As Greyhound shuttles passengers across Western Canada for the last time, several smaller companies are ready to fill the void.
Those companies include Red Arrow/E-Bus (Diversified Transportation), Northern Express Bus Line, Rider Express and Cold Shot.
“For Albertans in rural, remote and Indigenous communities, bus services have been a lifeline to work, school, vital health care, family and friends,” Alberta Transportation Minister Brian Mason said. “We said we will not leave people stranded by the side of the road.”
That’s why the federal and Alberta governments will invest up to $2 million per year over two years as an incentive to attract private carriers to service areas without.
Cold Shot, based in Edmonton, has had a partnership with Greyhound for a number of years to provide service from Edmonton to Cold Lake, Peace River and from Peace River to Grande Prairie. Those routes will not be impacted as Cold Shot rolls out its own fleet on November 1.
”We do have those 20 passenger busses, still comfortable and good to go brand new, and a small trailer behind the bus,” Sunny Balwaria told CTV News. He started his business in 2006 with just a van. Now Balwaria has more than two dozen employees – and expects to keep growing.
Balwaria says by using smaller buses and offering freight services passengers will notice lower fares.
“We got really good response by the business community in Alberta and that is the reason that I come up with the lower price of tickets.”
They’ve also introduced a type of loyalty reward program for frequent travelers. “The 6th ticket will be on us,” Balwaria said.
With permits already in place, Cold Shot will add routes in mid-November from Edmonton to Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Jasper, Lloydminster and Calgary – stopping in several small communities along the way.
“And from Lloydminster to Saskatoon we have a interline partnership and same thing with Jasper we have an interline partnership with Sun Dog Tour.”
The company is still working on routes into BC.
