The countdown to bus extinction has begun (in the Prairies, at least).
Greyhound Canada will be closing its passenger bus and freight services in Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan (British Columbia will maintain a lone Vancouver-to-Seattle route). Yorkton鈥檚 service will not be spared. The closures will go into effect on Oct. 31.
鈥淚 was surprised and a little disappointed,鈥� said Mayor Bob Maloney.
Greyhound Canada cited slumping sales as their primary reason for abandoning bus services in the Prairies.
鈥淭he business model seems to be broken,鈥� Maloney said.
Greyhound passenger buses provided a vital link between rural small towns and bigger cities. They were an affordable alternative to flights. With the closures, hundreds of employees and rural citizens have been left in the lurch.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a loss for the community,鈥� Maloney said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be difficult.鈥�
Maloney is uncertain what business, if any, will be able to fill the hole when Greyhound rolls out of Yorkton.
鈥淚f Greyhound can鈥檛 make it work, I don鈥檛 know who can,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure what the future of our terminal will be.鈥澛�
