Tag: transit

Atlantic Transport News – March 2022

Posted on

Welcome to the March 2022 installment of Atlantic Transport News!

Here’s a look at what you’ll find in this edition:

PEI TAKES GREEN INITIATIVE AGAINST SOARING FUEL PRICES

PEI residents are being offered unlimited affordable public transit pass for six weeks to help them through the fuel price crisis. PHOTO – T3 Transit

Canada’s smallest province is leading the way in offering its residents a unique form of relief from rapidly escalating world-wide fuel prices. Instead of urging rebates or deferments of carbon taxes to give citizens a break, PEI Premier Dennis King is offering a climate-friendly alternative.

As part of a $20 million dollar fund to confront the rising cost of living, the Province of Prince Edward Island and T3 Transit have partnered to reduce the price of a monthly bus pass for islanders. Effective Monday, March 14, the cost of a public transit pass valid until the end of April will be $20 for adults and $10 for students (18+) and seniors. Everyone under 18 will ride for free during this period. The passes are valid on both T3 Transit in the provincial capital area and on the so-called “toonie transit” rural routes which currently extend from Souris and Montague west to Summerside. The rural initiative is expected to be extended westward to include service as far as Alberton and Tignish by mid-April.

“Right now, islanders are struggling with the increased cost of living and the unpredictable price of high fuel and heating oil,” Premier King said. “As a government we need to be there to help lessen the burden for islanders and help make life more affordable. This is a stressful time for everyone, and it is important that we ensure there are no additional barriers for islanders to get to work, school and the essential services they need.”

In another climate-friendly move, the PEI Government has announced a $100 point-of-sale rebate on bicycle purchases for a limited time. However, there’s concern that supply-chain issues may prevent many residents from taking advantage of the program. Bike retailers are urging government to consider extending the program until inventories recover.

MARITIME BUS OWNER ENCOURAGED AFTER MEETING WITH TRANSPORT MINISTER

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra (second from left) in conversation on March 7 with owner Mike Cassidy (right) in the Maritime Bus garage on Bayne Street in Halifax. Also in the photo are Matthew Cassidy and Kings-Hants MP Kody Blois.
(Image from Twitter @OmarAlghabra)

After many months of trying to get his message through to the top about the need for a helping hand to the motorcoach industry, Mike Cassidy has at last had his persistence rewarded. The Maritime Bus owner recently won an opportunity for a face-to-face meeting with federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra – and on his own turf, at that.

The minister, a frequent flyer in the world of social media, embarked on a well-publicized swing through Atlantic Canada in early March. Mr. Cassidy has been working closely with politicians of all stripes in the course of his “public transit on provincial highways” campaign, and several members of the Atlantic Liberal Caucus helped facilitate bringing Mr. Alghabra for a tour of the bus garage in downtown Halifax.

According to Infrastructure Canada, the Rural Transit Solutions Fund seeks to help Canadians living in rural and remote areas get around their communities more easily day-to-day and connect with nearby communities. The $250-milliion program was unveiled last year, but up to now Ottawa has insisted that only not-for-profit agencies qualify for the capital assistance it offers. That specifically excludes companies like Maritime Bus and DRL Coachlines in Newfoundland – despite the fact that both have been losing money by the busload over the past two years.

Mr. Cassidy was able to use the meeting opportunity to explain to the transport minister why this policy was unreasonable, and should be changed to allow struggling for-profit operators to acquire new equipment. He’s encouraged by Mr. Alghabra’s apparent awareness of the intercity bus issue, and believes that progress is being made and the dialogue will continue.

It now appears that the political will is there, he says, at least on the federal level. But because accessing funding is contingent on provincial participation, there’s still more work to be done. The program requires a three-way split, with Ottawa, the province, and the applicant each investing an equal share. Therefore it’s essential that the provinces come on board. For now, Mr. Cassidy is “laser focused” on the three Maritime provinces where he operates, but the model could easily apply in Newfoundland and Labrador, and elsewhere across Canada. There’s a demonstrated need, he believes, for an interconnected motorcoach network that can sustainably carry both people and parcels from coast to coast.

