Saskatchewan Transportation Company

The Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) was a Crown corporation in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan responsible for operating intercity bus routes in the province from 1946 to 2017. Created in 1946 by an Order in Council giving the company a mandate to provide service between major urban centres and to as much of the rural population as possible, STC was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Crown Investments Corporation of Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan Transportation Company
MCI Bus Being Serviced in Saskatoon
SloganRide in Comfort, Ride Safely, Ride with STC.
ParentCrown Investments Corporation Of Saskatchewan
Founded1946
Ceased operationMay 31, 2017
Headquarters1717 Saskatchewan Drive Regina, Saskatchewan
Service areaProvince of Saskatchewan
Service typebus service, bus charter and bus parcel express
Routes27
DestinationsOver 250
StationsOver 170
FleetOver 40
Websitewww.stcbus.com

The government of Saskatchewan announced on March 22, 2017 that it planned to shut down STC by the end of May 2017. Freight services were terminated effective May 19, and passenger services were terminated effective May 31.[1]

Facilities

STC owned and operated bus depots in Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert.[2] It also had numerous ticket agencies in communities throughout the province and served as an agent for Greyhound tickets at many of its locations.

Regina Terminal

Address: 1717 Saskatchewan Drive, Regina
Coordinates: 50°27′06″N 104°36′19″W
Facility includes: Head office, STC bus station, STC freight terminal, Greyhound Canada service, Robin's Donuts
Opened: October 8, 2008[3]

Saskatoon Terminal

Saskatoon Depot
Address: 50 – 23rd Street East, Saskatoon
Coordinates: 52°07′52″N 106°40′02″W
Facility includes: STC bus station, STC freight terminal, Greyhound Canada service, Robin's Donuts

Prince Albert Terminal

Address: 99 – 15th Street East, Prince Albert
Coordinates: 53°11′57″N 105°45′06″W
Facility includes: STC bus station, STC freight terminal, Greyhound Canada service

Agencies

The Saskatchewan Transportation Company worked with over 170 private companies within the province to provide local passenger and express depots to rural communities. These locations were referred to as agencies and made up the ground work by which STC was able to provide service to the people of Saskatchewan.[4]

Services

Maintenance

The Saskatchewan Transportation Company operated Maintenance Facilities in Regina and Saskatoon, which allowed for the efficient operation of their fleet and provided an array of services to foreign fleet customers.

Saskatoon Bus Service Centre

Address: 88 King Street, Saskatoon
Coordinates: 52°08′21″N 106°39′47″W

Regina Bus Maintenance Centre

Address: 9th Avenue and Wallace Street, Regina
Coordinates: 50°27′14″N 104°35′38″W

Passenger

STC operated a number of routes to both urban and rural communities across Saskatchewan. Many STC passenger coaches were wheelchair accessible and all were Wi-Fi equipped.

Express

STC had a history of package delivery across Saskatchewan. Many people relied on STC to transport packages, parcels, and equipment to rural areas. While providing overnight service to many locations, STC also provided customers with door-to-door pick-up and delivery in major centres.

Charter

STC provided charter services to a number of groups and organizations every year in Saskatchewan. Many corporations, sports teams, and clubs chose STC when travelling to functions both in and out of province. Charters were available any day of the week and for various lengths of time subject to availability.[5]

Employees

STC employed over 230 people. All In Scope employees were members of the Amalgamated Transit Union.[6]

Closure and sale of assets

The provincial government shut down STC in 2017 as part of spending cutbacks. Ridership had decreased 77 percent since its peak in 1980, and only two of its 27 routes turned a profit. The opposition NDP criticized the shutdown, saying it would hurt rural residents who relied upon the service for parcel delivery and transportation for medical appointments in larger centres.[7]

The company's assets were sold for $29 million, slightly more than their appraised value of $25.7 million (CAD).[8]

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.