Haliburton resident Deb Reed said the pending cancellation of the only bus from the County to Toronto means she’ll now have to rely on friends for trips to and from the city.
Reed’s been a passenger on TOK Coachlines, formerly Can-Ar Coach, for eight years.
The company announced Nov. 6 that after 34 years serving the Haliburton, Kawartha, and Durham regions, it will be discontinuing the Haliburton to Toronto line effective Jan. 31, 2024.
Chief executive officer Ajay Mehra, told The Highlander Nov. 22 “all good things must come to an end one day.” He said the company had been losing money on the route for the last four to four-and-a-half years and “we just can’t take it anymore.”
Mehra said driver and fuel costs run a minimum $650 per trip, not including maintenance, insurance, and bus payments. He estimated it is a minimum $1,000 with all costs factored in, while, on average, they are collecting $450-$500 on fares.
He added they were barely breaking even prior to COVID but have struggled since as the ridership did not pick up. He said they are averaging 10-12 passengers a trip.
He noted they receive no government subsidies.
Bus route running in the red
“My heart breaks to cut the service… but I have very limited choices.”
Reed said she doesn’t drive much any more so has relied on the bus at times since moving to the County. She said most of her co-passengers either don’t drive or prefer not to. She added she’s ridden with college students, camp counsellors, summer course teachers, caregivers, contract workers and day-trippers. Her daughters have used the bus to travel north and south when they have visited. In addition, her dentist and another specialist are still in Toronto. So is her decadelong watercolour group, friends, her eldest daughter and grandchildren.
“Many who use TOK are also seniors. They don’t drive any more, and definitely not in winter. They have family, friends, specialists, meetings. They can read or snooze in peace for a few hours, watch the landscape urbanize, and then do the comfy reverse on their return north to where they’ve deliberately retired, often to their longtime cottages. They watch films, read, listen to music, travel in pairs or small groups to family events, galleries, shopping centres, concerts. I started writing my poetry on that regular back-forth. It has evolved into something meaningful for me. I’ve spotted a young moose from the bus, beaver, many, many deer, mother bear and cub. The driver would stop briefly for turtles. How can one not write?”
Reed added she has used the service less in recent years as she has seen a decline in service.
“At one time, I could choose any day to travel. Then four days, then three, and then, no weekends. Thankfully I was retired, and could arrange to go when I needed to. I was very grateful there was a bus. I heard it was the oldest consistent northbound route in Ontario.”
Reed said she had struggled most with the ever-changing pickup and drop-off locations. “With increasing GTA congestion, especially around the traditional 5 p.m. departure time from Toronto, the ‘bus station’ has moved from the cozy Bay/Front depot with snack kiosk/indoor ticket agent/ washroom, to convenient Union Station, to outdoors on the street (with no sign or bus shelter) at McCowan Station near the Scarborough Town Centre.
“But those light rapid transit stations have permanently closed, stranding travellers to figure out TTC and taxi options when they arrive in the city. Or they stand in blizzards and rush hour waiting to be picked up for the return bus north. Not great for anxious seniors.”
What to do:
• For those who have already purchased tickets, there is an option to use them before Jan. 31, 2024, or people can request a full refund by Feb. 29, 2024.
• Tickets purchased online: request via email with your ticket number, contact name and phone number to info@tokcoachlines.com
• Paper tickets purchased from ticket agents: send original to TOK Coachlines, 221 Caldari Rd., Concord, ON L4K 3Z9
• Valid tickets purchased by Nov. 6, 2023 will be honoured with a full refund.
