A smaller bus that sticks to arrival and departure times six days a week - even in the Kootenay winter - is how Fritz Keller will be running his commuter line from Nelson to Kelowna beginning next month.
乌鸦传媒淏uses (Greyhound) were often late, some days by four or five hours,乌鸦传媒� Keller began. 乌鸦传媒淧assengers had flights booked or appointments in Kelowna that they missed because of the late buses. We don乌鸦传媒檛 have to wait for a westbound bus coming over the Kootenay Pass - we are always going to leave Nelson at exactly 6:30 in the morning and be in Kelowna around noon - even in the winter.乌鸦传媒�
Keller, owner of Silver City Stage Lines, was recently approved by the Passenger Transportation Board (Board) to be the replacement service for this particular route, once Greyhound Canada pulls the brakes effective Oct. 31.
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He will run six round trips from Nelson to Kelowna departing 6:30 a.m. and arriving back at 6:30 p.m. - with route points in Trail, Castlegar, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Midway and Rock Creek.
The only day with no service will be Saturday.
Passengers in Trail, Castlegar and Nelson will be picked up from the A&W restaurant in those cities. Stops for gas and leg-breaks are scheduled at gas stations from Grand Forks to Rock Creek.
乌鸦传媒淭he owners of A&W have confirmed the stops and are happy to have me,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淧eople can wait inside, have a coffee and use the amenities. And there are nice coffee bars in the gas stations, so I can fill up (while) people grab a coffee, then we will be on our way.乌鸦传媒�
Keller乌鸦传媒檚 plan is to be at Orchard Park Mall in Kelowna (this termination point is still tentative) by noon. He乌鸦传媒檒l head back to Nelson at 1 p.m. with an arrival time slated for 6:30 p.m.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 getting such a good response, especially from my senior passengers,乌鸦传媒� Keller said. 乌鸦传媒淚 have a good relationship with them from over the last eight years (driving) the inter-city bus from Trail to Castlegar. People are really happy, and love the fact they will be in Kelowna by noon. It乌鸦传媒檚 a really good service.乌鸦传媒�
The first order of business via the Board, however, is for Keller to have a booking website up and running by Sept. 30.
Once that is complete later this week or early next, he is planning on doing a blitz campaign to let riders know there will not be a gap in service sans Greyhound.
乌鸦传媒淏ecause I applied to do this as a small bus, it all has to be from reservations,乌鸦传媒� he explained. 乌鸦传媒淎nd I knew when I applied that the only way I could do this is by keeping my overhead costs extremely low.乌鸦传媒�
Driving the inter-city bus line from Trail to Castlegar gave Keller unique insight into ridership numbers and needs.
The Board application outlines Keller乌鸦传媒檚 service vehicle, as a 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, that accommodates 11 passengers plus a driver. A second vehicle will be used during the Christmas season (Dec. 18 to Jan. 4) to accommodate up to 22 passengers each way.
乌鸦传媒淚 know exactly how many people I (drove) from Trail to Castlegar over eight years, and I also have a pretty good idea how many (are) in Nelson,乌鸦传媒� Keller said.
乌鸦传媒淭hat was the problem with Greyhound, they were running these big buses, 52-passenger buses, and they only had an average of 15 people on it.乌鸦传媒�
