Fed up with delays and missed connections, a Corner Brook family wants more buses on the road
Earl Hussey and his son frequently take cab rides home because of late or overcrowded buses
"I live about two kilometres from here," says Earl Hussey, beads of sweat pouring down his forehead.
Hussey is standing near a bus stop at the corner of Petries Street and O'Connell Drive in Corner Brook — the last stop on the route and the closest stop to his house in the neighbouring small town of Mount Moriah.
The bus is 10 minutes late.
"Quite a good walk in the winter and summer because the road conditions in the wintertime and the heat like this in the summertime… it's a good workout."
For $3.25, the Route 1 bus will take Hussey into the city to get some groceries.
He said he is the lucky one. His son, Eric Hussey, works at Western Memorial Regional Hospital, off the Lewin Parkway. He tries to take the 4 p.m. bus, but it is frequently late or crammed.
"If the bus is late, he misses his connection to city hall," said Hussey.
Which also means he can miss a ride home to Mount Moriah. The bus doesn't run evenings or weekends.
Costly delays
Hussey said there was one week this summer where his son ended up taking three cabs home, after missing his connection. Each cab ride cost close to $35.
"People need to get what they are paying for lots of times. And with the oncoming winter, we know what it can be like around here," he said.
"The thing being, we need something substantial. If there is a schedule, the bus should be there to pick him up."
Buckle Charters, which operates the city's bus service, declined a CBC News request for comment.
No one from the City of Corner Brook would do an interview about Hussey's concerns, but spokesperson Ryan Butt said in a statement that some changes are in the wings.
"We are actually working on a plan for improving transit in the city, including an ongoing transit accessibility study," Butt said in an emailed statement.
"This study will review the current public transit system and provide recommendations on how the city can make it more accessible to residents."
Butt also suggested Hussey and his son call the city to discuss their ongoing concerns.
Hussey said there's only one solution to the bus backlog.
"A third bus would be a great asset," he said.
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