聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 In a letter to the editor published on the Leader-Post website on June 11, Beatty Navid聽 wrote, 鈥淎s I watch the ongoing protests against the closure of STC, I鈥檝e come to the conclusion that this is a prime opportunity for the unions, various university professors and other dissenters to put their money where their mouths are, buy the company and reap the profits, instead of throwing up obstacles to bona fide private operators who are willing to step up and provide a service.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A few months ago I wrote about how numerous companies were stepping up to offer at least some of the services the now-defunct Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) had offered.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I also pointed out how horrible an idea it was to still allow, in the 21st century, an anti-competitive construction such as the Highway Traffic Board to interfere. It proves my concerns were right, as Carpe Diem of Regina has pulled out.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Leader-Post wrote on June 5, 鈥淐arpe Diem limo service had announced in April it wanted to run all of the STC routes and work in conjunction with other companies.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏ut upon hearing that members of the group Save Our STC and lawyers for the Amalgamated Transit Union intended to object at a Highway Traffic Board hearing on Monday, the company decided to pull out.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I believe Carpe Diem was, by far, the most ambitious proposal that has come to pass, thus far. I wonder if the Brad Wall government is now kicking itself for not eliminating or severely curtailing the Highway Traffic Board during the last legislative session, when it decided to put the kybosh on STC.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Now those who oppose everything have a venue to oppose. STC is dead. Its employees are laid off and dispersed. Its fleet will soon be sold off.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 What do these obstructionists at the Highway Traffic Board hope to achieve? The decision to kill off STC will not be reversed, and no amount of making life difficult for the proponents of new services will help. Can鈥檛 the protesters clue in that they are hurting the very people who wish to offer the services they desire?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It seems all they want to do is make the government look bad. But where are their solutions? As the letter writer suggested, why don鈥檛 they buy the company?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 They鈥檙e not complaining to do good, they鈥檙e just complaining to cause problems. Solutions? What solutions?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 While Greyhound is looking into it, they have no immediate plans to pick up additional routes, according to the Leader-Post on June 8. Eight other companies have applications into the Highway Traffic Board for new operating authorities or amending existing ones.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the meantime, people are going without service, presumably scrambling to find whatever they can.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I miss STC, in that I used its courier service sporadically, whenever I needed to get an item from Regina right away.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In one case, I was photographing a dance festival in Prince Albert, and I needed a new camera, right now, that evening. My camera supplier had it on the bus in Saskatoon and in P.A. before the end of the day.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The other reason I would use the bus courier services was that I paradoxically did not trust another Crown corporation, Canada Post, with important or timely items.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But I wasn鈥檛 getting on the bus, nor do I ever have a desire to do so again. As a child and young adult, I had my fill of buses. I鈥檇 rather drive, thank you, as would most of Saskatchewan.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 There are many people who need bus service, and there are now many companies who want to offer said service. Let them have at it, people.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Highway Traffic Board, and its forum to throw regulator spike strips under the wheels of commercial ventures, has got to go. It鈥檚 time to throw it under the bus.聽
