A Vancouver Island-based bus company that used to be local agent for Greyhound has taken over two of the key Interior routes that Greyhound vacated when they decided earlier this year to discontinue all but one route in Western Canada.
WilsonB次元官网网址檚 Transportation Limited, operating out of offices on Glanford Avenue in Saanich, will start servicing passengers travelling between Victoria, the Lower Mainland, Kamloops and Kelowna on Nov. 15 by the latest, if not earlier, as Greyhound will cease operations Oct. 31.
B次元官网网址淲e are excited to get it up and running,B次元官网网址� said John Wilson, Owner and CEO of the WilsonB次元官网网址檚 Group of Companies. B次元官网网址淲e are looking forward to growth,B次元官网网址� he added later.
The granted by Passenger Transportation Board requires the bus company to offer at least one daily round trip between Vancouver and Kamloops and between Vancouver and Kelowna.
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Wilson said the two routes were attractive because they connect well with the companyB次元官网网址檚 service to Vancouver, and because of ridership. Wilson said Greyhound would have likely wanted to keep those routes, if they could have separated them from other routes, he said.
B次元官网网址淚t is a great addition to our BC Ferries Connector B次元官网网址� the scheduled service between Downtown Victoria and Downtown Vancouver B次元官网网址� as well as the Box to Bus freight service that we operate in conjunction with Tofino Bus,B次元官网网址� he said.
Wilson said his company has also filed an application to pick up GreyhoundB次元官网网址檚 route between Vancouver and Whistler. The company may also take a look at other routes, he said.
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Travellers leaving Victoria for Kamloops will now be able to stop in Vancouver, Langley, Chilliwack, and Merritt before arriving in Kamloops. Travellers leaving Victoria for Kelowna will stop in Vancouver, Langley, Chilliwack, Merritt, and West Kelowna before arriving in Kelowna.
The company may also pick up or drop off passengers at any location, municipality or unincorporated area between Vancouver and Kamloops and between Vancouver and Kelowna along highway corridors approved for these respective routes.
WilsonB次元官网网址檚 received the routes after the board had issued a ruling on Oct. 16, beating out a submission from Diversified Transportation. The board cited among reasons the WilsonB次元官网网址檚 record as a B次元官网网址渟trong management organizationB次元官网网址� operating in both Victoria and Vancouver.
B次元官网网址淭hrough [WilsonB次元官网网址檚] BC Ferries Connector service the Vancouver division has the infrastructure in place to manage the two proposed routes,B次元官网网址� the board said. B次元官网网址淸WilsonB次元官网网址檚 Transportation] has also been connected to Greyhound operations through its operation of the Capital City Station which is the current Victoria bus terminal. The company sold tickets for all Greyhound routes, during which time it interacted with he clientele that has provided insight into the consumer demand for its proposed routes.B次元官网网址�
WilsonB次元官网网址檚 announcement comes just hours before Greyhound Canada will close down its passenger service. B次元官网网址淲ith the departure of Greyhound, it is important that the public receive bus service immediately and regain confidence [Inter-city bus] services,B次元官网网址� the board writes in its decision. B次元官网网址淪uch confidence is critical for the long term benefit of the industry.B次元官网网址�
The provincial government announced Monday that private companies like WilsonB次元官网网址檚 will have picked up 83 per cent of GreyhoundB次元官网网址檚 routes when service ceases B次元官网网址� a figure that Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson has disputed.
The disruption of service promises to be especially disruptive in rural ridings like hers, she said.
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