The Maritimes: Nova Scotia.

Acadian Lines 205, MCI 102-A3 in the Antigonish terminal adjacent to Highway 4 at 53 James St, 160 kilometres northeast of Halifax. Antigonish has a population of 4,656.

The Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada has weather conditions at the best of times described as changeable, however, in 2023 it was more biblical. As we stood at the bus stop, rain lashed down whilst just a few miles away and in the direct line of our bus route, wild fires raged. Having booked and paid for a pick-up (Coach Atlantic requires a minimum three hours’ booking notice), we had little choice but to travel. The omens were good, as our Ford E450 cutaway arrived on time from Lunenburg, having made an intermediate stop in Bridgewater. The service joined highway 103 for the remainder of the journey into Halifax, making just one stop on route at the Valerie Avenue car sharing park adjacent to the highway. On approach to the Halifax suburbs, the driver received a State Government warning message on his mobile devise advising him of impending road closures due to the proximity of the wild fires. Over the previous few days, we had become used to these messages appearing on tv screens and mobile phones: they let out a loud klaxon sound followed by the screen turning red and a warning message. The highway remained open for us, although the junctions off were closed and we soon arrived at the first city centre stop, a large edge of town shopping centre. Next stop, rather unusually, was the car park of a drive through burger restaurant, followed by the hospital and finally to the downtown terminus on Hollis Street, adjacent to the Via Rail station. In four decades of travelling this route, 2023 was exceptional although passenger transport in this part of Canada has seen its fair share of trials and tribulations.  

 

Left: Acadian Lines, a 1989 MCI MC-9 Special. Acadian had exclusive rights to operate on condition that the more profitable routes would subsidize the less profitable ones. Prince Edward Island had no regulations over the service, but in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, it could take five to eight months to get permission for a fare or route change. In 2010 it applied to reduce service between Sydney and Halifax from three trips a day to two, its 51-seat coaches were carrying an average of 12 people. Right: Acadian Lines 205. MCI 102-A3 on highway 4 heading towards Cape Breton Island.
   

In August 1938 Nova Scotia Coach Lines, a division of United Service Corporation of Halifax, was formed. It was renamed Acadian Coach Lines in 1947. The coach company provided intercity and charter service within the province of Nova Scotia. In December 1955, Acadian Lines was purchased from United Service Corporation by George C. Thompson, Ralph A. Pepper, and Gordon H. Thompson. Expansion followed with the purchase of the bus operations of Fleetlines Limited of Halifax and Highland Lines of Sydney, the largest urban area on Cape Breton Island. Other associated companies have included including Acadian Travel Agency, Wagner Tours and McKenzie Bus Lines. By December 1995, the Irving Transportation Group subsidiary SMT (Eastern) had acquired Acadian Lines and its charter coach subsidiary Nova Charter Services. SMT (Eastern) Ltd was established in 1937 by K.C. Irving.

MacKenzie Bus Line No.30 MCI MC-5B at Lunenburg. MacKenzie Bus Line was a coach operator based in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia beginning operations in 1933 by transporting residents to and from Halifax. During the war years, there was a lack of available housing in Halifax and people moved to the surrounding area and Mackenzie’s thrived - in its heyday, carrying up to 100,000 passengers a year. A garage was established on York Street, Bridgewater: this was a former WWII aircraft hangar transferred from the north shore region of Annapolis Valley by means of a flatbed truck. In addition to the route from Halifax, the buses also ran between Bridgewater, Crescent Beach, Petite Riviere, as well as Riverport, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay, Hubbards, and Peggy's Cove. Unfortunately, by the early 1990s, low ridership eventually forced the company to discontinue its services along Nova Scotia's south shore between Halifax and Yarmouth via Bridgewater and ceased operations in 1998. De-licencing of the schedule service was granted by the Nova Scotia Government on September 23rd 1998. A short-term replacement was granted to DRL Coachlines Ltd.

By 2003 Acadian Lines now based in Moncton, New Brunswick operated intercity bus service between New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. However, in 2004 Acadian Lines, now the largest intercity bus service in the Maritimes, once again changed ownership, being purchased by Orléans Express an intercity and charter coach operator based in Montréal, Québec, a subsidiary of Keolis Canada (formerly Groupe Orléans). In September 2009 Groupe Orléans reorganized and in August 2012, it was announced Acadian Lines would shut down as it was no longer deemed profitable, the company losing $12 million since the acquisition in 2004 and having recently seen 59 drivers, maintenance staff and customer agents vote to strike. Provincial statistics show that in 2009, 171,000 passengers were carried, down from 500,000 in 1986. By 2011, the numbers were down to 148,000. The last day of operations was November 30, 2012 with a loss of 120 jobs.

