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STC to make cuts to Prince Albert service

Mar 5, 2015 | 10:57 AM

Days after a fare increase came into effect, Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) announced its plans to make service cuts that will hit some of its routes, which will affect four Prince Albert routes.

The bus company is looking to reduce the number of days a week buses run on particular routes or change the route’s timing. It’s looking for approval from the provincial Highway Traffic Board and if it gets the go-ahead, the changes will come into effect on March 29.

The following Prince Albert routes will see cuts:

-Buses will only run twice a day instead of three on the direct service route between Prince Albert and Saskatoon on Sundays.

– The Prince Albert to Saskatoon via Melfort route will be changed on Saturdays. The bus will no longer go all the way to Saskatoon, but will return to Prince Albert when it reaches Melfort.

-The Prince Albert to Nipawin bus route will only be offered on Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday and Thursday service to Nipawin would be eliminated.

-Service on the La Loche to Prince Albert route will only be offered on Wednesday and Friday. STC plans to eliminate Monday service on this route.

In an email to paNOW, STC communications representative Kelly Michaud wrote that STC, like other provincial crowns and ministries, are “undertaking a number of fiscal restraint measures in order to manage the level of subsidy required by the organization.” In other words, this is to reduce costs at STC, aimed at reducing the amount of funding needed from the provincial government.

With the recent oil price plunge, the province has been faced with lower oil revenues and the potential for shortfall in its 2015 budget. The province is also considering freezing the transfers to municipalities as part of its look at how to tighten its belt. The government has not made a decision to date on the transfers.

As for why STC targeted the particular routes it did for the service cuts, Michaud wrote that STC considered ridership levels, parcel express revenues and costs to operate each route.

“As well, STC maintained a minimum level of frequency for communities that would allow STC to provide a valued service, minimize impact on customers and sustain as much revenue as possible,” she continued.

When asked about average ridership on the four Prince Albert routes, STC said it would not provide those numbers.

Michaud explained the numbers are competitive business numbers. She later explained there are other private operators in the province – smaller operators.

Michaud added STC has never released the ridership numbers for the individual routes.

For more information about all of the routes affected by the changes, click here

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames