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Rider Express


canuck600

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22 hours ago, Articulated said:

Megabus can't have their cake and eat it too. They took advantage of deregulation in Ontario to muscle into corridors they didn't bid on (Toronto-Ottawa, and now Toronto-London), so they really don't have a place or ability to call out competing carriers who are doing the same thing.

If Coach Canada really wants to prevent Rider Express from gaining a foothold, maybe they could consider increasing service and making it more attractive...

EDIT: Counting the riders could just mean that Coach Canada management is interested in the ridership potential for earlier trips, since Rider Express operates trips at different times from Megabus. The jump in your conclusion from observing a competing carrier to sending out "cease-and-desist" letters is not backed up by any evidence that I can see.

There are a large number of reasons that Rider Express could have changed their stop location that don't involve threats of legal action from a competing carrier. There could be issues with the previous stop location, such as the ability for 45 foot coaches to loop through and stop on the property, the property owner could not like the volume of service operating through, or it could be financial-related (either Rider Express was turfed for not paying, or they decided the cost to use the property was not justified by the ridership they were getting).

Probable causes that I was mentioning was purely speculative hence the phrase 'I am guessing.' What I mentioned could be right or wrong but the fact is Rider Express has moved.

Yes, I agree that 'Megabus can't have their cake and eat it too." They fully knew well about the deregulation that started on July 1 and Rider Express had made announcements to servicing Ontario.

I know there is decent ridership as Coach Canada drivers have observed quite a number of passengers using Rider Express. The only thing that no body knows is the actual riders to Ottawa from Toronto and to Toronto from Ottawa.

What I do know is Rider Express charges $40 between Toronto and Kingston and $50 between Toronto and Ottawa compared to Megabus who charges $55 between Toronto and Kingston. and $55 to $60 between Toronto and Ottawa. Assuming everyone shops on price alone, its seems Rider Express is doing good to me.

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I don't know what the passengers loads are for both Rider & Mega is but I suspect in the next few weeks it'll jump up. With Colleges  & Universities reopening in Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto & London I suspect more students will be booking. I just wonder if Rider & Mega will either add more buses per booking or add more departure times?

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Rider Express finally got approval to Operate between Kelowna-Vernon-Calgary. But they have a few restrictions. From Kelowna to Salmon Arm they can only pickup passengers No drop offs. And from Salmon Arm to Kelowna they can only drop off passengers no pickups. It should be interesting to see how they work the service. 

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5 hours ago, curlingteam333 said:

As you may notices that Rider Express already changed the stop in Toronto. Originally in Front Street but it already moved to inside of new Union bus terminal along with GO Transit, Megabus, and Ontario Northland since 2 weeks ago.

4 months to get $10 Million Third Party Insurance!

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2 hours ago, Shaun said:

Is it cleaner than coach Canada? Do they use the Kingston bus terminal?

From what I've heard, it is pretty clean. They also don't use the bus terminal. They use the Petro Canada on John Counter Blvd and I believe both buses meet there as that's the halfway point.

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1 hour ago, Chris W said:

From what I've heard, it is pretty clean. They also don't use the bus terminal. They use the Petro Canada on John Counter Blvd and I believe both buses meet there as that's the halfway point.

The buses meet there for the rest stop, then the drivers switch buses and head back to their original city.

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2 hours ago, Lu Haobang said:

Updated Rider Express schedule is now live.  The service from London and Kitchener to Toronto has been suspended.  Service to Winnipeg is now using the main bus station at 936 Sherbrook St., which should help with connections.

Winnipeg service has used Maple Bus Lines on Sherbrooke for quite a while. Not sure whats up with London to Toronto service. 

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37 minutes ago, roeco said:

Not sure whats up with London to Toronto service. 

Badder Bus (under the Megabus banner) is operating up to 4 daily trips on the London-Toronto corridor, while Rider Express only had the single round trip. As well, Badder now has a stop directly at Western University, where Rider only had its one stop in the southern industrial areas of London.

Rider Express also had two additional stops (in Kitchener and Pearson Airport), while Badder operates a quicker trip directly to Downtown Toronto. It appears that any extra ridership going to those intermediate stops didn't offset the losses from people looking for the quicker trip. An airport stop is probably not very useful right now, with international travel not exactly being very popular with COVID restrictions still mostly in place.

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2 hours ago, Articulated said:

Badder Bus (under the Megabus banner) is operating up to 4 daily trips on the London-Toronto corridor, while Rider Express only had the single round trip. As well, Badder now has a stop directly at Western University, where Rider only had its one stop in the southern industrial areas of London.

Rider Express also had two additional stops (in Kitchener and Pearson Airport), while Badder operates a quicker trip directly to Downtown Toronto. It appears that any extra ridership going to those intermediate stops didn't offset the losses from people looking for the quicker trip. An airport stop is probably not very useful right now, with international travel not exactly being very popular with COVID restrictions still mostly in place.

I thought they were going to run to Windsor, did that never happen?

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6 hours ago, Articulated said:

 An airport stop is probably not very useful right now, with international travel not exactly being very popular with COVID restrictions still mostly in place.

Onexbus still serves Pearson. Pre test requirements for fully vaccinated travellers are to be lifted on April 1.

4 hours ago, Shaun said:

I thought they were going to run to Windsor, did that never happen?

I think you mean Onexbus? Not sure about Megabus/Badder, nothing was mentioned.

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2 hours ago, ZümmyZüm said:

Noticed as of late Rider expressed has downsized from their Temsa TS 45 to a Temsa TS 35. I believe it was their older model (2013) that’s been in Ottawa for the past few days 

Rider Express only has four buses - two TS 45 units and two TS 35 units. The two TS 45 units are the regulars on the Toronto-Ottawa route, so if either of them goes down, they need to be replaced by one of the 35 foot units.

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On 3/17/2022 at 7:34 PM, Articulated said:

Rider Express only has four buses - two TS 45 units and two TS 35 units. The two TS 45 units are the regulars on the Toronto-Ottawa route, so if either of them goes down, they need to be replaced by one of the 35 foot units.

Thanks, wasn’t sure if it was repair or low ridership. I never seem to catch sight when they’re loading up to see pax levels 

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3 hours ago, ZümmyZüm said:

Thanks, wasn’t sure if it was repair or low ridership. I never seem to catch sight when they’re loading up to see pax levels 

Is that 35 footer an ex ONR bus? How do they get parts if Temsa went belly up. 

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