After less than two months in the community, Red Arrow Motorcoach has announced that it will be expanding its Bonnyville and Cold Lake transportation service to five days a week.
As of Jan. 11 the service from the region into Edmonton and the Edmonton International Airport was expanded to Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
“We're really pleased that the communities of Cold Lake and Bonnyville in particular have shown such a great amount of interest in the Connector Service and we're very happy to have the opportunity to provide the people in these communities with the safe, reliable transportation that have been looking forward to,” said John Stepovy, general manager of Red Arrow Motorcoach.
“We've had many passengers use our service for business and medical appointments, heading to and from school or work as well as for flights to and from both Edmonton International and Calgary International Airports.”
The initial Red Arrow service, which came to the region on Nov. 13, only gave residents the chance to go into the city on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The expanded schedule will tack on two extra days, allowing locals the ability to go in to Edmonton on Sundays and Thursdays as well.
The form of transportation was also expanded with the company upping their 13-seat passenger connector shuttle to a 48-seat connector coach. The new coach, which includes, free wifi, power outlets, luggage space and an on-board bathroom, will offer riders the chance to continue further south and take connector shuttles to Red Deer, Calgary, Lethbridge or go further north to Fort McMurray.
The expanded service received the stamp of approval from Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewksi, who feels it is a great benefit for the community.
“Absolutely I think it is a great opportunity and I hope it stays around. I hope people recognize the benefit and use that service because it is quite valuable and to some extent convenient,” said Sobolewksi.
“I actually wanted to utilize the Red Arrow from Bonnyville to Edmonton because I had some meetings in Edmonton but their (schedule) didn't reconcile with mine.
“I'd be a customer because it would sure take the load and the pressure and burden off of myself.”
The expansion follows the promise from Stepovy in early November that the company was willing to expand and grow their service should the community show it is necessary.
“We want to thank the residents of the communities of Bonnyville, Cold Lake and area for their feedback regarding our schedules and our service,” added Stepovy. “We launched this service in an effort to provide these communities with safe and reliable transportation they deserved and we came through. We're really proud to be part of your community and look forward to getting you safely home in 2015.
