Greyhound heading for the pound

As I was discussing Greyhound a couple of posts ago, the following letter to the editor caught my eye:

The B.C. Passenger Transportation Board decided Greyhound is required to keep its service on 28 of its routes after the company planned to drop service to half of them. So much for its motto, “Take the bus and leave the driving to us.”

The decreasing service was becoming more obvious each time I went to purchase a ticket to the coast and Vernon. I noticed that the staff was not as pleasant and the whole atmosphere was becoming cranky.

Other passengers have also expressed frustrations about the service. I guess that is why a notice went up on the wall telling riders that tickets agents should not be exposed to harassment from customers.

It works both ways — customers should not be exposed to agents who have issued tickets to wrong destinations, charged extra for a trip that was already paid for (that man had more patience than 10 and he finally got an agent who cleared it up). I met a man who had to wait for his lost suitcase to arrive on the next bus and then was told he had to pay to get it back. The baggage and ticket counter were closed and he had been waiting outside for three hours.

During the wonderful Yuletide season it took me two days to get a ticket. Hours of business are posted on the door, but I got there before closing time; too bad for me, they were already closed. I finally had a family member go on line for me.

I must admit the drivers that I have had to ride with have been pretty nice, they are doing a good job, but management needs to smarten up their people skills. I read in the paper that Greyhound is offering up to 50 per cent off all fares with advance purchase. That matches the 50 per cent less service we are getting. If they don’t want to give the public decent service, get another company who will. This greyhound is headed for the pound.
M.E. BEATON

Kamloops