Northwest Transportation issues on City Council's agenda

They touched on the changing dynamic to transportation in the Northwest at their last Council Meeting and Tuesday night it seems that rail, road and ferry issues may come up on for discussion once again.

The City Council agenda for Tuesday night features an Information Package from October 24th, which outlines a request for support to urge VIA Rail not to eliminate some of its routes across the nation.

We first looked at the VIA Rail concerns back in January when the topic of potential rural cutbacks was first reported.

The prospect of VIA cutbacks is just one indication of a growing concern over transportation, with Greyhound Bus Lines looking to reduce its service across the Northwest and BC Ferries about to launch a extensive review and consultation process on what routes it may wish to reduce or eliminate.

City Councillors can learn more about the  Greyhound bid from their October 24th Information package, while the October 31st Information package  features background on the BC Ferries issue.

The Greyhound decision appears to be a few months off, Opinion 250 a Prince George news portal outlines that the earliest date for a decision on the Highway 16 route request will be December 10th, though that decision process may carry over until January.

Regardless of the timeline for any of the flash points on transportation, it seems that with all of these concerns on the table, getting here from anywhere may become a lot harder in 2013.

You can review all of our items about transportation issues from across the Northwest from our Transportation Archive

City Council jumps on the "Stop the Greyhound Cuts" bus

Like other communities along Highway 16, the City of Prince Rupert has lent its voice to try and influence the British Columbia Transportation Board as it ponders the request by Greyhound Bus Lines to reduce service on the Highway 16 route from Prince George to Prince Rupert.

Council discussed the issue at Monday night's session (2 hour, 21 minute mark to 2 hour 24 minute mark)

The service reduction request was first made by Greyhound in September, since then it has been the subject of debate across Northern British Columbia, as communities offer their input to the request.

Greyhound has presented its case for reducing the service, outlining how usage of the route is low and not economically feasible in its current schedule configuration.

Communities already alarmed at the lack of transportation resources in the region, would prefer if Greyhound at least kept the current schedule in effect.

The bus line however, may be getting worried about discussion along the Highway 16 corridor of creating a shuttle bus service to serve communities in the wake of concerns over the Highway of Tears and the recent initiative of Smithers council to create such a service.

Should that service be created, or increased access to the Northern Health Medical Travel Service be created, the prospect of less Greyhound service, as opposed to more, would seem likely.

A solution to both issues could be to have each community have a block of tickets for Greyhound trips on hand for distribution for those in need. That could offer up an alternative to the issue of at risk hitch hiking, as well as created an increased level of passenger traffic and revenue for the bus line.

More background on the issue can be found from our Transportation archives.

Greyhound seeks service reduction for Northwest corridor

Travellers who rely on Greyhound Bus Lines in the Northwest may soon have fewer timetable options to consult, should the company prove successful in its bid to reduce service along Highway 16 from Prince Rupert to Prince George.

The inter-provincial bus line has applied to the B. C Passenger Transportation Board for permission to reduce the number of runs on routes throughout the province.

On the Northwest run, Greyhound is seeking to reduce the number of trips per week to 14 from the current level of service of 22 trip a week.

Greyhound outlined its reasons for the request in a submission to Transportation board, citing a low passenger load which in some instances reduces Revenue per Passenger Mile from between $2.25 to $2.31 based on an average passenger load of 10.48 to 11.07 eastbound or westbound.

It perhaps is a valid point, at times the Greyhound arrival at Prince Rupert provides for but one or two passengers to disembark, a situation that no doubt isn't particularly healthy to a company's bottom line.

Without a subsidy for travel across portions of the province, the bus line may have a case for its request to reduce service, based purely on a situation of use it or lose it.

The public has until October 17th to submit their concerns and comments to Transportation Board, further information on that process can be found here.

Greyhound Notice to Public

Opinion 250-- RDFFG Calls For Denial of Greyhound Application
CBC Daybreak North-- Proposed Cuts to Greyhound bus routes worry northern Communities
Opinion 250-- Council Asked to Wade in On Proposed Greyhound Service Changes
Terrace Standard-- Greyhound wants to trim northwest BC service
CFTK TV 7-- Smithers Town Council Expresses Concern of Greyhound Application to Decrease Services
CFTK TV 7-- Smithers Greyhound Shuttle (video)
CFTK TV 7-- Greyhound to Reduce Bus Service