Intercity Bus Services

[rbt]

According to @ShonTron's excellent intercity transit map (link), four currently - Red Arrow, Flixbus, Rider Express, and Megabus - in addition to VIA Rail service.

BusBud, an aggregator, has tickets for FlixBus, VIA, Megabus, OurBus, Rider Express, Book A Ride (from VMC Station), Ontario Northland (from Yorkdale), Red Arrow, and Maplebus (from Terminal 1).

 

[reaperexpress]

BusBud, an aggregator, has tickets for FlixBus, VIA, Megabus, OurBus, Rider Express, Book A Ride (from VMC Station), Ontario Northland (from Yorkdale), Red Arrow, and Maplebus (from Terminal 1).

ONTC is not direct, it's via North Bay.

Last I rode there were 5 direct bus lines from downtown Toronto to Ottawa, plus Via and the airlines:

- Book a Ride
- Rider Express
- Flixbus
- Megabus
- Red Arrow
- Via
- Porter Airlines
- Air Canada

I rode and filmed all of those for my upcoming video reviewing all the services but now I guess I need to ride another one...

 

[Bordercollie]

ONTC is not direct, it's via North Bay.

Last I rode there were 5 direct bus lines from downtown Toronto to Ottawa, plus Via and the airlines:

- Book a Ride
- Rider Express
- Flixbus
- Megabus
- Red Arrow
- Via
- Porter Airlines
- Air Canada

I rode and filmed all of those for my upcoming video reviewing all the services but now I guess I need to ride another one...

I don't think there is that much demand. Most of the time the rider express and Megabus are empty during the week.
They all leave within an hour of each other like a convoy up the DVP.
I'm sure that on weekends it can get busy with tourists.

 

[Urban Sky]

I don't think there is that much demand. Most of the time the rider express and Megabus are empty during the week.
They all leave within an hour of each other like a convoy up the DVP.

That‘s what I was thinking: it‘s difficult to believe that the market would support that many different operators

I'm sure that on weekends it can get busy with tourists.

Tourists? I would expect that the key demographic using the buses would be students and other low-income groups, not tourists…

 

[ShonTron]

I’ve avoided mapping Book A Ride because its schedules and even locations changed too often. It operates too much like a charter, rather than a traditional coach operator.

 

[APTA-2048]

Book A Ride recently got in trouble for running service to Montreal. I believe this was actually their second time doing this.

 

[Sandpit]

BusBud, an aggregator, has tickets for FlixBus, VIA, Megabus, OurBus, Rider Express, Book A Ride (from VMC Station), Ontario Northland (from Yorkdale), Red Arrow, and Maplebus (from Terminal 1).

Busbud has Megabus? I don't think I've ever seen it.

 

[Bordercollie]

Book A Ride recently got in trouble for running service to Montreal. I believe this was actually their second time doing this.

I thought de-regulation means you can run from anywhere to anywhere regardless of your operating permit? When Greyhound operated the Ottawa route the milkrun through Peterborough and all of the small towns was busy. Express along the 401 is quick but the point of the bus is to be flexible and serve those small towns on the way.

If the province was smart they would bring regulation back and use the money to build actual stops along the 401 at gas stations or on the curb on the main street. Most of these has stations now have a McDonald's or Tim Hortons, have washrooms and indoor shelter. This whole everyone for themselves thing isn't helping anyone. Some routes are saturated and others are non existent. This isn't 1980, we have a responsibility to serve these neighbourhoods. I'm shocked that nobody plans a route along highway 2 from Toronto to Kingston, with people traveling within that corridor and NOT from Toronto or Ottawa. How do you get from Port Hope to Brighton? How do you get from Napanee to Port Hope? Or Belleville to Brighton? You can't without a car and this is the problem. This should fall within the jurisdiction of Metrolinx and use ONR or GO transit to serve those communities.

Also Sharon bus lines used to run Ottawa, Kingston, STC and Finch. I never saw a single passenger on those buses. I wondered how they stay afloat or are they not running anymore?

 

[kEiThZ]

the point of the bus is to be flexible and serve those small towns on the way.

Says who?

If the province was smart they would bring regulation back

Nope. This is just forcing people traveling between major cities to subsidize everybody else (with money and time). Hard pass. If the province wants services to small towns build a public bus network and pay for it.

 

[kEiThZ]

How do you get from Port Hope to Brighton? How do you get from Napanee to Port Hope? Or Belleville to Brighton?

By car, taxi and/or VIA.

You can't without a car and this is the problem. This should fall within the jurisdiction of Metrolinx and use ONR or GO transit to serve those communities.

Metrolinx's mandate is the GGH. Not Eastern Ontario. If people there want improved services (and there's no evidence they really do), they should be lobbying for a regional transport authority of their own that builds regional bus service, and either builds regional rail service or integrates with VIA with Kingston and Belleville as hubs.

 

[APTA-2048]

I thought de-regulation means you can run from anywhere to anywhere regardless of your operating permit? When Greyhound operated the Ottawa route the milkrun through Peterborough and all of the small towns was busy. Express along the 401 is quick but the point of the bus is to be flexible and serve those small towns on the way.

Service in Quebec is still regulated.

 

[Bordercollie]

By car, taxi and/or VIA.



Metrolinx's mandate is the GGH. Not Eastern Ontario. If people there want improved services (and there's no evidence they really do), they should be lobbying for a regional transport authority of their own that builds regional bus service, and either builds regional rail service or integrates with VIA with Kingston and Belleville as hubs.

It amazes me that the mayor's of these towns and cities don't come together to build some transportation network. Port Hope, Brighton, Trenton, Cobourg and Bellville could easily connect their transit systems to link with their neighbors (Brighton doesn't have transit but is close to Cobourg).

 

[kEiThZ]

It amazes me that the mayor's of these towns and cities don't come together to build some transportation network. Port Hope, Brighton, Trenton, Cobourg and Bellville could easily connect their transit systems to link with their neighbors (Brighton doesn't have transit but is close to Cobourg).

Because transit, to people in these parts, is something for for the poor and infirm, and big cities. Their mayors and councils reflect these attitudes.

 

[APTA-2048]

Former TOK Halliburton service paused. From the new company operating it:

ANNOUNCEMENT! Thanks to all the customers who try to keep the bus service. We try our best but not enough rides at the moment, we will do a reassessment of the bus route. As of today, bus route will be temporary cancel until May 1st, 2024.

Thanks to all. please check back here for future updates.

 

[Garuda]

Book A Ride recently got in trouble for running service to Montreal. I believe this was actually their second time doing this.

Hahaha probably just assumed that Montreal is an extension of Ontario. I bet the MTQ is watching the 401/A20 border frequently.

Former TOK Halliburton service paused. From the new company operating it:

ANNOUNCEMENT! Thanks to all the customers who try to keep the bus service. We try our best but not enough rides at the moment, we will do a reassessment of the bus route. As of today, bus route will be temporary cancel until May 1st, 2024.

Thanks to all. please check back here for future updates.

That is too bad. I still think the service should terminate at Oshawa Station. There’s no need to go to downtown Toronto. Where is this new operator going to?