‘There’s going to be a big gap here’: surprise as Greyhound leaves Western Canada
Posted Jul 10, 2018 7:33 am.
Last Updated Jul 11, 2018 7:43 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Greyhound’s decision to pull out of Western Canada has blindsided both workers and riders.
The company announced Monday it would be ending service in Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and B.C. — except for a route between Vancouver and Seattle — at the end of October.
“I think a lot of these communities, they don’t have any trains, they don’t have any planes, and all they had was the bus. It’s going to be a huge impact,” ATU Local 1374 President Eric Carr said.
“Not just for the people that are — the seniors or the kids that don’t have a driver’s license — we also transport — blood –, and we move so many items that are just basic for a lot of these communities: the parts that fix their tractors and everything else.”
Carr said Greyhound’s policies have always been America-driven because it is an American company.
He said suggestions from employees on how to attract more riders in Canada haven’t always been taken seriously.
“We’ve been for years telling them: ‘this is what you need to do here, this is what you need to do here’ to give the riders a better experience. They wanted all their trips to be at night because they focused on freight. People don’t want to ride a bus all night,” Carr said.
Alberta Transportation Minister Brian Mason was also surprised by the decision.
He told CityNews, there are alternatives in many communities in the province, but the government is evaluating how many people will be left in the lurch.
“We’re going to continue to dig into this matter and see what role there is, or there may be to assist making sure that all Albertans have access to the transportation that they need,” he said.
Mason said they can’t make any commitments yet.
“There’s going to be a big gap here,” Carr said, adding the federal government may have to step in.
“If the Trudeau government sees a need for a national bus company to survive, I believe that if that’s the case, the company would reverse its decision, if we got some sort of subsidy.”
