Six companies get board approval to offer bus service
Engelheim Charter among companies given OK to fill former STC routes
Our focus is safe passenger transportation and if there is a viable place to do that, we will.
One of the latest companies to receive post-STC Highway Traffic Board approval is no stranger to Saskatchewan highways.
Engelheim Charter, a Reginaarea bus company since 1975, has been successful in having its operating authority certificate amended.
Come fall, Engelheim may offer individual passenger service as a result.
“Our focus is safe passenger transportation and if there is a viable place to do that, we will,” said CEO Shane Engel, whose parents Oliver and Gladys Engel started the company in Lipton 42 years ago.
“STC was losing $17 million a year for a reason. … (It had) a small number of passengers per route, even the major routes, but it heavily relied on there being freight to make it viable, and we have no interest in getting involved in freight.”
Now based in White City, Engelheim has 30 employees and 24 buses that can carry at least 47 passengers each.
Before the amendment, the company was allowed to do charter service only. On Monday, it had buses on the road in Tacoma, Wash., Langley, B.C., Calgary and Winnipeg.
Six companies have been newly certified since the Saskatchewan Transportation Company ended service on May 31 due to a Saskatchewan Party government budget decision.
Those are: Engelheim, 101266444 Saskatchewan Ltd. (Regina), DiCal Transport (Melville), Rider Express Transportation (Regina), Southland Transportation (Humboldt) and Vanbango Party Bus (Kindersley).
Carpe Diem Limousine Service is also proceeding with a public hearing to amend its existing certificate relating to limousine services.
All applicants were subject to a public HTB hearing, as a few members of the public contested every application.
Engel said the complaints against his company were generalized and untrue.
All Engelheim buses have GPS and Wi-Fi, eight buses are wheelchair accessible, and the company has a safety program.
“I have confidence in what we are and what we have been for 42 years,” said Engel. “I felt it was something that was just a process.”
Most other applicants have said they will operate short routes using 14-passenger vans.
Cindy Hanson, a member of the group Stop The Cuts, was present at many of the hearings as a complainant.
“I think the province has totally deregulated transportation and the culture of safety that we had under STC has been totally disregarded,” said Hanson.
“What we are left with is a Highway Traffic Board that is regulating anyone, no longer based on safety, affordability or accessibility.
“It kind of makes a farce of the whole system.”
Though her complaints to the board seem to have fallen on deaf ears, Hanson doesn’t believe her efforts were for naught.
“I don’t think it’s ever a waste of time to put public safety before profit. … These hearings were about the public good,” said Hanson.
“What do we have right now in this province? We have six companies taking a few of the routes, and we have the majority of routes that are left unserviced,” added Hanson.
“We have disabled people that are left unserviced, and we have the north that’s left unserviced and those routes aren’t profitable, so eventually the government will subsidize them because it will have to.”
Hanson would like to see an audit of transportation costs in the province. She believes the decision to end STC was “cavalier.”