The wheels on the bus go ’round and ’round… as long as the operator can stay in business.
What happened: Megabus Canada’s parent company, Coach USA, sold most of its bus lines to a holding company last week as it filed for bankruptcy protection. The move allows Megabus to continue services in Canada and offer broke students bizarre late-night trips to visit home.
Why it matters: The bus industry has dealt with significant service gaps since pandemic troubles forced Greyhound to drive right out of Canada. Megabus, which expanded routes in Greyhound’s wake, is a vital service for travellers without cars or rail access.
- Witnesses told a 2023 House of Commons study on improving bus connectivity that decreased bus services disproportionately impact marginalized and rural groups.
Big picture: Since Greyhound’s departure, foreign operators like European bus leader Flixbus and American operator OurBus have arrived to take its place. Domestic lines like Red Arrow have also expanded beyond their home provinces to other parts of the country.
By the numbers: The number of active intercity and rural busses in Canada fell by nearly a quarter between 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, but had been picking up speed once again as of 2022.—QH