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Maritime Bus (New Intercity Service)


ghYHZ

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An interesting service that will probably be used by Fredericton and Moncton residents to get to the airports in NB. Unfortunately it doesn't service Northern NB, where most of my relatives are and i've just read a french Radio Canada article about there being no heat on one of the busses from Riviere Du Loup.

I also vacation ocassionally in Shediac in August and there's no service to that community either.

we had no heat on our bus either both directions between Moncton & Halifax

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  • 1 month later...

I knew Maritime was looking to buy some additional buses to free up the Setra fleet for charter work and I'm happy to see some former Acadian / Orleans blue Prevosts are back on the road as of yesterday. I've heard we will be getting 10 of them, which would be nice to start driving a standardized fleet when it comes to seating capacity and bus operations.

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I knew Maritime was looking to buy some additional buses to free up the Setra fleet for charter work and I'm happy to see some former Acadian / Orleans blue Prevosts are back on the road as of yesterday. I've heard we will be getting 10 of them, which would be nice to start driving a standardized fleet when it comes to seating capacity and bus operations.

Good for you! I'd be much happier riding an XLII than a Setra. Never drove a Setra, but have driven XLII's, and X-3's, and they are my favorite driving or riding coach...

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  • 1 month later...

I knew Maritime was looking to buy some additional buses to free up the Setra fleet for charter work and I'm happy to see some former Acadian / Orleans blue Prevosts are back on the road as of yesterday. I've heard we will be getting 10 of them, which would be nice to start driving a standardized fleet when it comes to seating capacity and bus operations.

J.C,

Are they the accessible coach's that Acadian had out here??

Also do you know if the location of the new Dartmouth Stop has been decided on??

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  • 4 weeks later...

Great photos ghYHZ!

Wow, I see what you mean JC, that bus parked right on top of a bunch of vehicle parking spots! I would image they must block those spots off so people can't park there when a bus is due to arrive, and I'm sure the business owners in that mall must just love it...

Also great shot of VIA 15!

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Just looking through a digital memory card from when I drove for Maritime Bus... found this one. If I was a passenger I'd probably take a walk around and look at the wheels on a Setra before boarding. And yes, this was a coach that had vibrations at the end of it's run. missing%20lugnuts.jpg

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Just looking through a digital memory card from when I drove for Maritime Bus... found this one. If I was a passenger I'd probably take a walk around and look at the wheels on a Setra before boarding. And yes, this was a coach that had vibrations at the end of it's run. missing%20lugnuts.jpg

LOL, made me think of that 606 lemon..

that thing is nasty to ride..

I'm hoping to be able to ride M.B, as of December, I've been keeping in touch with people at M.B, about the accessible coaches on order, also have volunteered to be 'guinea pig' with my wheelchair, when they do arrive..

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You think 606 was bad, I drove 607 on my last day and they knew the A/C wasn't working from when I drove it 2 days earlier. Sent me to Moncton with the coach and the idea that the shop could fix it during my 1 hour layover! Needless to say I did the return trip in a fully loaded bus where the interior temperature ranged from a low of 25c on the highway to a high of 28c when stopped. I was drenched by the end of it and passengers were none too happy. Can't blame them. Are they still talking about bringing in accessable buses? Hahahaha, I'll believe it when I see it. Just like when they said the 8 pre-owned Acadian/Orleans buses bought were going on the line runs and two of them got sent to Newfoundland for a contract job. Meanwhile passengers on the Halifax-Moncton trips got to enjoy 606 & 607 instead. The only reason MB is still in business is because of the monopoly they hold.

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You think 606 was bad, I drove 607 on my last day and they knew the A/C wasn't working from when I drove it 2 days earlier. Sent me to Moncton with the coach and the idea that the shop could fix it during my 1 hour layover! Needless to say I did the return trip in a fully loaded bus where the interior temperature ranged from a low of 25c on the highway to a high of 28c when stopped. I was drenched by the end of it and passengers were none too happy. Can't blame them. Are they still talking about bringing in accessable buses? Hahahaha, I'll believe it when I see it. Just like when they said the 8 pre-owned Acadian/Orleans buses bought were going on the line runs and two of them got sent to Newfoundland for a contract job. Meanwhile passengers on the Halifax-Moncton trips got to enjoy 606 & 607 instead. The only reason MB is still in business is because of the monopoly they hold.

Wow, I actually AGREE with you, on all your points..

I heard of that trip you speak of, one of my friends was on it, she lives near my old place...

