Greyhound Hopes to Put the Brakes on Northern Routes
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Prince George, B.C. – Citing low ridership and subsidized transportation services, Greyhound Canada has proposed discontinuing five routes – including four in northern B.C.
The company has filed an application with the BC Passenger Transportation Board and is targeting the following routes:
- Victoria to Nanaimo
- Prince George to Prince Rupert
- Prince George to Valemount
- Prince George to Dawson Creek
- Dawson Creek to Whitehorse
“This decision is a regrettably unavoidable response to a challenging transportation environment that is characterized by diminishing ridership, escalating costs and increased competition from publicly subsidized services,” said the company in a statement.
“Despite significant efforts over the past several years to reduce costs as well as other measures to adapt to the market, the status quo is no longer sustainable.”
While the request is under review, Greyhound says it will continue to offer service on all routes adding it doesn’t foresee any changes in 2017.
Subject to the outcome of the PTB’s review, it doesn’t anticipate changes would go into effect until early next year.
Greyhound says ridership on the routes proposed to be discontinued have dropped by 51 per cent since 2010. Province-wide, the company says its ridership has dropped 46 per cent over the same time period.
If the proposed changes are approved, the company says it would provide it with the flexibility to make frequent changes in the future to match customer demand.
Comments
I haven’t taken the bus for many years. Back then it was pretty cheap. From what I hear it’s no longer very cheap.
PG to Vancouver can be yours for about $75 and 12 hours on the bus. Or you could fly for about $250 and get there in a couple of hours.
They aren’t cutting the bus to Vancouver. Just the buses in every other direction. Places that don’t have an airport or quick flight options.
Not everyone has a car or a license or is willing to drive in the winter. There are a lot of seniors that use the bus to visit family.
And if there’s no bus then won’t that increase people hitch hiking? Or will the city end up funding buses on all highways not just 16W?
What happens to the shipping of freight?
I kind of sense there will be subsidized routes by the goverment under the guise of an essential service
This is so wrong!!!! People rely on that service, so many dont drive for rather a lot of reasons. Ppl will be stranded and either leave the area or feel they have no choice but to hitch. Why not open northern heatlt bus to all paseengers with priority to medical passengers and get the service used that way? or force gray hound to provide better sevice to people will wants to take it. how it cutting half the province off from transportation a good way to get jobs/economies going?
Who can use Northern Health Connections?
Northern residents who have to travel outside their home community for non-emergency health care. You’ll have to fill out an Appointment Verification Form to confirm that you’re travelling for medical reasons.
Northern residents who need to get home after travelling by ambulance to another community.
Like it or not , they do have the right to provide a service or not.
Just as any business does.
As for their freight , I am guessing other freight companies will be getting more business.
I am always in awe of how people tell companies to run their business… greyhound is in the business to make money.. why keep open routes that are costing them money?
Sarahsmith.. would you stay at a job where your employer continually cuts back your wages ? That’s what your are asking greyhound to do…
Northern Health bus service may well expand should Greyhound shut down its services.
Greyhound has monopoly. If they want the profitable routes in bc, then they take all the routes. Otherwise, we need competitive companies on all routes. THey cant have it both ways.
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