News release

Bus Route Changes Proposed

Utility and Review Board

Acadian Lines Limited and S.M.T. (Eastern) Limited have applied to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to amend their licences to streamline their respective timetables, discontinue certain stops and add new services.

The changes include new service on Halifax-Truro-Amherst-Moncton routes, discontinuation of a route between Digby and Yarmouth and discontinuation of Sunday service on a route between Halifax and Middleton.

The changes would also mean that reservations will be required 24 hours in advance on all flagstop locations in Nova Scotia. Those locations -- where buses previously stopped when required by passengers -- include Bible Hill, Sutherland's River, Barney's River, Auld's Cove, Glendale, Englishtown, Millville, Sydney River, Big Pond, Bedford, Meteghan and Wentworth. Reservations would be made by telephoning the toll free number 1-800-567-5151.

A public hearing will be held by the Utility Review Board on Tuesday, May 20, beginning at 9:30 a.m. to review the application. The hearing will be held at the board's office at Summit Place, 1601 Lower Water St., 3rd floor, in Halifax.

If sufficient interest is expressed to the board to hold a hearing in a particular area of the province, it may either set an additional hearing location or conduct telephone conference calls at the hearing set for Halifax. Such interest should be expressed to the board on or before May 12 by contacting the board's clerk.

Anyone wishing to present evidence or cross-examine witnesses should also file notice with the board no later than May 12. Anyone wishing to make comments about the proposed amendments may do so by forwarding a letter to the clerk. The clerk can be reached at Box 1692, Unit M, Halifax, N.S. B3J 3S3, by e-mail at: [email protected], by calling 902-424-4448, or by fax at 902- 424-3919.

Further information about the proposed amendments can be obtained from the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, Public Passenger Division, 902-424-3588, or the clerk's office.

Information can also be received by contacting staff at Acadian Lines Limited at 1161 Hollis St., Halifax, N.S., B3H 2P6, telephone 902-454-9321 or 1-800-567-5151 and S.M.T. (Eastern) Limited at 100 Midland Dr., Dieppe, N.B., E1A 6X4, telephone 1- 800-567-5151.

NOTE: Following is a list of proposed changes to routes:

On Halifax-Truro-Sydney routes:

  • Trip #64 becomes trip #60 departing Sydney at 7 a.m. daily

  • Trip #72 becomes trip #62 departing Sydney at 7:30 a.m. daily.

  • Trip #57 becomes trip #63. It departs Truro at 8:05 p.m. and New Glasgow at 8:50 p.m. and arrives in Antigonish 30 minutes earlier at 9:25 p.m.

  • Trip #56 becomes trip #64. Currently Monday to Thursday service with daily service from Antigonish to Halifax via Route 104. This trip will now depart Antigonish at 2:45 p.m. daily and arrive in Halifax at 5:45 p.m.

  • Trip #75 becomes trip #65. It departs New Glasgow 10 minutes earlier at 6:20 p.m. and departs Antigonish 20 minutes earlier at 7:10 p.m. which permits the bus to arrive in Sydney 30 minutes earlier at 10:15p.m.

  • Trip #76 becomes trip #66. It departs from New Glasgow at 8:50 p.m. and Truro at 9:35 p.m. and arrives in Halifax 25 minutes earlier at 10:55 p.m.

  • Trip #67 departs Halifax at 9:45 a.m. daily rather than 8:15 a.m., arriving in Sydney at 3:55 p.m. Stops at Monastery, Havre Boucher and Auld's Cove will be discontinued and passengers migrated to Trip #69 departing Halifax at 1:30 p.m. daily.

  • Trip #69 stops at Monastery, Havre Boucher and Auld's Cove will be added to the schedule necessitating a 15-minute time change, arriving in Sydney at 9:25 p.m.

On Halifax-Truro-Amherst-Moncton routes:

  • Trip #18 is a new service departing Moncton Monday through Friday at 7:30 a.m., arriving in Halifax at 10:15 a.m.

  • Trip #19 is a new service departing Halifax Monday through Friday at 5:30 p.m., arriving in Moncton at 8:10 p.m.

  • Trip #47 becomes trip #21. Stops at Oxford and Springhill will be discontinued and serviced by Trip #25.

  • Trip #41 becomes Trip #25. It departs Halifax at 12:45 p.m. daily, arriving in Moncton at 4:50 p.m. Wentworth will continue to be a flagstop based on a 24-hour reservation pickup service. This will allow Acadian Lines to provide better point-to-point speed for passengers travelling to Moncton.

  • Trip #48 becomes trip #22. It departs Moncton at 2 p.m. daily rather than 2:15 p.m., with an arrival at Halifax 15 minutes earlier at 6:05 p.m. Wentworth will be added as a flagstop on this trip subject to 24-hour reservation for pickup.

  • Trip #42 becomes trip #24. It departs Moncton at 8:05 p.m. rather than 8:30 p.m. and arrives in Halifax 20 minutes earlier at 11:35 p.m. A stop in Wentworth will be discontinued from this trip and added to Trip #22 in order to respond to customer requirements and reduced service time between Moncton and Halifax.

  • Trip #44 becomes trip #28. It departs Moncton at 9 a.m. rather than 9:50 a.m. and arrives in Halifax one hour earlier at 12:40 p.m.

  • Trip #43 become trip #29. It departs Halifax at 4 p.m., however, it will depart Amherst five minutes earlier at 6:45 p.m., arriving in Moncton at 7:40 p.m.

On Halifax-Kentville-Digby-Yarmouth routes:

  • Trips #21 and #22 become trips #71 and #72. Service between Digby and Yarmouth and reverse, including stops at Saulnierville, Meteghan and Church Point will be discontinued. The Church Point location will continue to be serviced by a courtesy taxi or van shuttle upon Acadian Lines receiving 24 hours notice in advance of the daily connection into trips #71 and #72 via Digby. Trip #72 will now depart Digby at 8 a.m. daily.

  • Trips #35 and #36 Sunday service between Halifax and Middleton will be discontinued due to lack of usage. Customers travelling to Kentville and beyond will be serviced by Trip #71 leaving Halifax at 6:30 p.m. daily.

  • Trips #23 and #24 become trips #73 and #74. Currently this service is Friday only. It will become daily service and depart Halifax at 1:30 p.m., arrive in Kentville at 3:05 p.m., and depart Kentville at 3:30 p.m. and arrive in Halifax at 5:20 p.m.

  • Trips #37 and #38 become trips #75 and #76. These trips from Halifax to Kentville and reverse will operate only on Mondays and replace Trips #37 and #38 which will be discontinued. The new Friday Trip #74 service, which will depart Halifax on Fridays at 1:30 p.m., will adequately meet customer demand.

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