Megabus to roll between London-Toronto with Windsor expansion possible
CBC News | Posted: July 13, 2021 6:52 PM | Last Updated: July 13, 2021
The bus service starts Thursday with pick-up-drop-off at a 401 truck stop
A St. Thomas-based bus company is launching twice-daily service between London and Toronto in an effort to fill the void left when Greyhound pulled out of the region this past spring.
Badder Bus is partnering with Megabus.com, a North-American firm already providing coach service between Montreal and Toronto, with routes out of London starting Thursday.
If the service goes well and the company is able to bounce back after a financially challenging pandemic period, the local company says routes may be expanded across southwestern Ontario.
"We're in negotiations to try to get into the Windsor bus terminal downtown," said Badder Bus President Doug Badder. "We're just waiting for that to get approved and once it happens, we'll start with one bus to Windsor"
Greyhound Canada announced it was permanently shutting down all of its remaining bus routes in Canada in May 2021 after a year of suspended service because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A day later, Megabus said it would be adding a stop in Ottawa to provide service to Toronto, Scarborough and Kingston, but until now, cities west of Toronto have not been connected by bus.
London passengers will have to adjust to a new pickup and drop off point, far from Greyhound's former downtown depot. Instead, the bus will depart from the Flying J truck stop on Highbury Avenue, south of the 401.
Badder said the company is currently in the process of scouting for a more central terminal.
"I know Greyhound had good success between London and Toronto so hopefully we can get some of that business back," Badder said.