I also will believe the 'accessible bus promise' when my butt is sitting in it..

I completely agree about the still being in business thought, they are a sham in my mind, whenever you call, its a damm answering machine or its a person that knows nothing, its better to go to the terminal in HFX to speak with them, as they are awesome people..

I cant got to blind camp in Pugwash this year because of the accessibility issues..

I hope your doing good, was hoping you'd apply of MT or AAB..

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I hope your doing good, was hoping you'd apply of MT or AAB..

Doing good yes, applying to drive a bus fulltime right away.... no way! The whole MB experience has left me with a very sour opinion of much of the Atlantic Canadian bus industry. However I am taking on casual work for two local reputable charter operators, like today when I drive a cruise ship group on a Valley wine tour.

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Doing good yes, applying to drive a bus fulltime right away.... no way! The whole MB experience has left me with a very sour opinion of much of the Atlantic Canadian bus industry. However I am taking on casual work for two local reputable charter operators, like today when I drive a cruise ship group on a Valley wine tour.

Yeah, I see your lack of wanting to back into regular transit... I'm pretty fed up with accessibility issues here, but the city is trying to do somewhat better..

I won't travel with MB even if I was able-bodied, Dec 21/28, put a very bad taste in my mouth, as have subsequent dealings with them, not just of my own, but others I know have had problems, a few of my blind friends have had major issues..

I fully boycott MB, as imo, its a third rate operation, & has no business being in the transit business..

I guess being in ontario until last june & having Go, Canada Coach, greyhound, all available, ruined me..

I also dont like the look of the office in the via station in moncton & halifax, even the tiny st john NB bus terminal looks better, more professional staff, more customer service skills, & much better organized people, everytime I've had to deal with the halifax office, I'm met with indifference & at times, outright hostility, espicially when we had to get my friends guide dog back to moncton, it was a complete gong show..

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  • 1 month later...

This company keeps cutting costs and burning bridges with their ticket agents. First it was the Dartmouth agency who told MB to take a hike after being unhappy with how they operated compared to Acadian Lines, then the Baddeck agency tells em to get lost even after the service station owner invested his own money in terminal renovations, and now the Sydney ticket staff are being let go because MB decided to move out of the old Acadian terminal and into a Circle K. Just what Cape Breton needed - more unemployment.

However I wonder if they are moving on their own terms or if a landlord got tired of late invoice payments like so many others.

So July 23rd will be the last time a motorcoach arrives/departs the 99 Terminal Road bus station.

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This company keeps cutting costs and burning bridges with their ticket agents. First it was the Dartmouth agency who told MB to take a hike after being unhappy with how they operated compared to Acadian Lines, then the Baddeck agency tells em to get lost even after the service station owner invested his own money in terminal renovations, and now the Sydney ticket staff are being let go because MB decided to move out of the old Acadian terminal and into a Circle K. Just what Cape Breton needed - more unemployment.

However I wonder if they are moving on their own terms or if a landlord got tired of late invoice payments like so many others.

So July 23rd will be the last time a motorcoach arrives/departs the 99 Terminal Road bus station.

Hey JC, did you hear that Oxford told MB to 'piss off' with the undercutting of the rates they got from acadian bus?

I know several people involved in the oxford store that used to be used, they had increased their parking lot several times with help from acadian, only to have MB want to come in with a pitiful amount of pay, to use the stop..

Thats why they never got started with MB..

Also I had heard about sydney,as well as Dartmouth, (in fact am good friends with a few people there!) Baddeck, is a sad story, I hate what happened..

From info, from several people involved in both St John & Halifax, MB are in cahoots with Irving people, thats why most stops are getting moved to Circle K's..

Circle K, are making a good chunk off MB passengers..

I have been watching the FB page very carefully, as well as talking with many people in this area that have to use MB, the stories are at times horrifying..

606 needs to be scrapped, as does 607, both should NOT be on the road..

infact Chris just got back from going down to N.B again, to see family, he hated the ride, going down was fine, but coming back, the a/c broke, there were screaming kids, who had not been able to eat in several hours, there was no t.p in the washroom, the wifi was intermittent, even the outlet beside his seat he originally sat in, was busted, he moved closer to the back of the bus, to get away from the screaming kids, that seat was busted, wouldn't sit up, so he had to move again, as he has a bad back, the final seat in the back of the bus, was better, but VERY hot.. also he called me, many times on his journey back, the bus sounded awful, the a/c was blowing hot air..

