Chinese-operated intercity bus service began when the Chinese working class needed to travel to and from New York City, Boston, and Atlantic City. The first companies to offer Chinese intercity bus service had minimal features, including unmarked curbside bus stops and no advertising or customer service; this greatly reduced business overhead. In 1998, two companies began operations: Fung Wah Bus (between New York and Boston) and Eastern Shuttle (between New York and Philadelphia). The bus services originally transported Chinese restaurant workers to and from jobs in Boston, Atlantic City, the Cherry Hill Mall, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and other locations. Very few non-Chinese made use of the services at first.