Left :Nova Charter Services 4763, MCI 102 C3 resting in downtown Halifax. Right: Nova Charter 4726, MCI MC9. Photographed at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, Baddeck, Cape Breton Island. Once a major destination for coach tours, locals now blame deteriorating roads on the Island for the lack of visitors.    

The next chapter of bus and coach operations in Nova Scotia would begin with Mike Cassidy, owner of Trius Tours in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, introducing the Maritime Bus brand on the 1st December 2012, picking up the services and promising a seamless transition. Trius Tours operate under various brands; Coach Atlantic; Prince Edward Tours; Gray Line and T3 (Take Transit Today) for local services in Charlottetown, Cornwall, Stratford, and Summerside, all on Prince Edward Island. Trius Tours was started by George Brookins in 1986. On April 1, 2005, Mike Cassidy and Bill Keith purchased Trius Tours from Brookins for $500,000. Keith soon sold his shares to Cassidy.  Brookins was hired as general manager. However, not all has been plain sailing and in 2010 Brookins was found guilty of defrauding the company of $203,728.90. 

SMT (Eastern) 4803, Setra S215 HDH waiting at the Caribou Ferry terminal on route Prince Edward Island. Before the opening of Confederation Bridge in 1997 this was one of two ferry crossings - the other being at Cape Tormentine closer to New Brunswick. 

During September 2019 Dennis Campbell, proprietor of Absolute Charters, sold out to Mike Cassidy. Mike Cassidy’s Group had a record year in 2019 with revenues reaching almost $45 million. The company had a fleet of 275 vehicles and employed 515 people across the Atlantic Maritimes. In April that year, the company carried 19,000 passengers. A year later, when Covid struck it carried only 650 people during the same month. Both 2020 and 2021 were disastrous for the Group, financial losses were reported of $33 million in 2020 and $25 million in 2021 as Transport Canada enforced a Covid cruise ship ban in the Maritimes. Things were looking up in May 2022 as Cassidy signed a contract with Prevost for the supply of 50 Prevost H3-45 coaches over a five-year period. In June 2022, 10 Prevost H3-45 were delivered. 

Left: Maritimebus Ford truck cutaway conversion photographed at the Catholic Church of St. Peter on Prince Edward Island, June 2015. The church stands next to the Confederation Bridge view point. The world's largest bridge over icy waters opened in 1997 joining Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick. Right: Coach Atlantic PR49187 a Ford cutaway at the Halifax terminal awaits the author for the return journey to Lunenburg. The service still operated a Covid timetable of three return journeys a week, although this was due to increase to five from July 2023. Two semi-retired drivers alternate week about to cover the service.   

In June 2023, we found Nova Scotia much quieter than previous occasions and compared to the 1980s and 1990s the range of express services and excursions on offer were greatly reduced. The focus is now on cruise ship passengers. 

Left: Ambassatours, seventy-four seat Van Hool Astromega photographed June 2019 at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg. For visitors staying in the capital, Halifax, this is a popular destination as part of “Nova Scotia South Shore in a day” excursion. Right: Trius Tours Ltd 809, Setra S417 C56Ft fitted with Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine. The Company was founded in 1986 and is now part of the Coach Atlantic Group. Photographed at Peggy’s Cove information centre, rather than using the coach park at the lighthouse.

Left: Coach Atlantic 1901, MCI J4500 photographed June 2019. Maritime Bus does C$42 million in total sales, half of that is related to cruise ships and multi-day tours. Peggy’s Cove, just a short drive from Halifax, is the most popular destination for day tours with the coach park at the highest point, next to the lighthouse. Right: Absolute Charters 2006, MCI J4300. Absolute Charters (Ambassatours) had a temporary licence for twelve full size coaches between September and October 2018 providing services for cruise ship passengers. 2006 waits on the quay at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg adorned with a livery depicting various sights along the South Shore.

Left: Coach Atlantic 1924, Prevost H3-45 dating from 2019. Photographed in a very wet downtown Halifax, having departed the Hollis Street terminus. 

Right: Coach Atlantic 1024 a Prevost X3-45 on the stand at the Halifax Terminal, 1161 Hollis Street, awaits passengers for the 3pm bound departure to Sydney, Cape Breton Island. 

Left: Rear view of Coach Atlantic 2030, Prevost H3-45. On route from Lunenburg to Halifax, passengers get the opportunity to visit Amos Pewter and take a stroll around Mahone Bay. Right: Trius Tours Prevost H Series in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Covid proved a difficult time for the company. In Charlottetown where Maritime Bus has its depot, there were around 30 buses parked-up between early November 2019 and April 2021.

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