The Passenger Transportation Board has approved Greyhound’s proposal to eliminate nine routes across B.C. including the Victoria to Nanaimo run.
The bus company has said it can no longer subsidize losses on unprofitable routes with revenue from the more profitable routes in the province.
In a decision posted online Wednesday, the board said it can’t force a private business to suffer “significant financial losses indefinitely.”
“Greyhound said that if it eliminates 1.6 million scheduled miles, it can continue to provide 3.7 million scheduled miles of passenger bus service in central and southern B.C.,” the decision reads.
Greyhound has said the nine routes set to be eliminated on May 31 have seen a 30-per-cent decrease in ridership over the last five years, amounting to a loss of $35,000 per day.
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena has issued a statement in response to the Passenger Transportation Board’s decision to allow Greyhound Canada to reduce and eliminate long-haul bus service on routes in B.C., calling the bus line’s decision “unfortunate”.
“People rely on Greyhound’s long-haul, inter-city bus service to get to and from major cities. Eliminating and reducing service along rural and remote routes will leave people vulnerable, particularly indigenous communities, women, seniors, children and those living with disabilities.
“In the coming weeks, I will be speaking to local elected officials, First Nations and others affected by Greyhound’s upcoming service changes, so we can deliver long-term solutions that work for everyone.
“It is vital that people throughout the province have access to safe, reliable and affordable transportation. In the short term, my ministry will be working with Greyhound to ensure buses remain running as we work with communities to develop long-term, viable solutions that address people’s needs.
“We will be working closely with communities to find safe, reliable and affordable long-haul ground transportation - particularly in the North - to ensure continued bus service remains in place for those who depend on it.”