THUNDER BAY — The business case for expanded bus service in northwestern Ontario by Kasper Transportation suddenly got better Monday.
The Thunder Bay-based company has wasted no time announcing a new route between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg effective Oct. 31, the same day Greyhound will end service in the northwest.
In an interview Tuesday, CEO Kasper Wabinski told Tbnewswatch that it was generally known in the industry for some time that Greyhound would downsize, so he was prepared for the announcement.
"We had the understanding that something like that was coming down the pipe, but I wasn't aware that it was going to be that aggressive," he said, referring to Greyhound Canada's decision to drop all service between Sudbury and the west coast.
Kasper Transportation currently operates routes between Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout, and between Sioux Lookout and Winnipeg.
Greyhound's withdrawal, Wabinski said, means that he can apply for a modification to his licence to allow for the addition of direct service linking Thunder Bay and Winnipeg.
Kasper previously announced it will operate a bus between Thunder Bay and White River starting Sept. 1.
The company will also inaugurate service between Winnipeg and the Saskatchewan cities of Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert on Oct. 31, as well as between Winnipeg and Thompson, Manitoba.
Kasper uses buses that are considerably smaller than Greyhound, which has had difficulty filling many of its seats.
Wabinski said his ambitious expansion plan has sometimes been a hard sell with some of his own staff.
"The big challenge was convincing the team and the people I work with that the business is there. There's always a risk factor in competing with an existing operator. Sometimes, the best thing to do is wait" for the right moment, he said.
Although Kasper will no longer have to worry about competition from Greyhound, Wabinski said it's important that travellers support the company's service.
"There are no guarantees in the transportation industry. It's all based on trust and relationships, so if any people have suggestions or ideas, we ask them for their support."