SAINT JOHN EMPHASIZES TRANSIT IN CLIMATE INITIATIVES

The City of Saint John believes incentives should be offered to users of public transit in efforts to achieve climate change goals. PHOTO Discover Saint John

The City of Saint John says the New Brunswick government needs to recognize the important role public transportation can have in achieving greenhouse gas emission targets. In a submission to the five-year review of the Province’s Climate Change Action Plan, the City recommends the introduction of incentives to residents who use public transit. It’s music to the ears of transit commission chair Nick Cameron.

“It has taken a while for folks to realize just how much of an impact transportation has on our greenhouse gases,” he told the Telegraph-Journal, adding that transportation represents one of the highest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in New Brunswick. “We really need to make sure that transportation is part of our plans going forward. And although electric vehicles are certainly part of that solution, focus on public transit is a much more affordable and impactful solution.”

The commission sent a letter of support to supplement the City’s submission, detailing some initiatives currently underway, including exploring on-demand service to feed more heavily-travelled and frequent transit routes. A consultant has also been hired to examine various options for greening the system, including electric, hydrogen, or natural gas powered buses.

In a late development, the City of Saint John has written Premier Blaine Higgs urging him to buy into the federal government’s recently announced $750-million program to help municipal transit systems rebound from two years of low ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Matching provincial funding is a condition for municipal transit systems to get their share, and New Brunswick has shown considerable reluctance in the past toward participation in such initiatives. Premier Higgs once infamously remarked flippantly that “Fredericton doesn’t need a subway system.”

Mr. Cameron said getting access to a share of the federal money is crucial to helping Saint John Transit rebuild ridership. He told CBC News that annual ridership was now less than 1.2 million – down from over two million pre-pandemic. He’s concerned that the lost riders may have found other, less climate-friendly, means of transportation, and it may not be easy to win them back.

A BUSY SUMMER EXPECTED FOR MARINE ATLANTIC, WITH NO RATE INCREASE SO FAR

Marine Atlantic has announced off-peak vehicle and passenger discount fares for travel to and from Port aux Basques and Argentia up to June 30. So far the dreaded announcement of another general rate increase hasn’t come, and advance bookings for the summer season are reportedly exceeding pre-pandemic levels. (Image from Twitter @MAferries)

It looks like a busy summer lies ahead for Marine Atlantic ferries – and so far there’s been no announced increase in the controversial rate structure. Despite lingering uncertainty as to where COVID-19 will trend in the months ahead, the Crown corporation says its advance bookings between Newfoundland and Cape Breton to date are more than double those for the same period in pre-pandemic 2019. And, there’s an added incentive for travellers using the ferries from mid-May until the end of June, with off-peak savings of up to 22 percent on vehicle and passenger fares.  

Marine Atlantic spokesman Darrell Mercer told VOCM News that about 8000 reservations were made for the summer period between January 1 and March 7, compared with just 3300 in the same time frame three years ago. He attributed the surge to pent-up demand and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Come Home Year 2022 promotion. Cabin accommodations on many overnight sailings between North Sydney and Port aux Basques in July are already sold out.

It’s still unclear if the federal government will insist that Marine Atlantic meet its 65% cost recovery target this year, but so far there’s been no general rate increase announced. In 2021 planned increases were rescinded just days after their April 1 effective date when Ottawa relented on the requirement, for reasons attributed to the pandemic.

Part of this is no doubt due to continued pressure from politicians and advocacy groups. Transport Action Atlantic has recently ramped up its campaign to have ferry rates reduced to the cost of travelling the equivalent distance by highway. TAA continues to insist that this was the intent of the 1949 Terms of Union, in order to shield residents of the province from the burden of the added transportation costs of the Cabot Strait crossing.

Meanwhile, the rapid escalation of fuel prices arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine is unlikely to have an immediate effect on Marine Atlantic’s fuel surcharge. The company’s website says it purchases and stores large volumes of fuel in bulk, which protects customers against unpredictable price swings and consequent frequent fuel surcharge adjustments.

-All items above by Ted Bartlett

ESKASONI FIRST NATION LAUNCHES COMMUNITY-RUN TRANSIT SERVICE

Eskasoni Transit operations manager Kennis Gould is flanked by drivers Ricky Young, left, and Dave Simon on Monday as the new service launched. (Image from Maisyn Sock/CBC)

Eskasoni First Nation, a Mi’kmaw community in Cape Breton NS, is home to Nova Scotia’s newest transit service, with the community run operation making its first runs on March 14, 2022. The band launched the transit service to provide transportation options for people needing to get around the community, as well as getting in to Sydney for shopping, medical appointments, and other needs.

The service consists of a door-to-door van service, operating by request, and a bus operating a fixed route through the community and in to Membertou and Sydney. Van trips cost $5 anywhere in Eskasoni ($10 return trip), while the fixed route is $10 one-way or $20 for a return trip. The service to Sydney includes stops at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, the Sydney Shopping Centre, and the Mayflower Mall. The bus makes two round trips daily, once in the morning, and once later in the afternoon.

The two accessible vehicles purchased for the service, at a cost of $170,000, were paid for with the assistance of the provincial government, who contributed $110,000 of the cost, with the band paying the remainder. The agreement to purchase the vehicles was first announced early in 2021, but the service has only now gotten underway.

You can read more about the service by visiting the Eskasoni Transit Service’s Facebook page.

UPDATE: LONG-AWAITED CHIGNECTO ISTHMUS REPORT RELEASED

In our January newsletter, we reported on mounting frustrations about the delay of a long-awaited report on protecting the Chignecto Isthmus, and the critical rail and highway infrastructure that passes over it, from the effects of climate change and worsening flooding. Just after we put the current newsletter to bed, news broke that the report has been released.

In a news release on March 18, 2022, the study outcomes were summarized with three options:

  • raising the existing dikes
  • building new dikes
  • raising the existing dikes and installing steel sheet pile walls at select locations.

“Work on the Chignecto Isthmus Climate Change Adaptation Engineering and Feasibility Study started in 2018, and collaboration between New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the federal government was key to ensuring this vital economic link between both provinces remains protected,” said New Brunswick Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Jill Green. “Not only will this ensure the continuation of the trade corridor, but it should provide additional protection for residents in Sackville and surrounding areas.”

The provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick will decide on a course of action after discussing these options with the federal government. The cost of each option ranges from about $190 million to more than $300 million.

Atlantic Transport News – November 2021

Posted on

Welcome to the November edition of Atlantic Transport News!

Here’s a look at what you’ll find in this edition:

VIA TO ADD SECOND OCEAN FREQUENCY – BUT TRI-WEEKLY SERVICE WON’T RETURN UNTIL NEXT SUMMER

Passengers head down the platform to board the Ocean at Moncton. With an increase to 2/week frequency in December, travelling by train around the holidays will be just a little bit easier. PHOTO – Ted Bartlett

The return to service for VIA’s services in Atlantic Canada has continued to be painfully slow coming, but there is finally a clearer roadmap for when the Ocean will get back to “normal” service levels (even if 3/week service is still far from adequate). On October 18th, VIA announced the final phase of the railway’s service resumption plans, which would see the Ocean expand to a twice a week service in December, and finally to the full thrice weekly service ahead of the 2022 peak season (i.e. by June 2022). This week, VIA confirmed that the first departures on the expanded 2/week service will take place on December 8, 2021, with departures from both Montreal and Halifax on Sundays and Wednesdays moving forward. This will require the return of a second train set, with a meet between the trains overnight.

It is notable that none of VIA’s other non-Corridor services (with the exception of Winnipeg-Churchill) will see any expansions beyond their current once a week service until next spring. It seems evident that the decision to expand the Ocean to 2/week operation in December is an effort to capture the heavy Christmas holiday traffic that the train typically carries. Indeed, the press release announcing the date for the second frequency quotes VIA President and CEO Cynthia Garneau as saying “The return of this second frequency of the Ocean is good news for our passengers who now have more travel options in time for the holiday season.” At this time, it’s not clear how much additional capacity VIA may plan to add for the holiday season. There will be no extra trains beyond the 2/week schedule, but adding cars to the consists would be consistent with past practice and should help capture more ridership – indeed, some trains around Christmas are already close to being sold out, as riders have been returning to the service despite the long hiatus and limited departures.

