Jocelyn Bourgoin, Director of Organizational Effectiveness and Planning at Manitouwadge General Hospital has announced that the $89,000+ MedExpress, a government funded bus-service  providing transportation to medical centres in Thunder Bay is being parked indefinetely as of March 31^st, 2010.   

Three days a week the bus had offered door-to-door pick-up of passengers for round trips to Thunder Bay from communities along the Northshore but had much difficulty filling seats and was critisized for high ticket prices. Bourgoin pointed out that various seat sales, up to 50% discounted, had been offered with no real increase in ridership.   

However, at $278 for a round trip from Manitouwadge, someone travelling with the assistance of a travel grant would have had just $103 left over for food and accomodations or a companion or child understandably eliminating the MedExpress as an option for most.  To have an idea of how rates compared to existing services, I visited www.Greyhound.ca.  At www.medexpress.ca a one-way trip from Manitouwadge Junction to Thunder Bay was listed at $125, more than a 40% jump from the Greyhound fare of $70.75 for the same trip.  Greyhound
also offers discounted fares for children and even some companions, depending on the circumstances, the Greyhound buses have bathrooms and the possibility of getting up to stretch if necessary; one major benefit of the MedExpress however would have been for anyone travelling at all under-the-weather, if ill it would be nicer to travel with people you knew or who were at the least familiar faces something you are not likely to find aboard a Greyhound but quite probable on the MedExpress. 

In any case the service was not used enough and has now been lost along with 2 jobs; the driver’s and another occasional-part time position held by the receptionist for MedExpress. It seemed MedExpress was challenged from the word go, as Bourgoin explained “We were competing against free rides; even if we offered tickets for $50 people still would not have used it”.

There have been rumours, though unconfirmed by the owner, that local taxi service Bob’s Taxi (aka Bob’s Delivery) may consider establishing rates and regular schedules for Thunder Bay trips to accommodate those who now left without means of travel to Thunder Bay (Greyhound does not actually come in to Manitouwadge but actually stops along side the highway approx. 40 minutes from town). There is also a ‘travel board’ at the Recreation Centre which people can use at no cost to coordinate car pools to any destination.

As of March 3^rd, there were no plans regarding what would be done with the bus; it is being kept at MGH for the time being while the hospital explores others ways to have the service remain in Manitouwadge.