ONR News Page

Bus changes coming to Parry Sound in October

Main Story Pic

An Ontario Northland bus waits for passengers in the Harvey's parking lot, at the intersection of Bowes Street and Pine Drive. As of Oct. 1, the buses will no longer stop in Parry Sound.

Cody Storm Cooper/ Beacon Star

Beacon Star, News, Friday, September 5, 2008

by Laurel J. Campbell | more by this writer

ALMAGUIN – Effective Oct. 1, Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services (ONMCS) will no longer serve the Parry Sound area.

The daily southbound bus departing from Sudbury at 5:15 p.m. and a northbound bus departing from Toronto at 10 a.m., both servicing Parry Sound via Hwy. 69, will no longer be available, the company announced this week. Further north, the communities between Hearst and Timmins will also see the loss of two daily buses, one southbound and one northbound.

It appears that the Hwy. 11 corridor through the Almaguin Highlands to North Bay has been spared any negative impact from the announcement that the company will be making cuts to bus services in Northern Ontario.

“I haven’t been made aware of any changes to bus services along the routes we book,” said Jeannette Dunker who operates the bus depot in Burk’s Falls. “I have heard that there were going to be changes, but I have not heard that they will be affecting the buses from this location.”

A schedule received from ONMCS on Tuesday, Sept. 2, did not indicate any changes to services along Hwy. 11 as far north as North Bay. However, services from North Bay through the communities leading to Cochrane will also see cuts in the Kirkland Lake area.

The possibility of bus service changes was first reported on Aug. 6, but ONMCS would neither confirm nor deny it was considering any cuts at that point.

“We are always looking at ways to provide the best service to our passengers in a cost-efficient way,” chief communications officer Beverly Martin told the Almaguin News at that time. “I’m not currently in a position to share any other information, but as soon as we have finalized any plans or changes we will inform the public.”

With the October bus schedule now released, “the service cuts are far more drastic than our drivers anticipated,” said Teamsters Canada Rail Conference local chair Tony Wentzell.

“Reductions on the southern corridor of Sudbury to Toronto will reduce services throughout the very busy Muskoka region down to Toronto," he said. "We have had problems adequately meeting the demands in these areas, leaving passengers behind because we were full, or having them stand as all seats were occupied.”

Mr. Wentzell went on to say “reducing service here does not make sense; we should be maintaining present levels of service and expanding service to meet demand at busy times. Service cuts as proposed will greatly affect travel options for medical appointments, and negatively affect student r�dership to and from Sudbury.”

In a news release announcing the bus schedule changes, Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, an operational enterprise run by the Province of Ontario, gave no indication of why it was cutting back on service to the north.

“In these times of rapidly rising fuel costs, more and more people are looking at motor coach transportation as a viable option,” Mr. Wentzell said. “People are realizing that the cost of driving your vehicle and paying for parking, often exceeds the cost of a bus ticket, plus the public is becoming more environmentally aware and is looking for ways of reducing their carbon footprint.”

The Teamsters also point out that many of their passengers choose bus service to avoid travelling on major highways around the GTA and to eliminate the need to drive during seasons of unpredictable weather that could affect driving conditions.

Mr. Wentzell calls the government’s decision to reduce bus service at this time “short-sighted and socially irresponsible,” and argues that any immediate cost savings to Ontario Northland may be offset by money lost over the long-term.

“Employees have been told that the reason for the cuts is that our ridership is down,” he said, “but we will be studying this issue ourselves as many of the drivers feel that ridership is on the rise. We believe that service in the north needs to be maintained.”

East Ferris mayor Bill Vrebosch, chair of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association, and representative of the Northern Ontario municipalities, said “the Ontario Northland bus service will never break even, or make money, it’s a service. The Ontario government has taken so much wealth out of the north they owe us this. The government is pouring money into GO transit. Why not into GO North transit? We have a right to this money being spent to service our northern communities.”

