A senior on a fixed income says she will be spending Christmas alone due to cancellation of Greyhound bus services.

害羞草研究所淚 have no way of getting to Revelstoke,害羞草研究所� says Caroline Hurlbert, 76.

While Caroline lives in Medicine Hat, Alberta, her only son lives in Revelstoke.

害羞草研究所淚 depend on Greyhound to visit family,害羞草研究所� says Hurlbert. She gave up her driving license four years ago and no longer can afford a vehicle.

害羞草研究所淭his is a reality for seniors with a fixed income.害羞草研究所�

Greyhound Canada announced in July that it would be ending its bus and freight services in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Only one route will still available in B.C. and that害羞草研究所檚 Vancouver to Seattle. The changes will take effect at the end of this month.

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The company says the move was necessary due to declining ridership. Greyhound has been operating in the province since 1929, but says ridership has dropped 46 per cent since 2010.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not a good thing Greyhound will no longer come to Revelstoke,害羞草研究所� says Hurlbert害羞草研究所檚 son, Ross.

Ross works in the meat department at Southside Market. He would go to Alberta for Christmas, but says his mother won害羞草研究所檛 let him.

害羞草研究所淪he worries about me driving on that highway.害羞草研究所�

According to , there were more than 64,000 vehicle crashes in B.C. that caused injuries or deaths in 2016, of which 6,900 were in Revelstoke, Golden, Kelowna, Kamloops and Nelson areas.

In the last month there have been 30 motor vehicle collisions in the Revelstoke area, said an Oct. 4 RCMP release.

While Caroline couldn害羞草研究所檛 travel to Revelstoke last Christmas due to health problems, the prior three holidays to that she has. She used to spend Christmas with her other son in Medicine Hat, but he died in 2014. Her first husband died in 1981 and Caroline says she raised her children alone. Though she remarried, her second husband died in 2010.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 alone,害羞草研究所� says Caroline.

And not only does her son live in Revelstoke, but the roommates who more-or-less 害羞草研究所渁dopted害羞草研究所� him when he moved in Revelstoke 10 years ago are like a great big family.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 so much love here,害羞草研究所� Ross said. 害羞草研究所淎nd Greyhound took that away.害羞草研究所�

Ideally, Caroline says she would like to live in Revelstoke, but cannot afford it. The city has become too expensive.

There are other options that Caroline could use to get to Revelstoke, but they aren害羞草研究所檛 cheap. She could take a shuttle from Medicine Hat to Calgary Airport and fly to Kelowna, but that costs roughly $750.

害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 afford that,害羞草研究所� says Caroline.

Last time, she paid $265 to take Greyhound.

The impacts of Greyhound leaving Revelstoke go far beyond the mother and son.

害羞草研究所淭his cancellation will mostly effect low income people,害羞草研究所� says Cathy Girling at Community Connections in Revelstoke. She works with the local homeless outreach program.

Although there is no emergency homeless shelter in Revelstoke, Girling says they could put homeless individuals on a Greyhound and send them to a shelter in Salmon Arms or Vernon.

害羞草研究所淲e can no longer do that. And there currently is no Plan B,害羞草研究所� says Girling.

害羞草研究所淭his is a big concern.害羞草研究所�

Greyhound is also important for the Revelstoke Woman害羞草研究所檚 Shelter. The shelter provides a 30 day stay for women and their children fleeing abuse. Sometimes they害羞草研究所檙e from Revelstoke, sometimes they aren害羞草研究所檛.

害羞草研究所淔or example, we may have a lady from Calgary fleeing to family in Vancouver. Revelstoke is the layover and the first transition house from Calgary. She may have arrived here on Greyhound,害羞草研究所� says Lynne Loeppky executive director of the Revelstoke Women害羞草研究所檚 Shelter.

Loeppky worries women will get stranded.

害羞草研究所淚f women get here, how will they move on?害羞草研究所�

In the past, the women害羞草研究所檚 shelter would provide a bus ticket. If the women weren害羞草研究所檛 local, the bus was a way to get home, somewhere safe, or a chance to escape abuse in Revelstoke.

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 know what we害羞草研究所檙e going to do now,害羞草研究所� says Loeppky.

There are two other buses that travel west to Kelowna and Kamloops from Revelstoke. One is a bus, which leaves on Tues. and Wed. and is primarily for non-emergency medical appointments.

If there is space on the 17-person bus, anyone can get a ride. It害羞草研究所檚 $5 and subsidized by the City of Revelstoke, B.C. Transport, and Interior Health. However, there害羞草研究所檚 no room for luggage. Just whatever can fit on your lap. For more information call R Taxi at 250-837-4000.

The other option is the . Currently they charge $150 one-way per adult from Revelstoke to the Kelowna Airport. By comparison, if booked a few weeks in advance a Greyhound ticket to Kelowna costs less than $30.

The Revelstoke Review couldn害羞草研究所檛 find any transportation options heading east to Calgary. Or at least safe and reliable ones.

害羞草研究所淢y fear is people will hitch hike,害羞草研究所� says Loeppky

Not only can hitch hiking be dangerous, it害羞草研究所檚 also illegal.

Another B.C. bus company, named Silver City Stagelines is planning to start a service between Nelson and Kelowna.

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However, many towns across western Canada will be left isolated and cut-off.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 understand why our federal government isn害羞草研究所檛 doing anything,害羞草研究所� says Caroline.

害羞草研究所淧eople like me will be screwed.害羞草研究所�

liam.harrap@revelstokereview.com
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