The on-board environment has also been slowly returning to more normal, with VIA once again allowing passengers to make use of the Renaissance service cars, and returning full dining car service for Sleeper passengers, with a full hot menu and the traditional dining car environment, as of October 24th. This will undoubtedly have made the on-board experience more welcoming than it was in the earliest days of service resumption, but there is still no word on any suitable replacement for the Park car, lost to history with the new bidirectional operation of the train.

-Tim Hayman

COVID NUMBERS SLOWLY IMPROVING IN REGION – BUT TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES REMAIN

Maritime Bus is maintaining its six-days-a-week modified schedule with extra weekend trips, despite sluggish traffic numbers driven by the uptick in COVID cases. PHOTO – Ted Bartlett

The so-called “circuit-breaker” public health measures to combat COVID-19’s alarming fourth wave were still in effect across much of New Brunswick as the calendar rolled into November. Even though the surge in cases that struck all four Atlantic provinces to varying degrees had shown encouraging signs of retreat, the travel industry’s recovery from the pandemic was clearly inhibited.

Maritime Bus reported a daily average of 270 passengers in October, while maintaining its six-days-per-week reduced operating schedule, with extra weekend departures on Saturday and Sunday. It represented a slight improvement over the same month in 2020, when the buses were running only four days a week, but well short of where the company had hoped it would be at this point. Nevertheless, management feels it would not be wise to reduce service at this time. And, on the bright side, reduced travel has produced an increase in the parcel business, which helps offset the drop in passenger revenue.

The check-in area of Halifax Stanfield International Airport was largely deserted on the afternoon of November 4.
PHOTO – Ted Bartlett

Two New Brunswick cities are once again without air service to and from Halifax. St. John’s-based PAL Airlines had stepped in to partially fill the void last summer when it became apparent that Air Canada would not be resuming the local services it had provided pre-pandemic. PAL began offering flights five days a week connecting Stanfield International with Fredericton and Saint John. But while passenger loads were encourging during the summer, the airline reached the conclusion that the service wasn’t sustainable through the fall and winter months. The same situation arose with a service between Halifax and Charlottetown that lasted for only two months. A PAL spokesperson says they hope to be back in those market eventually, and meantime plan to continue their services to Ottawa, St. John’s and Deer Lake from Fredericton and Moncton on alternate days. Those routings have been using a larger Q-400 aircraft since last summer. A separate Halifax-Moncton-Wabush flight continues to offer service between YHZ and YQM twice a week.

Both airlines and airport authorities are hoping that the mandatory vaccination requirements for both passengers and crew now in effect will improve the level of public confidence in flying. Halifax Stanfield Airport reports that passenger traffic in August and September 2021 remained at about 40% of pre-pandemic traffic volumes, but officials are optimistic that the vaccine mandate will improve the picture. They are also looking forward to upcoming non-stop international services being added by various airline partners as the “sun season” approaches, when many Canadians enjoy travelling south. New or reinstated non-stop destinations from YHZ in the coming months include Cancun, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Punta Cana, Varadero, and Montego Bay. Direct Air Canada service to Toronto’s downtown Billy Bishop Airport is also scheduled to resume in December. Still awaiting confirmation are resumption of service in 2022 to several US and overseas destinations.

Meanwhile, St. John’s International was on the list of a limited number of Canadian airports that will be once again permitted to handle cross-border and overseas flights as of November 30. In a CBC interview, YYT’s CEO Peter Avery said no routes have yet been confirmed, but they are hoping that at least some of the direct flights to sun destinations will soon be back. He welcomed the Transport Canada announcement as a good first step toward eventual resumption of overseas flights as well. He noted that while international flights accounted for only about 10% of the airports traffic in pre-pandemic times, they mean a lot to the business community and the province at large.

