Editorial: Greyhound runs out of gas

Greyhound buses traveled across Western Canada for nearly 90 years, carrying people and goods between communities that often had few others good options for getting around

. company plan to terminate all services on October 31 in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia (except for a race between Vancouver and Seattle), its long-distance coaches seem ready to join missing prairie icons such as pbadenger trains and grain elevators.

Many travelers have fond memories of Greyhound trips. detainees, seeing the campaign or reaching important appointments.

However, the number of people in these seats has been declining for years. Greyhound cut 12 routes from Alberta in 2011 after lobbying governments to deregulate the bus industry, claiming that she was losing $ 7.5 million a year for her activities in Alberta.

Apparently, it was not enough. The company mentions a 41% decrease in goodwill since 2010 as justification for the latest decision, which has also been affected by airline competition, regulatory constraints and increasing motorization.

Brian Mason, Alberta's Minister of Transportation find a national solution to keep Canadians connected, but that should not involve money in an unprofitable industry.

Even Greyhound leaders rightly recognized in 2010 that most Albertans did not want to subsidize a private company. With public aid declining, public aid would likely become an endless financial hole.

Manitoba gave Greyhound $ 3.1 million that year to run the buses, but that did not stop the province from losing its service in October.

However, something should be done to help people get around if they do not have a vehicle, especially residents of remote areas who otherwise risk hitchhiking. or women fleeing abusive relationships.

The Alberta government is taking the first steps in what appears to be a promising approach to providing some options to rural communities. Last month, it announced funding of $ 1.4 million over two years for four pilot projects starting this fall that will link small towns and municipalities to medium-sized cities.

Projects include a scheduled shuttle service between Camrose and Edmonton. connecting Grande Prairie to five nearby cities, and expanding van service between Spirit River, Rycroft and Grande Prairie

which could lead to bus companies such as Red Arrow, which now covers the major centers of Fort McMurray at Lethbridge, to move to other intersections in the province. Or, the growing number of low-cost airlines could see an opportunity for expansion.

– Edmonton Journal