Greyhound is suspending all bus routes in Canada after seeing 95% drop in ridership
With travel at a record low due to border restrictions and safety fears during the health crisis, airlines aren't the only ones that have been affected.
Greyhound, the coach bus carrier that has been transporting people between thousands of cities in North America for more than 100 years, has just announced that it will be suspending all remaining Canadian operations later this week.
The company is citing a whopping 95 per cent decrease in ridership as a result of the pandemic.
And, unlike Air Canada, which qualifies for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program for impacted businesses, it has been unable to secure financial aid from the federal government.
Another nail in the coffin...
— Greg Conlin (@GregConlin) May 7, 2020
"Although the company has made every effort to reduce costs, and has made significant outreach efforts to the provincial and federal governments, it cannot continue operations absent financial support," Greyhound Canada said in a press release dated May 6.
"This decision came as a last resort option to address the uncontrollable consequences and devastating impacts of this pandemic."
Cancelled lines include Ottawa to Montreal, Toronto to Ottawa and London to Toronto (city, local and airport routes) among four others, which are in addition to ones the carrier cut back in March.
Greyhound has only operated in Ontario and Quebec since 2018, with some connections to select U.S. cities available — like between Vancouver and Seattle — mostly through its American principal.
The above mentioned routes will no longer be available as of 11:59 p.m. EST on May 12.
Transportation companies like Air Canada and VIA Rail have likewise had to cull a large chunk of their services due to decreased demand.
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