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Greyhound users unsure of the future

Greyhound customers say they will face serious adjustments when the bus service ends Wednesday.
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Greyhound customers say they will face serious adjustments when the bus service ends Wednesday.

Monthly Greyhound rider Roben Batten, of Calgary, said he recently quit his oil field job near Fort McMurray because other bus services didn’t coincide with his work schedule.

“All I use is public transportation. I don’t have my own vehicle. It’s unfortunate it’s come to this,” said Batten, who was waiting at the Red Deer Greyhound depot for the bus to Calgary.

“In the last eight or 10 years, I’ve been working in camps and relying on Greyhound. I’m probably going to relocate for work because of a lack of transportation. I might be leaving the province.”

He said oil companies don’t fund employee transportation like they used to, so he can’t afford to fly.

In July, Greyhound Canada announced it would end passenger bus and freight services Oct. 31 in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, except for a single B.C. route.

The company blamed declining ridership, persistent competition from subsidized national and inter-regional passenger transportation services, the growth of new low-cost airlines, regulatory constraints and the continued growth of car ownership.

Judie Hetchler, of Red Deer, whose family member was off to Kelowna, B.C., on Greyhound, said they had to use Greyhound because Red Arrow didn’t travel to Kelowna.

“Maybe Red Arrow will start thinking we should branch out a little more,” Hetchler said.

Red Deer Greyhound agent Ken Sharrun said he was not sure which buses will run Wednesday, as service is being cut back all the time.

Six buses a day, in both directions, went through Red Deer prior to Greyhound announcing it was eliminating its service. On Fridays, there were eight buses, plus a truck. About a week ago, Greyhound stopped shipping parcels.

Jaime Quiroga, of Red Deer, who wanted to send a parcel by Greyhound, said he might not bother shipping it now. Other services might be too expensive, he said.

“It’s going to be a big problem. I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Quiroga said.

Sharrun said about 10 years ago, Christmas at the depot was insanely busy, with plenty of both parcels and passengers.

“There used to be a lineup out the door. We just pounded the tickets as quick as we could,” Sharrun said.

Don Melvin, who has cerebral palsy, was concerned about Greyhound’s decision. He tried to speak with the federal government this summer, but was unsuccessful.

“I just think Greyhound has hurt a lot of people. They’ve left them stranded,” said Melvin, who is on a fixed income and has trouble affording a bus ride.

Last month, Melvin said he spent $100 for a return ticket on a Red Arrow bus to Calgary for a medical appointment. He was thrilled with the service Red Arrow provided.

“They treated me like gold. They have coffee on there, juice on there. It’s really a good service,” Melvin said.



szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com

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Greyhound buses will stop at the Red Deer depot for the last time on Wednesday. (Photo by SUSAN ZIELINSKI/Advocate staff)