MRC Pontiac responds to cancelled Thom route Allyson Beauregard

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PONTIAC – After Transport Thom recently announced their bus
route between L’Isle-aux-Allumettes and Ottawa would be cancelled after May 13 due to a lack of riders, and thus profit, the MRC Pontiac sent a letter to the President of the Quebec Transport Commission on May 5, requesting that they intervene in order to ensure public transit in the short term.

PONTIAC – After Transport Thom recently announced their bus
route between L’Isle-aux-Allumettes and Ottawa would be cancelled after May 13 due to a lack of riders, and thus profit, the MRC Pontiac sent a letter to the President of the Quebec Transport Commission on May 5, requesting that they intervene in order to ensure public transit in the short term.
According to a press release sent by the MRC Pontiac, Transport Thom applied to renew its transportation license on April 21 while at the same time posting a public
notice about the cancelled Pontiac run. “This approach appears non-compliant with established procedures,” said the press release.
“The MRC Pontiac is asking the Commission to intervene with Transport Thom to ensure the company complies with procedures and the legal obligations of a transport permit holder and to give us some time to consult the population,” said MRC Pontiac Strategic Communications Advisor, Danielle Belec, noting Thom has also announced their intention to shut down the entire company on August 5 this year.
An emergency meeting between Transcollines, TransporAction Pontiac, the MRC Pontiac, and the Municipality of Pontiac was held May 3 to discuss a medium-term solution for the route. “It was only a preliminary meeting. A number of things must happen before a permanent solution is put in place. For example: what are the needs of the population? Why are there so few riders? Is there a need for the service, or maybe people don’t know about it, the scheduling may not appeal to the population… we need to find this out,” Belec told the Journal.
According to Richard Brousseau, a Thom dispatcher, Thom Transport will be closing because the owners have yet to find a buyer and are retiring. “Mr. and Mrs. Thom have been in business for over 48 years. It was a difficult decision for them to make,” he added, noting that all correct procedures are being followed to end the L’Isle-aux-Allumettes run.
Cancellation postponed
As of press time, Thom was still waiting for written permission from the Transport Commission to cancel the run. “In the meantime, we will continue day by day,” concluded Brousseau.