Greyhound - Terminating service in Western Canada

[BerserkerCatSplat]

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It's not really Calgary-Edmonton that was the problem. It was all the small rural routes (buttfuck1 - buttfuck2) that were money losers.

There's no doubt that the major routes were subsidizing the minor ones, but if the major routes were profitable enough you'd think they could have just kept those going at least.

[suntan]

As with airlines, buses have a huge buttload of fixed costs.

[Xtrema]

Someone bitches about Red Arrow costs double of Greyhound, and that Canada Post also costed way more.

So why didn't Greyhound raise their price? Are they blocked by governments to do so?

[JRSC00LUDE]

This has made all the Union trash in Saskatchewan go crazy again about needing the Government to reopen the bus line they just finally shut down last year. It's funny.

[blitz]

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A tank of gas usually costs me $35-40 and I can drive a round trip to Edmonton on that, so a Greyhound would be about twice as expensive and wastes far more time (8 hours instead of 5). If you drive a gas guzzler I guess it would start to swing the economics. People value their time differently as well, but probably at least $20-50/Hr and an extra 3hr on a bus sucks (especially if someone you don't like is in the seat next to you).

I can see some reasons to use Greyhound still I guess, I just don't see it as a desirable form of transportation outside of special circumstances and it's comparatively expensive unless you have a giant SUV or something similar or don't care about the extra time.

Some people don't have cars....

This will effect the poor and the elderly.

[bjstare]

^True.

Won't affect me at all, I wouldn't take it if it was free. I hate being in close proximity to strangers for long periods of time; non-business class flights are awful for the same reason.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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Some people don't have cars....

This will effect the poor and the elderly.

Yes I agree

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I guess it was OK for shipping and seniors

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If you don't own a vehicle then I guess it's one of the only options

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^True.

Won't affect me at all, I wouldn't take it if it was free. I hate being in close proximity to strangers for long periods of time; non-business class flights are awful for the same reason.

I am the same way - that and I value ~3hr of my time way more than saving a few dollars. Flights I have to deal with because I am too poor for the pods - I ride the Greyhound of the skies

[Masked Bandit]

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Fair point on the insurance/maintenance, etc. I don't know how much that all adds up to on a per-trip basis. If you don't own a vehicle then I guess it's one of the only options haha.

CRA allows $0.53 per KM for all-in vehicle expense so Calgary to Edmonton & back is more like $300 total cost.

[HiTempguy1]

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A tank of gas usually costs me $35-40 and I can drive a round trip to Edmonton on that, so a Greyhound would be about twice as expensive and wastes far more time (8 hours instead of 5). If you drive a gas guzzler I guess it would start to swing the economics. People value their time differently as well, but probably at least $20-50/Hr and an extra 3hr on a bus sucks (especially if someone you don't like is in the seat next to you).

I can see some reasons to use Greyhound still I guess, I just don't see it as a desirable form of transportation outside of special circumstances and it's comparatively expensive unless you have a giant SUV or something similar or don't care about the extra time.

It's a bad comparison. Most people using a long haul bus are only going one way. So your comparison is apples to oranges. Also, if you want to make this a true comparison of costs, you really need to factor in depreciation of owning a vehicle.

There is a reason they charged what they charged. And I don't know where you are getting this "time" crap, Greyhound (and other bus lines) do basically direct routes from Calgary to Edmonton and all the way up to Fort Mac. We're talking maybe an extra 45 minutes to take a bus, and the times I've done it, it's never been an issue. I do value my time, but another thing to consider is that time away from work is valued differently because you aren't earning money when away from work. So spending the least possible is usually the most viable route for most people as that is how they "earn" money by spending their time in situations like these.

[J-hop]

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CRA allows $0.53 per KM for all-in vehicle expense so Calgary to Edmonton & back is more like $300 total cost.

CRA does not allow that for personal use claims though

[Xtrema]

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We're talking maybe an extra 45 minutes to take a bus, and the times I've done it, it's never been an issue.

Officially downtown to downtwon, it's 50min more at 3:55 vs 3:05.

Unofficially cars only take 2:30-2:45, so bus is 1 hr more. Then I think greyhound doesn't stop anywhere near Edmonton downtown any more, so you still need to get into downtown via another transit option.

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CRA does not allow that for personal use claims though

And write off is just on pre-tax income. So you save 20% not paying CRA. So at best, you get your gas money back out of that $300. Still doesn't cover wear and tear.

[Masked Bandit]

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CRA does not allow that for personal use claims though

Sorry, I wasn't looking at a tax angle or anything like that, I just use CRA's number of $0.53 per KM as a general all encompassing true cost to drive your car (insurance, gas, maintenance, depreciation, etc.).

[J-hop]

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Sorry, I wasn't looking at a tax angle or anything like that, I just use CRA's number of $0.53 per KM as a general all encompassing true cost to drive your car (insurance, gas, maintenance, depreciation, etc.).

Ah I see

[95EagleAWD]

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This has made all the Union trash in Saskatchewan go crazy again about needing the Government to reopen the bus line they just finally shut down last year. It's funny.

Why is that funny, just out of curiosity?

- - - Updated - - -

I wonder if this will spur the small airlines into providing more service. WestJet just opened their WestJet Link routes with the Saab's from PASCO, I wonder if companies like CMA or Caribou will see an increase in sales.

[mr2mike]

I think Greyhound missed an opportunity to market that they ship large parcels across Canada cheaper than Canada Post and build that side of the business rather than solely on ridership.

[CompletelyNumb]

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I think Greyhound missed an opportunity to market that they ship large parcels across Canada cheaper than Canada Post and build that side of the business rather than solely on ridership.

Greyhound completely destroyed several of the packages I shipped with them in 2015. Completely blew me off when I tried to go after them for the damages, saying "we only cover items that are brand new in box, since you might have just shipped yourself broken items".

Fuck them.

[Gestalt]

Greyhound shipping was terrible. I cant imagine worse service or responsibility.

[sabad66]

Just read an article saying ridership dropped significantly after the beheading attack. I guess it kind of makes sense... it's definitely the first thing i think about any time i hear the word greyhound.

[CMW403]

I was surprised to see this. Have the more "luxury" bus lines like Red Arrow taken over? Or was that a division of Greyhound

[ExtraSlow]

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I was surprised to see this. Have the more "luxury" bus lines like Red Arrow taken over? Or was that a division of Greyhound

Red Arrow is part of Pacific Western, as is the "my e-bus" brand. Those only operate on the profitable Calgary-Edmonton-Fort McMurray routes, not the rural ones that Greyhound handled.