com, metro-magazine.com)

How to judge a bus company’s trustworthiness for your trip

• Look up the carrier’s FMCSA safety record (SaferBus/SAFER) for crash/inspection history and BASICs scores. (metro-magazine.com, transportation.gov)
• Check for TSX approval or other independent safety audits (especially for charter/group travel). (prnewswire.com)
• Read recent rider reviews (Google/Yelp) and on‑time performance on the route you intend to take.
• Check recent news about ownership, bankruptcy, or major service changes (these affect reliability). (Reuters.com)
• Consider coverage and network size (national carriers are convenient; regional carriers often score higher for personalized service).

If you want, tell me a city pair or the trip type (intercity vs. local transit vs. school/charter) and I’ll list the best/trusted carriers for that route and the specific safety/award sources for each.