Ottawa is in real need of a replacement bus terminal | Letters to the editor

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And then they wonder why people don’t want to take the train/plane/bus.

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Sad.

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Eleanor Abra, Ottawa

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Linking transit systems

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I was pleased to see Mr. Deachman’s article about the need for an Ottawa terminal for intercity travel. The disappearance of the Catherine Street station was a shame — I used it regularly for work and personal travel to Montreal and Toronto in the past. The current limited options of: driving to the Via Rail station in the east end (in Ottawa’s regularly congested traffic) or to catch a bus waiting on a street corner for a pickup (in our increasingly extreme weather) are not attractive, and fall far from the standard we see operating elsewhere.

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If planned in consultation with current bus companies, our transit system, Ottawa’s planners and tourism bureau and commuters from satellite towns and cities — an additional terminal could foster more, and more convenient, options for visitors and commuters alike. As noted in the article I suspect that this would only be viable if it is centrally located and well-linked to city transit.

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As the city contemplates new provincial estimates of expected Ottawa population growth, we can expect more growth of satellite communities that are already mushrooming on our boundaries and stretching our infrastructure. It seems more than prudent to contemplate this option in a meaningful way — especially as current transit options struggle to normalize.

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The benefits for enhancing the attractiveness and viability of this mode of travel seem manifold — especially while our city strives to cope with the traffic and transit disruptions that seem non-ending and to enhance tourist experience in our Capital.

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Linda Murphy, Ottawa

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The nation’s capital should have a proper bus terminal

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Bruce, your article today has been awaited like flowers in May. Great summary of the problem. Without a doubt, the nation’s capital should have a proper bus terminal where people can go and sit and wait for their bus, perhaps have a coffee and be out of the cold.

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You might even buy a ticket if you have trouble buying online as it is not always easy to understand. Besides, how is the average person supposed to know that you can go to Toronto via Megabus and wait at the curb side at St. Laurent while merging with regular Ottawa buses. It is all very intimidating as no one tells you anything and you are very much on your own.

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There are tons of people who would like a properly organized bus service that would take them not just to Toronto but to Cornwall, Brockville, Pembroke or any of the small towns in Ontario. I am a senior and not able to drive on major highways. There are many like me who cannot or choose not to drive anymore. Students, seniors and the poor or marginalized and other groups are being ignored.

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It is ironic that there is great attention to a new service costing $50 billion or more simply to speed up the service from Quebec to Toronto and yet nothing for the little guy. Millions are spent subsidizing airports and trains to get people where they want to go yet nothing for plain unsexy bus service. I could go on about this injustice. Your article has made the point well. Catherine Street was a great station for many years and whatever the cost is, we need to replicate it even if it has to be subsidized.

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Gary Kyer, Ottawa

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One missed part of the story

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Bruce Deachman’s column on the lack of a bus terminal in Ottawa missed part of the story. The patchwork of companies who took over from Greyhound is unsatisfactory. I am not sure they own any of the buses or that the drivers are employees and properly trained, and they outsource ticketing and billing to third parties. They change schedules at the last minute.

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Our intercity Via train service is medieval compared to almost any other country, and now our bus service is equally poor. That means if you can’t fly there or don’t want to drive, you are stuck. We realized in 1885 that we are a geographically huge country with the lowest population density in the world and needed a trans-Canada rail system. Why have we forgotten those lessons since? If we can’t or won’t build modern, high speed rail links, then at least let’s bring back proper intercity bus service to Ontario.

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Evan Diamond, Ottawa

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