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Ah yes 606 & 607 are lovely vehicles. The company will simply move them to routes or charters not picking up in NS (so PEI & NB) as they don't require a URB inspection. NB & PEI bus inspections are less stringent compared to NS. The bus still has to be safe but NS also considers cosmetic and comfort issues when doing inspections.

While they may be "in cahoots" with Irving, the Circle K properties are leased from Irving and operated by Couche-Tard from Quebec. Irving doesn't have much, if any, say in how things operate at the convenience stores. Coach Atlantic buys all their fuel from Irving so I suppose there is one cosy relationship given the volume of diesel and lubricants purchased. It's their relationship with VIA Rail that scares me. Via can easily abandon passenger rail in the Maritimes and claim an alternative is already in place.

They are still fighting me on the wrongful dismissal issue and I really look forward to it getting to the adjudication stage where everything that is talked about becomes public record, and boy oh boy do I have a lot to say!

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The bus still has to be safe but NS also considers cosmetic and comfort issues when doing inspections. While they may be "in cahoots" with Irving, the Circle K properties are leased from Irving and operated by Couche-Tard from Quebec. Irving doesn't have much, if any, say in how things operate at the convenience stores.

Couche-Tard owns Circle K since 2003 when it was purchased from ConocoPhillips. Since 2008 Irving leased its Bluecanoe and Mainway stores to Couche-Tard who rebanded them under it Circle K brand. Couche-Tard sells the Irving brand fuel at these stations

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Ah yes 606 & 607 are lovely vehicles. The company will simply move them to routes or charters not picking up in NS (so PEI & NB) as they don't require a URB inspection. NB & PEI bus inspections are less stringent compared to NS. The bus still has to be safe but NS also considers cosmetic and comfort issues when doing inspections.

While they may be "in cahoots" with Irving, the Circle K properties are leased from Irving and operated by Couche-Tard from Quebec. Irving doesn't have much, if any, say in how things operate at the convenience stores. Coach Atlantic buys all their fuel from Irving so I suppose there is one cosy relationship given the volume of diesel and lubricants purchased. It's their relationship with VIA Rail that scares me. Via can easily abandon passenger rail in the Maritimes and claim an alternative is already in place.

They are still fighting me on the wrongful dismissal issue and I really look forward to it getting to the adjudication stage where everything that is talked about becomes public record, and boy oh boy do I have a lot to say!

hmm, Thanks JC, I was not aware of the Quebec connection, as I've been fighting the issue of accessibility or lack there of on MB, have been gettign some much needed legal advice & as well as gathering information, I wont say why, but MB, might have a really nasty situation on their hands soon, as well as the current N.S provincial government..

I'm hoping things work out for you, in the long run, you have a serious complaint, & you also were known as a good driver.

I'm not sure VIA could pull out, if they did, there would be a bloody fight from people out here, its something thats already on peoples minds that I've spoken with..

Couche-Tard owns Circle K since 2003 when it was purchased from ConocoPhillips. Since 2008 Irving leased its Bluecanoe and Mainway stores to Couche-Tard who rebanded them under it Circle K brand. Couche-Tard sells the Irving brand fuel at these stations

TY for the info.. didnt know about the quebec connection..

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Hey buschic, saw your CBC footage the other night and the response from Mike Cassidy was the typical smug, don't give a sh*t about the common folk crap he also uses with his employees. Don't let them get away with trying to look like they are the good guys in this battle.

Maritime Bus / Coach Atlantic is slowly coming apart thanks to management's actions. Their maintenance director gave his two week notice a month ago and Cassidy told him to clear out his office that day, never mind the offer to work two more weeks. Then another driver quit the Antigonish route and headed back to Alberta for work and another tried to give his two weeks notice and was fired when he called them.

I hate to see public transportation fail but Cassidy's companies are worse than WalMart when it comes to dealing with employees and clients. Best thing that could happen is for the NSURB to start pulling over their coaches for spot inspections and not give them a way out of making sure the fleet is fit for the road. 606 & 607 are two coaches that should be pulled off NS highways.

One thing you might not realise is that the two daily trips based out of Halifax to Moncton are used by Maritime to move coaches that need major repairs to the Moncton shop. This is why the passenger experience is less than ideal along the route. Take a close look at the tires - that is one big reason to send buses to Moncton since the Halifax garage doesn't do tires. Then they expect the driver to switch coaches during their unpaid lunch hour, usually meaning a crosstown trip to get fuel.

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