Bus users upset by cuts to routes
Ontario Northland scaling back service to cut costs
Posted By JENNIFER HAMILTON-MCCHARLES, THE NUGGET
Posted -24 sec ago - North Bay Nugget
The next time Raymond Ayres has to travel to Toronto, he will be rethinking how he's going to get there.
The North Bay resident is frustrated that an already long trip will take even longer after Oct. 1.
It's too damn long. I'd rather be flying," Ayres said Friday, waiting in line under Platform 2 at The Station for the Toronto bus to arrive.
It already doesn't feel like an express with the stops it now makes and the 30-minute stopover in Gravenhurst. "
Ayres understands the rising cost of fuel has to be made up somewhere, but cutting entire routes is a little risky.
Eliminating some of the shorter trips to Toronto is just stupid. It's crazy."
The cancellation of semi-express service from North Bay to Toronto is among one of several routes affected by the schedule changes. The changes are effective Oct. 1.
Dia Norrington was surprised to hear the service was being cut.
It was busy when I took it last week," she said while she waited in line for the bus.
We've previously taken the train, but there's so many delays. The bus is so much faster, but now I don't know."
Norrington said from her experience a train trip from North Bay to Toronto takes three more hours than the same trip on the bus.
Tricia Marshall, a spokeswoman with Ontario Northland, said the corporation is making the changes to be more cost effective.
She said at the same time they're also making sure there's no disruption in service, just a change of times.
We're still committed to the community and there will still be daily motor coach service to Toronto from North Bay," Marshall said, adding no changes will occur with the Northlander routes.
There will be extra coaches on the road should the demand be there, such as holidays, long weekends etc."
Marshall said every community will continue to have daily motor coach service.
She said there were a lot of contributing factors to the cuts, including low ridership and rising fuel prices.
These changes don't mean it's going to be permanent," Marshall said, noting there's been no talk of any job losses as a result of the schedule changes.
At the same time the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission is cutting services, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference is proposing new ideas to help the corporation attract more people onto the motor coach.
Some of the suggestions include a new morning service from Kirkland Lake to North Bay then Sudbury.
Service has not been abandoned to any communities at this time, however it is brought to the brink of abandonment in many communities, " said Tony Wentzell, local chairman of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.

Pair of bus routes axed
Posted By MARK GENTILI, SUN MEDIA
Posted 4 hours ago - Daily Press
Northeastern Ontario might be losing two little-used bus routes, but it is likely gaining more convenient arrival and departure times, an Ontario Northland Transportation commissioner said.
MP Charlie Angus (NDP -- Timmins-James Bay) and MPP Gilles Bisson (NDP -- Timmins-James Bay) came out guns blazing last week with the announcement that the ONTC was about to axe a southbound and northbound bus for Kirkland Lake, and kill the three-day-per- week service between Hearst and Timmins.
The ONTC confirmed the cuts on Aug. 28. Parcel service will not be affected in any community.
"We asked the ONTC to work with our municipalities and to allow input from area residents and businesses that will be affected. Instead, the ONTC has gone ahead with unilateral cuts that will seriously impact our region," Angus said.
"The impacts will be even greater for families in Hearst who rely on the day bus to Timmins for medical services," Bisson said.
"Families and business in the North rely on the bus because we have few other options for remaining connected across this vast region."
He added the province would never make such cuts to southern Ontario services like Go Transit in the Greater Toronto Area.
But ONTC commissioner David Plourde said the NDP reaction is simply rhetoric. Staff reports to the commission were very clear, he said, those routes were simply not being used enough to warrant continuation.
The bus between Timmins and Hearst, in particular, Plourde said, was created to feed the Greyhound bus headed west. Greyhound cut that route out almost a year ago.
"I voted for the change (to service) providing we (the ONTC) improved the service to make it more convenient. I told them that if we're going to remove a service, there had better be an improvement somewhere else," Plourde said.