YYT reported handling a total of 76,046 passengers in September – three times as many as the same month last year but well short of the 134,387 travellers that passed through the terminal pre-pandemic in September of 2019. There were 1107 arrivals and departures during September 2021, versus 707 a year earlier and 2007 in 2019.

Interestingly, both Marine Atlantic and Maritime Bus are exempt from the mandatory vaccination requirements. Spokespersons for both carriers said they are considered essential services. However, Marine Atlantic is continuing to observe extensive public health protocols.

And the Campobello ferry has been granted yet another one-month extension to its operating season. The link to the New Brunswick mainland via Deer Island will continue until the end of November, avoiding the challenges inherent in travelling through the US. The most critical issue for islanders at this point is the requirement to produce proof of a negative COVID test when entering Canada through the border crossing at St. Stephen NB.

PEI TAKES FIRST STEP TOWARD ISLAND-WIDE PUBLIC TRANSIT

Prince Edward Islanders in outlying communities are one step closer to escaping their dependence on private automobiles under a new provincial government initiative that launched in October. This 14-passenger vehicle is one of two serving the eastern portion of the province on two separate routes, each running three round trips daily, Monday through Friday. PHOTO – Cassidy Group

There’s been a game-changing development on the rural transit front in Prince Edward Island. Two new routes linking communities on the eastern end of the island with Charlottetown launched on October 12. The so-called “toonie transit” makes three trips a day Monday through Friday on each route, serving the Montague, Georgetown, Souris, and St. Peter’s areas. Riders pay just $2 each way, and seats can be reserved online.

The service is officially branded Island Transit, and is a division of the Cassidy Group which also operates Maritime Bus, the T3 Transit system in Charlottetown, and a link to Summerside several times a day. The provincially-funded initiative is the first step in what Premier Dennis King says is a commitment by his government to an island-wide public transit system, that will be extended to include communities west of Summerside in early 2022. He calls it an “easy decision to make”, and one that will help reduce the province’s carbon footprint.

Mike Cassidy, founder and CEO of the transportation company, says the response to date has been very encouraging, with the primary users so far being students and commuters. Feedback has been very positive, he says, while recognizing that it will take time for the public to become fully aware of the benefits and the full potential the system offers. With the very affordable fares, he anticipates considerable use by seniors and family groups, as well as for school outings.

The two separate routes each normally use a 14-passenger vehicle, but the company has the flexibility to substitute a larger bus seating 24 people if the online booking system indicates a need on a particular run.

-Ted Bartlett

TRANSIT RIDERSHIP GROWING IN NB’S LARGEST TOWN

Codiac Transpo offered an alternative to commuters while Riverview was reduced to a single crossing to Moncton. The new bridge is now open, but the enhanced transit option proved so popular it will remain in place. PHOTO – City of Moncton

The bedroom community of Riverview NB has a long-standing reputation for being very car-dependent. But that’s finally beginning to show signs of change, and transit ridership is at last showing significant growth. By an interesting twist of fate, it’s largely thanks to a new bridge across the Petitcodiac River.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arose last spring, with the removal of an environmentally-controversial causeway dating from the 1960s. The final completion and commissioning of a $60-million bridge replacement that would fully restore the free flow of the river meant that the town’s 20,000 residents would have to make do with a single river crossing for an estimated six months, beginning in April 2021.

Planning to alleviate anticipated traffic congestion included an enhanced public transit offering that would encourage Riverview commuters to leave their cars at home. And it worked – so much so that the Town Council and Codiac Transpo have agreed to leave it in place, at the current service level pending further evaluation. The new bridge opened on budget and ahead of schedule in September, but bus ridership remained high. Codiac Transpo’s director of operations Alex Grncarovski says the numbers are still about double what they were before the causeway closed, describing the outcome so far as “fabulous”, with the qualifier that it’s still too early to draw final conclusions. It’s likely that ridership will improve still further once office employees complete the transition back to their downtown work locations.

Director of operations Alex Grncorovski says for a small transit agency Codiac Transpo is doing very well indeed.

