Greyhound bus service in Man., NW Ont. to end

[jdobbin]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Greyhound Canada has served notice that it's ceasing operations in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, saying it's in a "dire" financial situation due to government regulations that force it to serve remote communities.

The bus company is also re-examining its routes in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

The Feds response:

Reacting to the news, Federal Transport Minister John Baird accused Greyhound of trying to bully the provinces -- and that the company is being "heavy handed" in an effort to wrestle subsidies from provincial governments.

It will be a crisis situation in Manitoba shortly and I don't know if we have someone in charge who can make a decision.

[Smallc]

We still have the same premier....and a deputy premier.

[jdobbin]

We still have the same premier....and a deputy premier.

Then we should have a decision pronto, right? We have 30 days before bus service is stopped and a premier who has to be in Ottawa a lot for briefings on his job.

Edited September 3, 2009 by jdobbin

[Smallc]

The Minister on Duty (Struthers) has already responded saying that Greyhound hasn't asked them for anything yet, but that they're willing to negotiate.

[jdobbin]

The Minister on Duty (Struthers) has already responded saying that Greyhound hasn't asked them for anything yet, but that they're willing to negotiate.

They want $15 million a year and dropping of a lot of legislation. Struthers is acting minister so this decision for an annual cost has to go the top guy.

Doer has to depend on Harper to come through for him because a lot of this legislation is federal. There is a conflict now that Doer is going to work for Harper as his government's ambassador

Edited September 3, 2009 by jdobbin

[Topaz]

One of the head guys for Greyhound was on the news and he said that they went to the government not long ago and asked for help and Baird said no. The interviewer said then, you asked for a loan and he said no we want a grant and I think it was 20-25 million. Greyhound doesn't to leave Canada but it all depends on their debt. Granted, diesel fuel has gone up, so what's the answer? There are people who really need this transportation.

[Smallc]

The provincial government says that Greyhound hasn't officially asked them for anything yet, but that they're willing to negotiate when they come to them.

Edited September 3, 2009 by Smallc

[bush_cheney2004]

The provincial government says that Greyhound hasn't officially asked them for anything yet, but that they're willing to negotiate when they come to them.

Greyhound needs to walk away from these routes with so few butts in the seats no matter what. If government wants to serve such low density areas, then government can pony up the costs, starting at about $500,000 per bus.

[jdobbin]

The provincial government says that Greyhound hasn't officially asked them for anything yet, but that they're willing to negotiate when they come to them.

It isn't just on the provincial front. The province might have to do a lot of yelling at the Feds. The countdown is on now and Doer has his exit ticket. Can he get the Feds to agree when they are already saying it is blackmail?

[Moonbox]

Greyhound needs to walk away from these routes with so few butts in the seats no matter what. If government wants to serve such low density areas, then government can pony up the costs, starting at about $500,000 per bus.

I agree with this 100%. Why should a private company be forced to run unprofitable and impractical routes? I'm with Greyhound on this one.

[crazykai]

Well... Ontario has Ontario Northland, a provincial crown corporation that provides some of the rail and bus service in Northern Ontario could easily send a few buses to run routes out in Northwestern Ontario. Saskatchewan has STC, a crown bus service servicing small towns. Maybe it's time Manitoba starts up a new crown to operate interprovincial bus service rather give into blackmail from Texas. Interresting too on how Greyhound just finished a $6 million new terminal in Winnipeg and you'd think in a recession, more people would be taking the bus.

[Smallc]

I say let Greyhound go. Give Beaver the terminal and help them to expand. This is going to cut off the North from the rest of the country. Money isn't everything....this is the livelihoods and in many ways lives of people we're talking about.

[Moonbox]

This is a bunch of people choosing to live in back-asswards communities out in the middle of nowhere.

I'm sure if people need to get out of town the occasional bus could come grab them, but sending a giant bus regularly to go pick up a handful of people is nothing but a waste of money unless there is enoug people to pay for them.

Go drive up there yourself to get them if you feel so strongly about them. They NEED you.

[bush_cheney2004]

Something is not right with this picture.....there are more scheduled Manitoba routes than in more populated areas (Mexico / USA). And why can't Canada Post or UPS pick up the parcel service?

http://www.greyhound.com/locations/routemap.shtml

Edited September 5, 2009 by bush_cheney2004

[Smallc]

UPS? Pfft, they don't service any of the province outside of a few centres. I think the Manitoba Government should let Greyhound go, and follow Saskatchewan's profitable model. It's obvious that Greyhound has no idea how to run profitable routes with sparse populations.