First of two articles, both from the Northern News
Improve bus service, don't cut it
Posted 6 hours ago
The following is an open letter to Ontario Northland re Motor Coach Service Changes
I was very concerned to hear about the cut to services regarding bus pickup in Kirkland Lake. The Ontario Northland Transportation Commission will no longer provide bus service into the Town of Kirkland Lake and instead passengers will need to catch the bus on Highway 11 in Kenogami.
Motor Coach service in
the Town of Kirkland Lake is essential to the residents, from college students to seniors, from medical patients to tourists. Kirkland Lake and the surrounding communities depend on bus services.
We need to improve service not make cuts. Kirkland Lake is on the rebound. Mining is coming back and we are growing Northern College. We have more elderly per capita than most northern communities. Seniors rely on bus service to get to medical appointments and when the weather turns ugly.
Also, the residents living east of Kirkland Lake in Larder Lake and V-Town will have to travel further to catch the motor coach service.
I would like to know what the bus ridership for Kirkland Lake is compared to other towns that the bus turns into and what are the monetary and time savings of this cut?
In the era of climate change when governments encourage greater use of public transit, have you calculated the carbon emission difference this cut will cause?
Sincerely, MPP, David Ramsay
Timiskaming- Cochrane

KL bus service slashed
Posted By BRAD SHERRATT, NORTHERN NEWS
Posted 6 hours ago
KIRKLAND LAKE -Kirkland Lake's bus service is poised to be chopped by half as of Oct 1.
Ontario Northland announced Thursday that two of it's four daily visits to Kirkland Lake will be axed.
Busses to and from Kirkland Lake will no longer be available at 10:50 a. m. (southbound) and 8:05 p. m. (northbound) as of Oct. 1.
There will be a new motor coach service daily at the Kenogami Gas Bar at 10:45 a. m. (southbound) and 8:05 p. m. (northbound) .
"Unfortunately over the past few years ridership has declined fairly significantly, " Ontario Northland said in a letter to employees.
"At the same time many of the operational expenses within the department have risen. This decline in revenue, coupled with an increase in expenses has put us in a loss position. In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the department we have been working to evaluate our motor coach operations to identify areas where changes would positively affect our bottom line.
"We have been evaluating our schedules and have identified areas where efficiencies can be realized. We remain committed to each of the communities we serve and, these changes to our schedules have been determined following a thorough assessment of various factors including, public transportation options in communities, ridership and cost per kilo-metre."
Kirkland Lake Mayor Bill Enouy is extremely upset about the news. He says he has already been on the phone with Timiskaming- Cochrane MPP David Ramsay to see if the changes can be stopped before their Oct. 1 implementation.
The Mayor says the town cannot afford to lose even one bus and adds, "I don't see where the savings are."
He says there are many factors that have to be looked at and many people that will be affected. Northern College students and senior citizens are just two groups of people that could be affected by the changes.
Ramsay agreed with Enouy's assessment of the situation saying bus service to Kirkland Lake is essential. He says that for seniors and students, the impact of losing a bus could be severe.
"We need to improve service not make cuts. Kirkland Lake is on the rebound. Mining is coming back and we are growing Northern College. We have more elderly per capita than most northern communities. Seniors rely on bus service to get to medical appointments and when the weather turns ugly.
At a press conference held in the Kirkland Lake ONTC parking lot, Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was livid, saying that the people who will be affected by the changes should have been consulted. He also questions how much the company will really save by not coming into town.
"Last month I asked the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission to come clean with the people of Kirkland Lake and the people of Northern Ontario. We knew they were planning cuts, we knew these cuts would be drastic. I asked them to come forward and meet the municipalities, meet with the communities, businesses because any cuts to bus service will have a major impact," Angus said.
Angus wonders how big a saving on the ONTC's bottom line will be realized by bypassing Kirkland Lake.
"What does it cost to get a bus from Kenogami to Kirkland Lake, to the ONTC its pennies. But to the viability of businesses in the north, to Kirkland Lake, to students (it's major)."
"Give me an economic reason why citizens will have to get in a taxi, peddle their bike, take their snow machine to get to Kenogami to get a bus. Kirkland Lake is a centre for our region. You just don't cut off a centre to save pennies. It doesn't make sense."
Angus says that as whole there needs to be a larger solution when it comes to transportation in the north.
"We have been saying for a long time there needs to be a bigger plan for transit in the north. We watched our air service disappear; we've watched our train service on life support. There certainly has to be a federal element in terms of support."
Angus says he will be sending off a letter to the Chair of the ONTC asking him not to go ahead with the cuts.

