Tuesday, Jan. 15, the Passenger Transportation Board of B.C. approved an application by Greyhound to cut services on its Prince George to Prince Rupert route, among others.
The board approved Greyhound's request to cut the number of weekly runs to 14 from the current 22 runs.
Greyhound has not announced when the reductions in service take place, but in their decision, the PTB imposed a 14-day public notice requirement prior to changes in service.
The announcement didn't sit well with local government officials.
"This makes a situation that was already inadequate, in terms of affordable transportation between communities, even worse," Mayor of Smithers, Taylor Bachrach said.
"I think it's really going to affect people in rural communities, including the north.
"It's something we're concerned about."
The reaction from most communities in the region to the proposed cuts was strong, Bachrach said, with Prince George Mayor Shari Green leading the opposition to the cuts.
Bachrach said the impending cuts to bus service between Prince George and Prince Rupert put even more emphasis on the need for affordable transportation between communities along Highway 16.
"Smithers had been working to bring the province to the table to find ways to provide affordable, reliable and easy to use transportation in the north," Bachrach said.
"Partly to address the safety issue effecting the most vulnerable people in our communities, young aboriginal women especially.
"We feel there are so many other reasons to look at inter-community transportation and this recent decision [by the PTB] just adds one more reason."
Another reason, Bachrach explained, is the regionalization of services in the north, such that residents of smaller towns must find their way to larger municipalities to receive various services.
Bachrach also noted that Wally Oppal, who penned the recent Missing Women's Report, highlighted the need for inter-community transportation along Highway 16.
Nonetheless, Bachrach did concede running a profitable transportation service between Prince George and Prince Rupert likely presented challenges given the distance and the fact the region is relatively sparsely populated.
Stoney Stoltenberg, Director for Electoral Area A with the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechacko, agreed, adding he's noted a drop in ridership on the buses that drive past his home located along the highway.
"Forty years ago a lot of people rode the bus, a lot of people don't ride the bus anymore," Stoltenberg said.
"It doesn't really make me happy, there's still a small group of people that do rely on the bus.
"Maybe what it's going to take is an entrepreneur to buy a smaller bus that could operate between Prince George and Prince Rupert."
In addition to the Prince George to Prince Rupert route, Greyhound also received permission to reduce service on 14 other routes, all of which the Public Transportation Board approved.
For more details visit: www.ptboard.bc.ca