BC, it seems you don't understand the isolated reality of living in the north. Hell, we don't even get bus service here.

Edited September 5, 2009 by Smallc

[Moonbox]

BC, it seems you don't understand the isolated reality of living in the north. Hell, we don't even get bus service here.

Probably explains why you're so keen on provincial welfare spending....

Edited September 5, 2009 by Moonbox

[Smallc]

Yes, I have a thing for the Constitution. I also have a thing for the equality of all Canadians. Nothing to do with the topic though, as you already know.

[bush_cheney2004]

UPS? Pfft, they don't service any of the province outside of a few centres. I think the Manitoba Government should let Greyhound go, and follow Saskatchewan's profitable model. It's obvious that Greyhound has no idea how to run profitable routes with sparse populations.

Still, you ignored Canada Post's role in parcel service. Seems that government has no idea either.

BC, it seems you don't understand the isolated reality of living in the north. Hell, we don't even get bus service here.

Nonsense......you have never lived in Nevada, Montana or New Mexico either. Stop whining about your geography.

[Smallc]

Still, you ignored Canada Post's role in parcel service. Seems that government has no idea either.

The mail is far slower. That's the idea.

Nonsense......you have never lived in Nevada, Montana or New Mexico either. Stop whining about your geography.

That isn't even comparable.

[bush_cheney2004]

The mail is far slower. That's the idea.

No kidding...they are still fighting about the loss of direct rural mailbox delivery too....no shortage of complaints.

That isn't even comparable.

Nope...because Manitoba has more scheduled bus routes to more cities.

[kimmy]

After listening to interviews on CBC radio about how important Greyhound is to people in isolated communities, I was left wondering: why is a private company expected to operate as if it were a public utility?

If Greyhound is a private business, they must be free to operate in their own financial best interest, and protect their financial well being.

If these routes that are to be closed are an indispensable public service, then maybe our government needs to look at alternate was of providing this service.

Public subsidy of transportation in Canada has gone on for longer than Canada has even existed, railroads being the most prominent example. Whether subsidies of private corporations, or outright government operation of the transportation service, we've got a lot of precedent here.

If British Columbia can operate a fleet of large, expensive boats and terminals to get people to remote islands along the coast, surely Ontario and Manitoba can figure out some way of getting people and goods up and down highways.

-k

[waldo]

“Greyhound is a Texas-based multinational. Their actions are heavy-handed and clearly an attempt to bully the provinces of Manitoba and Ontario,” said federal Transport Minister John Baird.

“They’re seeking tens of billions of dollars of taxpayers money as a subsidy.”

"This is clearly an attempt to shakedown Canadian taxpayers for tens of millions of dollars a year from this Texas-based multinational."

or in other words, "as Conservatives we don't meddle in the free marketplace... let a market based solution evolve... let the citizens of Manitoba eat cake!"

Edited September 5, 2009 by waldo

[bush_cheney2004]

.....let the citizens of Manitoba eat cake!"

The citizens of Manitoba are free to raise the capital and make a go at new bus services.....who knows...maybe they can combine bus service with rural mailbox delivery.

Edited September 5, 2009 by bush_cheney2004

[jdobbin]

I say let Greyhound go. Give Beaver the terminal and help them to expand. This is going to cut off the North from the rest of the country. Money isn't everything....this is the livelihoods and in many ways lives of people we're talking about.

And this can be done in less than a month?

[jdobbin]

After listening to interviews on CBC radio about how important Greyhound is to people in isolated communities, I was left wondering: why is a private company expected to operate as if it were a public utility?

If Greyhound is a private business, they must be free to operate in their own financial best interest, and protect their financial well being.

According to Baird, he believes Greyhound's tactics are a shakedown.

Greyhound is free to be a private business. However, they seem to be negotiating with the intent of getting a lot of public money without indicating how and why it needs to be spent.

My view is that Saskatchewan's Crown bus service might be the way things work out in the province.

However, the clock is ticking and we don't have any idea how or who in the province is going to negotiate when it seems it is a take it or leave it option.