Ontario Northland Announces Motor Coach Service Changes
TORONTO, Aug. 28 /CNW/ - Ontario Northland is committed to serving its
motor coach passengers, who travel throughout northeastern and central
Ontario.
Changes to Ontario Northland's motor coach service schedules are being
implemented on October 1, 2008; and will affect schedules throughout the
Company's service territory. Customers are encouraged to contact their local
Ontario Northland station or agency, or to call 1.800.461.8558 to confirm
travel times.

<<
Schedule Details

Additional schedule details are attached.

Ontario Northland
>>

Ontario Northland, an operational enterprise of the Province of Ontario,
was established in 1902 and is a recognized leader in creating prosperity in
the North by providing innovative transportation and telecommunication
solutions. Operating primarily in northeastern Ontario, Ontario Northland's
enterprises include: the Northlander, Polar Bear Express and Dream Catcher
Express passenger trains; rail freight services; motor coach scheduled and
charter services; refurbishment services; and Ontera telecommunication
services.

Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services

Ontario Northland's Motor Coach Services Department operates a fleet of
25 highway motor coaches that provide scheduled service between Hearst and
Toronto, along the Highway 11 corridor which passes through Cochrane and
North Bay, and along the Highway 69 corridor, which passes through Timmins and
Sudbury. The Company's scheduled motor coach service is an affordable and
reliable way to travel to and from northeastern Ontario.
Ontario Northland also offers charter and tour services for groups
traveling throughout Canada, along with Bus Parcel Express (BPX) services. BPX
is a shipping service which offers station-to-station delivery of envelopes
and parcels, often on the same day. The transportation of these parcels is
handled through scheduled motor coach service routes, with connections across
the continent offered through partnerships with other carriers.

<<
PASSENGER NOTICE

Motor Coach Services Schedule Changes:
SUDBURY-PARRY SOUND-BARRIE- TORONTO
Effective October 1, 2008
>>

To our valued customers: Please be advised that, effective October 1,
2008, we will be implementing changes to our motor coach services schedules.

Sudbury-Toronto: Schedule Changes

Daily motor coach services along this corridor will be available at the
following times:

<<
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Southbound(* )
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Sudbury 5:00 a.m. 4:15 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Parry Sound (Arrival) 7:10 a.m. 6:25 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Parry Sound (Departure) 7:25 a.m. 6:40 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Barrie 9:15 a.m. 8:30 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Toronto (Bay St.) 10:45 a.m. 10:00 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Northbound(* )
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Toronto (Bay St.) 12:00 p.m. 11:15 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Barrie 1:30 p.m. 12:45 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Parry Sound (Arrival) 3:20 p.m. 2:35 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Parry Sound (Departure) 3:35 p.m. 2:50 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Sudbury 5:45 p.m. 5:45 p.m.
5:00 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
>>

The motor coach service departing Sudbury at 5:15 p.m. (southbound) and
Toronto at 10:00 a.m. (northbound) will no longer be available. There are some
changes to the departure times which will affect all destinations along the
route.

<<
Bus Parcel Express (BPX) Service

Bus Parcel Express service will continue to be available.

(*) PLEASE CALL TO CONFIRM ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES
>>

Arrival and departure times for destinations along the Sudbury-Parry
Sound-Barrie- Toronto corridor, in both northbound and southbound directions,
will also be affected. Additional motor coach services schedules are also
changing. Please contact your local Ontario Northland station or agency or
call us at 1.800.461.8558 to confirm your travel times.