Meanwhile, across the system, improved technology will soon offer greatly improved monitoring of ridership. New fareboxes combined with back-office software are expected to yield a wealth of data for future planning purposes. Mr. Grncarovski noted that Moncton City Council recently approved additional service hours, effective November 7, that brings a number of routes another step closer to what they were before the pandemic struck.

“We’d love to be back to where we were pre-covid,” he says, adding that it’s hoped there will be evening and Sunday service extensions in place by February. “Of course, we can’t please all the people all the time, but for a small transit agency we’re doing very well indeed.”

Having worked in a supervisory role at the Toronto Transit Commission before moving to Moncton eight years ago, he was quite surprised on arrival that Codiac Transpo offered wifi on all its buses – something the TTC still doesn’t have. And Codiac users can now use their smartphones to find out exactly where their bus is. Another big-city innovation coming soon is an automatic annunciator, which will give an audio and visual message to passengers to alert them to their stop.

Atlantic Transport News – August 2021

Posted on

Welcome to the August edition of Atlantic Transport News!

Here’s a look at what you’ll find in this edition:

NOVA SCOTIA ELECTION APPROACHES, PARTIES WEIGH IN ON TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

Polling day in Nova Scotia is fast approaching, and each of the parties continue to lay out their vision for the province should they have the opportunity to form government. As we have done consistently with other recent provincial elections throughout the region, TAA believes that it is important – and reasonable – to ask candidates of all political persuasion where they stand on the transportation issues we believe are important to the province and its future.

Earlier in the campaign, TAA submitted a series of six questions on key transportation issues to each of the major parties running in the election. Our goal has been to provide each of the parties with an opportunity to present their plan to our members and to anyone in the public who is concerned about these issues.

To date, we have received responses from the Nova Scotia NDP, Nova Scotia Liberal party, and the Green Party of NS. We have posted these responses in their entirety on our website, in the order that they were received. If we receive a response from the Progressive Conservative party before the election, we will add it to our post. Of course each party also has published platform documents, which we would encourage Nova Scotians to peruse for further information and context as they consider their vote.

You can view the Q&A here: https://transportactionatlantic.ca/ns-election-2021-questions-for-the-parties/

VIA RAIL’S OCEAN RETURNS AFTER 17-MONTH HIATUS

The inaugural return voyage of VIA Train 15 waits to depart Halifax, with the locomotives back-to-back and the new hybrid bidirectional consist in tow (PHOTO – Tim Hayman)

VIA Rail service in Atlantic Canada has resumed at long last, nearly 17 months after the COVID-19 pandemic forced an abrupt shutdown. With the Ocean back in operation between Halifax and Montreal, albeit on a reduced once-per-week schedule, the last major gap in VIA’s network has been restored to at least a basic level of operation. Early indications are that the trains are selling well, and there was a solid crowd boarding the first train in Halifax and at several stops along the way. VIA staff in Moncton had even prepared an impromptu celebratory greeting for this first train, and the Times and Transcript covered the event.

The warm welcome the train received reflects the ongoing interest from citizens along the route in having a train service that is available and that meets their needs for travel both within and beyond the region. While the return is welcome and long overdue, the initial once per week schedule is hardly adequate. We can certainly hope that VIA is serious about it’s talk of a gradual reintroduction of service, and that we will in fact see a return to the pre-pandemic service levels in October as currently indicated by VIA’s reservations system. Of course even this is far from adequate, and TAA continues to make the case for a daily service – but this will require significant investment, and continues to be an item that requires serious support from the federal government to bring to fruition.

The initial on board service offering remains restricted, due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, with passengers required to wear masks except when eating, drinking, or in private cabins, and both economy and sleeper passengers confined to their respective seats or rooms. Food service is being provided by cart to economy passengers, and sleeping car meals are pre-packaged cold offerings being served to rooms. Despite the presence of dining and Renaissance service/lounge cars in the consist, these are not currently in operation. The timeline to resume fuller service is not clear, though it is of course dependent on the trajectory of the pandemic and related restrictions. With the news today that the federal government will soon be requiring vaccinations for all railway employees and passengers, with implementation expected by the fall, the on board experience may be able to resume some greater normality before too long.

