Nothing second-class about travelling by Greyhound bus
The destabilization brought on by Greyhound Canada’s exit has many people wondering how they will now travel within Canada. A fundamental shift in the way Canadians perceive bus travel needs to be created if we hope to see another bus company take Greyhound Canada’s place.
For years, bus travel has been viewed as subpar, as a means of transportation reserved for the less advantaged. Images of old, dingy buses and criminals lurking in the back rows flood the imaginations of many. There is nothing wrong with bus travel.
When it comes to continental travel, it is just a question of choice and practicality. Simply put, airplanes are for people who like to get to places fast; buses for those who prefer the slow and sometimes, windy road. Airplanes — the perfect cure for people who get carsick and buses are the ideal remedy for airsickness. Airplanes are for folks who want to get to their destination without caring for scenery; buses for the unrushed who would rather roll in the hills, sashay along country the roads and gallop through the forests.
The world is finally opening up to travel again; let’s do something that makes sense. How about a fleet of electric, or hydrogen-powered buses? These hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are great alternatives to what we had before. Smooth, silent and environmentally friendly travel is as noble as they come.
The real issue is convincing Canadians to stop looking at transportation as a two-tier system, with some modes ranking higher on the scale than others. Montreal has led the way in 2011 by building a new bus terminal. The glossy white flooring, airy spaces along with the trendy café and well-stocked book and magazine shop anchoring each end gives patrons the impression of being at an airport.
It is filled with people travelling to visit family or friends. It is also packed with students and professionals who travel for work. Not to mention the countless international tourists trying to squeeze in as many North American destinations as they can, opting for bus travel as a way to take in more of the country.
And what to say about the drivers? They shepherd us, telling us when it’s time to take out our passports, indicating the good eating spots at rest stops. They chat and joke with us. The Greyhound USA drivers, attired in spiffy uniforms, combined with the on-board welcome message, can’t help but make us feel like we’re travelling by air.
When it will be time to travel again, I will resume my visits to New York where I will continue to step out of the Port Authority, proudly lug my carry-on down 42nd St., turn left onto Park Ave. followed by a right onto 48th St., waltz into the New York Barclay, drop my belongings and begin my weekend while never once thinking I have one foot in a subpar world and another in a more socially acceptable one. Montreal-based Fatima Rizzo is a translator, aspiring writing and lover of everything ocean.