Click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.
Diamond North Express Transit owners Nnamdi and Justina Ndubuka (middle and far right) shake hands with MLA Kevin Kasun (middle left) and Ward 5 councillor Stephen Ring after cutting the ribbon to officially launch the bus service between Prince Albert and Saskatoon outside of the Gateway Mall in P.A. on Oct. 8, 2026. (Image Credit: Logan Lehmann/paNOW)
On the road again

Regular bus service between PA-Saskatoon returns under new owners

Oct 9, 2026 | 5:00 AM

Commuters along Highway 11 from Prince Albert to Saskatoon will notice a new bus company serving the route. 

After Aurora Charter Services switched from a passenger service to a private charter at the end of August, Diamond North Express Transit has since taken over the route. 

Despite operating the route since the start of September, the company celebrated their official launch on Thursday outside their pickup/dropoff point outside the Bishop McLean Crescent entrance of the Gateway Mall in Prince Albert. 

Nnamdi and Justina Ndubuka are the owners of Diamond North Express Transit, where Nnamdi noted that since taking over the route, it’s been a smooth ride. 

“We did get a sense that this particular service taking people from Prince Albert to Saskatoon and back was a critical service. So, when Aurora Charter Services made that announcement that they were going to focus on private charters, we felt that we should step into that space to continue to provide that service to the citizens of Prince Albert.” 

“Aurora Charter Services have been quite supportive in terms of providing information and all that we needed for regulations just to support that transition.” 

Having called Prince Albert home for the last 13 years, Nnamdi continued that he and Justina have transit experience back in their home country of Nigeria, where they’re using their past experience to help them navigate Canada’s transport industry and learn more about how they can improve their own business.  

Nnamdi said one of the things that Diamond North Express prides themselves on is having a customer first mentality. 

“That’s the main principle that we’re trying to promote, we put our customers first. So safety, comfort, and reliability are our key values. Our buses are always very clean, and we provide professional services, well-trained drivers and the Wi-Fi on board ensures that whether you’re a student, you can maintain your academic work. If you’re a professional, you are still connected so you can work on the way. Even for those going on medical appointments, the bus is brand new, so it has a lot of comfort in it.” 

Inside the new 14-seater passenger van that takes residents from Prince Albert to Saskatoon and back.
Inside the new 14-seater passenger van that takes residents from Prince Albert to Saskatoon and back. (Image Credit: Logan Lehmann/paNOW)
The exterior of the bus and trailer.
The exterior of the bus and trailer. (Image Credit: Logan Lehmann/paNOW)

So far, Diamond North Express has just one 14-seater van in their fleet along with a parcel trailer, which customers and riders can use to send boxes and packages between the two cities. Speaking to expansion, Nnamdi said that will come with time. 

“Like every business, you want to grow and scale, so our plan is to go beyond Saskatoon and look at other communities around P.A. as well. So Melfort, Nipawin, La Ronge – we’ll explore those opportunities in the near future.” 

Currently, Diamond North Express operates four days a week with two round trips on three of the days. They depart the Gateway Mall every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m., as well as one round trip on Saturday at 9:15 a.m. The dropoff point in Saskatoon is at John Diefenbaker International Airport in Section 5B. 

More information about Diamond North Express Transit, including the ranging costs for tickets and packages, can be found on their website. 

— 

loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com