Greyhound cuts trips between Winnipeg and Brandon in half
Brandon University students will be hit hard, says students' union
The number of daily trips Greyhound makes between Winnipeg and Brandon will be cut in half starting this Sunday.
Up until now, the bus line had been making two trips from Winnipeg to Brandon every day and two trips the other way. As of Sept. 20, that will be reduced to one trip each way.
Students at Brandon University are upset over the cuts. Aaron Thompson is head of Brandon University Students' Union.
"I am getting an earfull," he said. "We use that service to get people obviously home to see their families that come from Winnipeg. As well, international students use that service in order to fly out to the international airport there. Increasing the cost by having to take a plane or a shuttle instead is very difficult for students that have such a crunch financially already."
Greyhound said it had little choice.
"Year over year, we have seen a decrease in ridership after the long weekend. A significant decrease. This the first time we are implementing a service reduction," said Greyhound spokesperson Lanesha Gipson, adding the cuts are a result of fewer people riding the bus on these routes after Labour Day.
Gipson said she doesn't have specific numbers on how much ridership has dropped. She says the decision will be re-evaluated in the spring of 2016.
"This makes the most sense for us to do at this time," she said. The company is not struggling financially, she added.
Schedule 5407 will continue to leave Winnipeg for Brandon daily at 2:10 a.m.
Schedule 5150 will leave Brandon daily at 5:45 p.m. for Winnipeg.
Thompson said the first big hit for students will be at Thanksgiving when they are trying to make it home to be with family. He plans to contact Greyhound to make an appeal. But he's afraid it's already a done deal.
Gipson said routes are also being cut in Ontario between Winnipeg and Sudbury. Instead of four trips a day, that will also be reduced to one trip each way.
Anyone who has purchased tickets that were dated for trips past Sept. 20th can get a refund or have their ticket re-issued for another schedule.