The new bidirectional consist necessitated by the loss of the turning loop in Halifax has indeed resulted in the loss of the Park car. It remains possible that a Skyline dome/lounge could be added in the future, though with it serving no function at the present time where the lounge and dome would be off limits, it’s hardly surprising to see its absence from the initial trains. If no proper replacement for the Park car can be provided, the train will have lost one of its prime attractions for sleeper passengers.

On the bright side, the 1950s built stainless steel HEP1 coaches, last refurbished in the late 1990s, have finally received an overhaul, making for a much nicer on board environment for economy passengers. The Renaissance equipment in use has also seen the most notable refresh in years, with exterior paint touch ups, buffing, and waxing, and interior work to repair upholstery, carpets, and other interior components. These improvements are very much welcome; however, they don’t change the fact that both the HEP and Renaissance equipment, by VIA’s admission, are nearing the end of their serviceable life and a process to replace them needs to start sooner than later. Without adequate replacements, the long term prospects of both the Ocean and Canadian are in serious doubt.

-Tim Hayman

One welcome addition to the current consist is refurbished HEP1 coaches, which offer a spruced up environment for Economy passengers. This upgrade was well overdue, but doesn’t change the fact that both the HEP and Renaissance equipment need replacement plans sooner than later! (PHOTO – Ted Bartlett)

NEW FERRY ON THE WAY FOR MARINE ATLANTIC

This rendering of the planned new vessel for Marine Atlantic appears to indicate a more esthetically pleasing profile than that of the Crown corporation’s two current workhorses. It’s expected the new ship – as yet unnamed – will replace the aging MV Leif Ericson in 2024. (Image courtesy of Marine Atlantic)

Marine Atlantic has announced a five-year charter agreement with Stena North Sea Ltd. to supply a new Ro-Pax vessel for its fleet. Following the initial agreement, Marine Atlantic will have an option to purchase the ferry. However the Crown corporation is under no obligation to exercise that option, and should the new ship not meet expectations it can simply be returned to the owners after the five years have elapsed.

The new vessel will offer energy efficient green ship technology, according to a media release issued on July 21. Its design will incorporate dual-fuel capability and will include batteries to further reduce its carbon footprint. The ship will be constructed with specific measures to reduce underwater noise, thereby reducing the impact on marine life. It will also offer enhanced power and thruster capability for maximum maneuvering ability during docking and undocking. This would appear to indicate that the challenges presented by the harbour at Port aux Basques will be specifically addressed in the design, as was the case with the purpose-built Caribou and Smallwood more than three decades ago.

The new ice-classed vessel will be just over 200 metres in length, about the same as the existing MV Blue Puttees and MV Highlanders, with the ability to carry similar numbers of commercial and passenger vehicles. It will incorporate the latest accessibility standards, carry up to 1000 people, have 146 passenger cabins (including pet friendly cabins), 40 passenger pods, a variety of food service options, seating lounges, a children’s play area, and a kennel for pets.

The ship will be compatible for use on both the Port aux Basques and Argentia routes and is expected to enter service in the 2024-25 fiscal year.

In Budget 2019, the Government of Canada provided funding for Marine Atlantic to replace an existing vessel. The corporation launched a request for qualifications (RFQ) in July 2019, with successful bidders moving to an RFP stage in June 2020.

-Ted Bartlett

INTERCITY BUS RIDERSHIP STARTS TO RECOVER

Travellers await Maritime Bus departures at Moncton on August 8. Ridership is showing some improvement as travel restrictions have eased, but there’s no indication about if or when interlining of passengers or packages beyond Edmundston might resume. (PHOTO – Ted Bartlett)

The essential service that Maritime Bus founder Mike Cassidy refers to as “public transit on provincial highways” is showing some signs of recovery with the reopening of the Atlantic Bubble. Maritime’s coaches continue to operate six days a week (daily except Saturday), with all communities on its route map being served on a limited schedule. However, there’s no indication as to if or when it might again be possible to ride the bus further than Edmundston, or to ship a package to points in Quebec or beyond. Mr. Cassidy says there’s been no action on restoring the interlining agreement with pre-pandemic partner Orleans Express.

