https://business.financialpost.com/...-in-prairies-b-c-leaving-small-towns-in-lurch
The end of an era
Bob
The end of an era
Bob
Greyhound Canada to end service in Prairies, B.C., eliminating 415 jobs
- Thread starter Robert Upndown
- Start date
Yeah, it's pretty sad. Been using Greyhound most of life as family and work resides all over BC for me.
Personally, I chalk it up to mis-management, rising oil prices, and the trade war with the US over lack of ridership. A lot of people in the Interior use Greyhound as a vital service, it's hard to believe there is a lack of ridership.
But since this is PERB, interested to know how this effects providers? Especially travelling ones that come through Kamloops, Kelowna, and Prince George?
Personally, I chalk it up to mis-management, rising oil prices, and the trade war with the US over lack of ridership. A lot of people in the Interior use Greyhound as a vital service, it's hard to believe there is a lack of ridership.
But since this is PERB, interested to know how this effects providers? Especially travelling ones that come through Kamloops, Kelowna, and Prince George?
Ridership down 41% since 2010. We’ve had high oil and low oil during that time. Too few people spread over too vast a land mass in western Canada. Same thing happened to Via rail a decade ago. Just can’t make money. Any substitute bus service will be tax payer subsidized, no question.
I dont think tax payer subsidies will get involved as it is a private corporation but who knows.As for Via The Canadian which ran from Vancouver to Montreal got axed well more than a decade ago.It was run by CN on CPR tracks and between Revelstoke and Banff it was truly MAJESTIC for the views.I took that trip 4 times and on one of them I got to DRIVE the train.Via still runs passenger service but it goes through Jasper via Edmonton.
As for Greyhound I heard this news around noon and I was totally stunned.Come October 400+ people dont have a job and you cant take a bus west of Ontario.That deletion of transit option will be felt by a lot of people and the deletion of freight delivery will also make things nasty.
This decision left me stunned as I did not see anything like this at all.
SR
I mean that any service that takes over from Greyhound will be tax payer supported. Scheduled bus transportation in western Canada is simply uneconomic. I am not taking about bailing out Greyhound. BC Transit has already launched a tax payer supported bus route in northern bc. It’s a bad situation all around. These communities need transportation services, however it won’t be free enterprise who fills the void left by this news
No need to hitchhike. I have been using Poparide.com for the last 4 years where I might have hitchhiked before. IT IS GREAT !!! Very easy to join and to use.
And it is really picking up in popularity. For example, when Greyhound cancelled their route between Squamish and Whistler, people started using Poparide. I looked just now, and there are about 40 seats available in 16 different vehicles for tomorrow alone. And that is only in the one direction! No membership fees btw. And no fixed prices. The drivers set their rates as long as it is under a maximum price set by Poparide which I believe is around 15 cents per kilometer. Drivers don't have to report income to the CRA because it is considered true ride sharing, unlike Uber, which is basically a collection of independent taxi drivers. Their membership is about 100k and growing fast. And it is a local Vancouver startup!
I highly recommend.
JD
What is the geographical extent of this poparide outfit?
Might be interesting as I was gonna take greyhound to Edm next year.
Now I ain't. Pisses me off.
......................QM'r
Might be interesting as I was gonna take greyhound to Edm next year.
Now I ain't. Pisses me off.
......................QM'r
The software is being used all over the world. The problem that Pop has is that drivers need to know the app exists, then post rides (seats) and then passengers have to know about Pop and book the seats. Pop is doing their best to market their product but it expensive to do so and they have a limited marketing budget.
Btw, there are 3 rides currently posted between Van and Edmonton, 1 in July, 1 in August and 1 in September. So a far cry from 16 rides in 1 day between Squamish and Whistler. But the more people that learn about Pop, the more it will be used.
JD
Poparide
Just signed up for "POPARIDE" which was easy, what an awesome service! I am picking up a new car in Kamloops soon and will likely find someone to share the ride and the cost of fuel...
Just signed up for "POPARIDE" which was easy, what an awesome service! I am picking up a new car in Kamloops soon and will likely find someone to share the ride and the cost of fuel...
Ahh but you could ride in style and take the Via rail train through Jasper and up to Edmonton.Awesome views and good dining and nice comfy seats with lots of leg room.Decent sized wash rooms and also a bar car.If you want to stretch your legs walk the length of the train back and forth.Travel by passenger train IMO is the most luxurient/comfortable option outside of owning your own jet plane.
I have taken the Via between Revelstoke and Calgary several times as well as from Revel stoke to Vancouver.I have also been a passenger on the BC Rail passenger line from Williams Lake to West Vancouver and I enjoyed it a great deal....awesome views and comfort and the view of the Seaton Portage was spectacular.
Worst torture in the world is.....bus travel and most specifically if you get seated next to the wrong person or even worse a screaming baby/ill behaved child.....many hours of gruelling madness you cant escape.
