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Ontario intercity bus modernization sessions and why you should care!

No this subject has nothing to do with high speed rail but it has everything to do with ending monopolies currently enjoyed by Greyhound and various airport intercity bus companies (e.g.Airways Transit, Red Car, etc.)

During the Mike Harris years the PC Ontario government tried to change the ridiculous situation which prohibits competition in the intercity bus transit business. They backed off making any significant changes.

The outdated acts are the Ontario Public Vehicles Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter P.54 and the Motor Vehicle Transport Act, 1987, S. C. Chapter 35, as amended by RS 1989, Chapter 29. The Ontario Highway Transport Board is the agency responsible for implementing this boondoggle.

Just how bad is the situation. Here is a good example.  Why does our publically owned Go Transit not have express buses on Highway 401 running from Kitchener, Guelph or Cambridge straight in to downtown  Toronto? The answer is because Greyhound has exclusive rights to run on our highway and GO Transit can't compete with them. It is time to change this situation.

Last year, the Province of Ontario initiated consultations on modernizing the intercity bus regime.

MTO has now issued a discussion paper and a schedule for consultation during July/August. Please read the paper and comment on the EBR site below. 


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