Ridership figures were very low in early July, but improved as border restrictions among the Atlantic provinces were eased. Mr. Cassidy anticipates a daily average of 275 passengers in August, with his coaches logging about 5000 km per day compared to the pre-COVID full schedule of 10,000.

He adds that there’s still no indication that Ottawa’s Rural Transit Fund is going to offer any relief for struggling commercial carriers such as Maritime Bus and Newfoundland’s DRL coachlines. Neither is there any indication that the federal government is prepared to assume any form of leadership role in ensuring the restoration of a coast-to-coast network for passengers and parcels.

“Passion and a commitment to busing has allowed me to persevere through these trying COVID times,” he says. “We can never lose sight of the importance of an intercity bus service within the Maritimes moving passengers and time sensitive parcel freight.”

Meanwhile, DRL’s owner Jason Roberts tells Transport Action Atlantic that his company has lost over $1.3 million since the start of the pandemic, and although the COVID threat has subsided for now, he doubts he can maintain the service in its current form for much longer. He does have some hope that the provincial government will come through with some sort of assistance package. The federal government has an implicit obligation to ensuring continuing trans-island bus service, but to date has shown no sign that it is considering honouring that commitment.

-Ted Bartlett

AIRLINE SCHEDULES SLOWLY INCREASE AS AIRPORTS RECEIVE FEDERAL AID

The arrivals/departures board at Halifax Stanfield International Airport on August 10 shows increased activity, but remains but a shadow of its pre-pandemic level. For context, it should be noted that the flights shown here cover a period of nearly 24 hours. (PHOTO courtesy of HIAA)

The long-term future of commercial air travel to, from and within Atlantic Canada remains an unknown as air carriers gradually increase their service levels in the region. Meanwhile, the Government of Canada has stepped in to assist regional airport authorities that faced massive revenue losses during the pandemic, and are continuing to feel the pinch as travel slowly rebounds.

The latest federal funding package was announced on August 9 – an $11.8 million contribution to the bottom line of St. John’s International Airport (YYT) under the Regional Air Transportation Initiative. Airport CEO Peter Avery said the funding would help in the recovery effort, and allow the facility to remain competitive. Earlier contributions under the initiative included $3.8 million each for Saint John (YSJ) and Fredericton (YFC), $3.1 million each for Charlottetown (YYG) and Deer Lake (YDF), $2.7 million for Sydney (YQY), and $2.4 million for Gander (YQX). Moncton airport (YQM) received a lesser amount to offset its operational losses, but was awarded over $5 million for capital improvements.

The number of flights in the region operated by Air Canada and WestJet is gradually increasing, but it is still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, Porter Airlines – in full hibernation since March of 2020 – will be returning to Atlantic Canadian skies in the first half of September.
Air Canada has not indicated any plans to resume most of its short-haul services in the region, with PAL Airlines filling some of the void, but on a much lower frequency. PAL has also commenced its promised service to Ottawa from St. John’s and Deer Lake, stopping at Moncton or Fredericton on alternate days.

The region’s largest and busiest airport, Halifax Stanfield, remains “international” in name only for the time being, although as of August 9 it is permitted to once again accommodate US and overseas departures. Spokesperson Tiffany Chase tells TAA that Condor Airlines is planning to offer a short fall seasonal service to Frankfurt from September 9 to November 4. There is some suggestion that US flights might resume in October, but there’s no indication yet as to plans for overseas operations to or from YHZ by either Air Canada or WestJet. She was optimistic they might resume in 2022.

As of early August, Stanfield was handling a daily average of 50-60 arrivals and departures carrying between 3000 and 4000 passengers, compared with pre-pandemic levels of 200 daily flights accommodating 11-12 thousand people. Currently flights to and from YHZ are serving only 16 destinations, compared to 46 pre-COVID.

-Ted Bartlett