STC ridership drops nearly one-quarter
Saskatchewan’s government-owned bus company says fewer connections along with weather and cheaper gas are factors in a big drop in ridership.
In its annual report Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) said it carried 200,914 passengers in 2015, a decrease of 23 per cent from the previous year. Candace Caswell, executive director of strategic planning and communications, said one major reason is reductions in service by STC’s partner Greyhound, which connects Saskatchewan to cities outside the province, including along Highway 16 through the Battlefords area.
“Greyhound has over the years reduced the number of times that it travels along that (Highway 16) corridor,” she said. “So as there’s less convenient travel times for people looking to get outside of the province, they often look for other ways to get to their destination.”
Caswell explained the changes at Greyhound were initiated by the move to a capacity management system. It requires people to reserve seats similar to booking an airline flight. She added this has also affected the ability of people to buy tickets, particularly at smaller rural locations, and suggested passengers book their trips ahead of time online. This can also still be done at the North Battleford depot shared by STC and Greyhound.
