Tofino Bus Services is poised to pick up the slack left behind when Greyhound Canada eliminates a Nanaimo bus run.
.@GreyhoundBus applies to cut Route U servicing #NanaimoBC; @tofinobus applies to take over routes.
— Karl Yu (@KarlYuBulletin) June 25, 2015
Greyhound has applied to the B.C. Passenger Transportation Board to end a number of routes, including Route U servicing Nanaimo to Campbell River. Tofino Bus has applied to the board to provide service on the routes.
In a letter addressed to the Regional District of Nanaimo, Dylan Green, founder and president of Tofino Bus, said if approval is given, the new Tofino Bus All Island Express service will be similar to what was previously offered. Depending on the process, there may not even be service interruption.
“[Tofino Bus's] new routes will connect to Vancouver via Departure Bay terminal in Nanaimo. Under TBSI's pre-existing interline partnership with Greyhound, the new routes coordinate with Greyhound's North America-wide network via Nanaimo and Vancouver,” Green said in the letter.
As for Greyhound, it said it was a financial decision.
“In regard to our proposal to eliminate Route U, which runs between Nanaimo and Campbell River, we have proposed the route cut due to a significant decline in ridership and our inability to sustain operations along that corridor, as ridership continues to decrease,” said Lanesha Gipson, Greyhound spokeswoman, in an e-mail.
While the passenger transportation board is accepting input from the public, Gipson said it would take substantial public objection for the proposed route cut to be reversed.
Comment can be made to the passenger board by e-mailing patboard@gov.bc.ca and quote Application 197-15/Routes U and W. Input must be received by Thursday (July 2).