BANFF – When Greyhound announced it was ending its bus service throughout Western Canada earlier this summer it caused a lot of anxiety for those who relied on the bus.
However, the free-market appears to be responding as more and more private companies across Western Canada have stepped in to fill the void, including a private company in Banff.
On Wednesday (Oct. 31), The Banff Express will begin taking people from Banff to Calgary two times a day, seven days a week.
The new company is the brainchild of Darryl Joseph, who previously owned a major bus depot in Banff.
“A lot of people were coming to me and asking me what to do, how can we take the bus if it’s going to be that expensive with Brewster? So this was the only option I could come up with,” said Joseph.
The 14-passenger shuttle bus will be driven by Joseph and his dad and depart from the Banff Heritage Train Station at 7 a.m. and arrive in Calgary two hours later.
The bus will stop in Canmore at the Visitor Information Centre and make two stops in Calgary, including the McCaig Tower at the Foothills Medical Centre and the Eau Claire Market in downtown Calgary.
Heading westbound, the bus will depart Eau Claire Market at 9:15 a.m. and return to Banff by 11:15 a.m.
In the evening he said the bus will leave Banff at 5 p.m. and return at 9:15 p.m.
Tickets will cost $30 plus tax from Banff to Calgary and vice-versa. Those getting on or off in Canmore will be able to purchase a ticket for $27 plus tax.
One spot on the bus will also be reserved for people with mobility issues, however at this point the bus does not have a wheel chair lift.
It’s the second bus company to announce new and expanded service after Greyhound announced it was ending its bus service in Western Canada as of Oct. 31.
Last week, Rider Express Transportation announced it would begin taking passengers to and from Winnipeg to Vancouver on Oct. 27.
The Saskatchewan-based company said the bus service will pick up and drop off passengers at select locations, however at this point the bus will only be stopping in major urban centres such as Calgary.
Visit: www.thebanffexpress.ca for more information and to purchase tickets.
