Saskatchewan’s bus company lost money and passengers last year.
The Saskatchewan Transportation Co.’s annual report for 2012 says that after two years of growth, the number of passengers was down 2.1 percent to about 282,000 riders.
Route cutbacks by other carriers in Alberta and Manitoba are at least partly to blame, said the report.
“Connections were less convenient and some destinations were no longer available,” said Jonathan Abrametz, acting board chair.
“These changes had a negative impact on revenue as ridership levels fell for the first time in three years.”
The company’s revenue dropped by about $700,000 to $15.9 million. STC receives an annual operating grant from the province. It was $9.2 million last year and will be about $10 million this year.
STC recently cut three routes that carried just one or two passengers on average each trip, saying that would save about $300,000 per year. Those routes were Regina to Lanigan, Eastend to Swift Current/Mossbank and Blaine Lake to North Battleford.
