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Falcon Transportation Solutions says it will be launching bus service between Calgary, Cochrane and Okotoks, after On-It Regional Transit announced plans to discontinue three bus routes in the region.
The company will begin operations with one 14-seater bus starting May 1. On its website, Falcon said it plans to add more buses and additional departure times as demand grows.
Mert Dogan of Falcon Transportation Solutions says renewing regional service is a “really big opportunity” for the company in the wake of On-It’s exit from those routes. Falcon previously provided transportation on those routes before stopping services last fall.
“We tried [the first time] but we couldn’t catch the good potential. The ridership wasn’t enough for us to keep going, so that’s why we stopped all the trips,” he said.
But, he said, On-It discontinuing routes will create a void in the region.
“It’s a big gap for the Cochrane, Okotoks community because after they [close], then there is no way to travel between the cities if you don’t have a car or if you don’t want to call the taxi or Uber.”
WATCH | On-It Regional Transit is discontinuing select service routes:
Cochrane, Okotoks losing commuter buses to Calgary starting in June
On-It Regional Transit is discontinuing service routes to Calgary from Cochrane and Okotoks. Southland Transportation, which owns and operates the fleet of buses, says the routes are no longer financially sustainable.
Initially, Falcon plans to run nine trips between Okotoks, Cochrane and Calgary.
Buses will leave Calgary at 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. heading to Cochrane, and depart for Okotoks at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Buses will depart from Okotoks to Calgary at 6:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., and depart Cochrane at 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
On-It says May 29 will be the final day of service for its Okotoks route, as well as its bus running from Cochrane to Brentwood in northwest Calgary. The last day of its bus line from Cochrane to downtown Calgary is scheduled for June 30.
In a statement posted online, the company said factors including an aging fleet and an increase in operating costs are making its southern Alberta bus routes unsustainable.