<<
We thank you for your ongoing support.

PASSENGER NOTICE

Motor Coach Services Schedule Changes:
TIMMINS-COCHRANE- KAPUSKASING- HEARST
Effective October 1, 2008
>>

To our valued customers:
Please be advised that, effective October 1, 2008, we will be
implementing changes to our motor coach services schedules.

Timmins-Cochrane- Kapuskasing- Hearst: Schedule Changes

Daily motor coach services along this corridor will be available at the
following times:

<<
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Southbound(* )
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Hearst 4:00 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Kapuskasing 5:10 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Cochrane (Arrival) 6:45 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Cochrane (Departure) 6:50 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Timmins 8:10 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Northbound(* )
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Timmins 10:30 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Cochrane (Arrival) -
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Cochrane (Departure) -
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Kapuskasing 1:00 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Hearst 2:10 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
>>

In addition, the Northlander shuttle service to connect to the
Northlander passenger train continues.
The motor coach service departing Hearst at 4:15 p.m. (southbound) and
Timmins at 11:45 a.m. (northbound) on Tuesdays, Friday and Sundays will no
longer be available. All destinations along this route will be affected.

<<
Bus Parcel Express (BPX) Service

Bus Parcel Express service will continue to be available.

(*)PLEASE CALL TO CONFIRM ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES
>>

Additional motor coach services schedules are changing. Please contact us
your local Ontario Northland station or agency or call us at 1.800.461.8558 to
confirm your travel times.

<<
We thank you for your ongoing support.

PASSENGER NOTICE

Motor Coach Services Schedule Changes:
COCHRANE/TIMMINS - NORTH BAY (Including KIRKLAND LAKE)
Effective October 1, 2008

To our valued customers:
Please be advised that, effective October 1, 2008, we will be implementing
changes to our motor coach services schedules.

Cochrane/Timmins - North Bay: Schedule Changes

Daily motor coach services along this corridor will be available at the
following times:

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Southbound(* )
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Cochrane 8:30 a.m. 8:00 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Timmins 8:45 a.m. 8:15 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Kirkland Lake - 10:35 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Kenogami 10:45 a.m. -
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Earlton (Arrival) 11:30 a.m. 11:25 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Earlton (Departure) 11:45 a.m. 11:40p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
North Bay 2:30 p.m. 2:05 a.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Northbound(* )
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
North Bay 5:00 a.m. 4:15 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Earlton (Arrival) 7:45 a.m. 7:00 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Earlton (Departure) 8:00 a.m. 7:15 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Kenogami - 8:05 p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Kirkland Lake 8:50 a.m. -
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Timmins 10:55 a.m. 10:25p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
Cochrane 11:15 a.m. 10:45p.m.
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -
>>

Kirkland Lake: Schedule Changes

The motor coach service to and from Kirkland Lake will no longer be
available at 10:50 a.m. (southbound) and 8:05 p.m. (northbound) .

Swastika: Schedule Changes

The motor coach service to and from Swastika will no longer be available
at 10:35 a.m. (southbound) and 8:20 p.m. (northbound) . The Northlander service
will not change.

Kenogami: New Service

Daily motor coach service will now be available at the Kenogami Gas Bar
on Highway 11 at the following times:

<<
Southbound 10:45 a.m. Northbound 8:05 p.m.
>>

Kirkland Lake: Bus Parcel Express (BPX) Service

Bus Parcel Express service will continue to be available through our
Kirkland Lake Station.

(*)PLEASE CALL TO CONFIRM ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES

Arrival and departure times for destinations along the
Cochrane/Timmins- North Bay corridor, in both northbound and southbound
directions, will also be affected. Additional motor coach services schedules
are also changing. Please contact your local Ontario Northland station or
agency or call us at 1.800.461.8558 to confirm your travel times.

<<
We thank you for your ongoing support.