SR
Another thing is the parcel business, Greyhound used to be big on that. Now its those big companies like purolator, etc. that have that business...
GreyHound had express routes, but for the small town the big ride was the bus that stopped at every town... which was slower and ohh.. so painfully slow....
A train ride sound awesome, how was the noise factor....
GreyHound had express routes, but for the small town the big ride was the bus that stopped at every town... which was slower and ohh.. so painfully slow....
A train ride sound awesome, how was the noise factor....
NDP leader urges Trudeau to develop funding plan to help Greyhound
https://globalnews.ca/news/4325351/greyhound-funding-cancellation-trudeau-singh/
Bob
https://globalnews.ca/news/4325351/greyhound-funding-cancellation-trudeau-singh/
Bob
Greyhound Canada's parent company is multi-national transport group, "FirstGroup" of Aberdeen Scotland, U.K. with 100,000 employees in 2017. I'm not one to see taxpayers subsidize Greyhound Canada but seems to me that Greyhound could easily make limited service certain times of the year a profitable venture and save the jobs of many of the 415 Greyhound Canada bus drivers who could at least have part-time work in the winter along with full-time in the summer. Federal Canada could easily weigh-in to guarantee a profit for Greyhound Canada on stipulation of reducing frequency of service that would likely see summer routes continue at present frequency. A stringent adherence to reduced scheduling and current fare prices, taxpayer funding could look minimal to near zero with a salvaged service fulfilling nearly all available customers.
I think the country would be better off if some local companies stepped in and toke over the services that GH stoped.
That what tofino bus line did on the island. And they all ready supply better service to the communities.
On the island GH put the oldest buses and not much better in rest of province.
Of course Tafino got more buses to do the routes ,a little newer then GH but still 15 to 20 yrs old.
I don't think There is enough people using buses these days to warrant new buses they go on the for tours to Vegas.
It not easy for a bus company to make a profit here in the western provinces where may be 3 main roads that are thousands of miles long and 30 communities of any size .
Not many bus passengers traveling everyday.
That what tofino bus line did on the island. And they all ready supply better service to the communities.
On the island GH put the oldest buses and not much better in rest of province.
Of course Tafino got more buses to do the routes ,a little newer then GH but still 15 to 20 yrs old.
I don't think There is enough people using buses these days to warrant new buses they go on the for tours to Vegas.
It not easy for a bus company to make a profit here in the western provinces where may be 3 main roads that are thousands of miles long and 30 communities of any size .
Not many bus passengers traveling everyday.
Thanks for the suggestion man. Brought back my love of train travel for sure.
Was on the CP Empress from Coquitlam yard to North bend a bunch of years ago
when they were doing her inaugural runs to Calgary.
Steam train travel is glorious. Totally twilight zone material for sure.
Don't ask how I managed to get aboard that one.
Also used to make a habit of once or twice a year to take the Royal Hudson from N. Van
to Squamish just for the rush of being on a Steam train when she was running that route.
Man I have thought about the train but am too scared to look up what the cost would be.
Sans screaming babies and germ spewing riders. LOL!!
Years ago I took the Coast Starlight to LA from Seattle and the ride down the Gold coast was spectacular.
Totally love travelling by train with all its comforts and meals and scenery. Nothing better.
Except maybe the cost. :twitch:
But I will look it up and have to save my pennies to do that. Haven't travelled by
train in far to long.
Hey, Isn't the Rocky Mountaineer still running or Have I been under a rock to long?
.....................QM'r
Yes the cost is signifigant these days.When Via ran the Canadian from Vancouver to Montreal the cost of coach was slightly more than Greyhound and it took longer.I looked at the prices for Rocky Mountaineer rail trips and the cheapest is $2300 thought it is over 7 days and includes hotel stays dont know about meals though.Not cheap to say the least.Thanks for the suggestion man. Brought back my love of train travel for sure.
Was on the CP Empress from Coquitlam yard to North bend a bunch of years ago
when they were doing her inaugural runs to Calgary.
Steam train travel is glorious. Totally twilight zone material for sure.
Don't ask how I managed to get aboard that one.
Also used to make a habit of once or twice a year to take the Royal Hudson from N. Van
to Squamish just for the rush of being on a Steam train when she was running that route.
Man I have thought about the train but am too scared to look up what the cost would be.
Sans screaming babies and germ spewing riders. LOL!!
Years ago I took the Coast Starlight to LA from Seattle and the ride down the Gold coast was spectacular.
Totally love travelling by train with all its comforts and meals and scenery. Nothing better.
Except maybe the cost. :twitch:
But I will look it up and have to save my pennies to do that. Haven't travelled by
train in far to long.
Hey, Isn't the Rocky Mountaineer still running or Have I been under a rock to long?
.....................QM'r
SR
