Toronto, Ontario — Last Thursday, Greyhound announced it will officially end operations in Canada. This news, while not entirely shocking considering the losses the company endured amid the pandemic, did raise questions about the future of transportation.
Since Greyhound’s announcement, several companies across Canada have already stepped up to fill the gap in Canada’s passenger service.
Rider Express announced it is “coming to Ontario and Quebec,” according to a notice posted on the same day Greyhound announced it was closing its services in Canada.
Rider Express is not the only company interested in taking on Greyhound’s abandoned routes.
John Stepovy, director of business development at Edmonton-based Pacific Western Transportation, which operates EBus and Red Arrow on routes in Western Canada, told CBC News the company is looking to launch its services in Ontario.
“We’re continuing to look for opportunities to expand the service and to work with other regional carriers for connections,” Stepovy told reporters.
Additionally, some regional bus services are already talking about creating a national bus network, with cooperation from the federal government.
The companies that are discussing this idea include Pacific Western, Kasper, which operates in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, and Coach Atlantic Maritime Bus.
