Bus Sub Contractor Doesn't Show Up

[MCIBUS]

A sub contractor contactor fails to show up with coaches(17) for a Pro-Israeli Demenistration.

 https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/toronto-bus-company-no-show-for-ottawa-pro-israel-rally-participants-uja-says-1.6672394

Supposedly this also happen in Detroit for a Pro-Israeli Demenstration in Washington DC.

 

The UJF are saying this was done on purpose against Jews groups.

 

 

[Articulated]

2 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

A sub contractor contactor fails to show up with coaches(17) for a Pro-Israeli Demenistration.

 https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/toronto-bus-company-no-show-for-ottawa-pro-israel-rally-participants-uja-says-1.6672394

Supposedly this also happen in Detroit for a Pro-Israeli Demenstration in Washington DC.

 

The UJF are saying this was done on purpose against Jews groups.

 

 

The group quoted 70 buses; that is a huge amount to arrange for a one-day event. An event of this size would normally require multiple weeks, even months of advance notice to plan and coordinate properly. Even the 17 "missing" buses would be a very sizeable charter, and there are very few companies in Canada that have that much equipment on hand (let alone enough to be free from other commitments and available for any given event).

I suspect the cause is likely more just benign than what is being claimed; something like a hiccup in communication (messages need to go from the organizers to the contractor to various sub-contractors), or just pure logistics in arranging for 70 drivers to bring 70 coaches to Ottawa. As well, Toronto is a good 5 hour drive away; most Toronto-based drivers would be bumping up against their maximum on-duty hours if they were required to do it as a day trip from Toronto, plus hang around for the duration of the demonstration. Securing hotels and other accommodations for 70 drivers would be extremely difficult and costly if the city already has 70 coaches worth of attendees staying in or nearby. One possible option could be that drivers refused the duty on legal grounds, if they had a reasonable expectation that their duty hours would be exceeded before being able to return home.

Given the charged and political nature of the demonstration, a refusal for companies to participate is also a possibility, in case they get associated with one side. They could also refuse if they feel there was a risk to their equipment being damaged if they participated. This was the same reason tow companies refused to clear the parked semi-trucks during the 2022 protest, until they were compelled to do so under provisions of the Emergencies Act.

Given that UJF is intentionally choosing not to name the company, this lends an air of hyperbole to the whole situation. If you have a legitimate claim against a company that intentionally wronged you, you can air it in the media; keeping secret the name of the party that wronged you doesn't help you exact justice, and it doesn't allow the (mystery) company to provide a defence. Maybe they know they don't have a leg to stand on for this complaint.

Anyway, I'm not picking sides here - just pointing out that there are likely legitimate reasons for why this apparent snub happened.

[Bus_Medic]

Operators might have called in sick en masse for their own safety when they found out what the assignment was. Definitely a not zero chance of that event turning violent.

 

Wouldn’t blame them. I would have too.

[TheAverageJoe]

Industry is short for something that large or a charter on short notice I'm not shocked they did not get all the coaches they asked for.

[leylandvictory2]

If you cannot handle it, then accept the request