Group says 'people will die' with loss of Crown bus company

They call themselves Save STC, and they suggest that fighting for Saskatchewan's publicly owned bus company is a matter of life and death.

The Saskatchewan Transportation Company is winding down operations, one of the victims of cuts in the latest provincial government budget.

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"This puts Sask. citizens in vulnerable and compromised positions," said Save STC's JoAnn Jaffe.

Save STC is trying to stop the government from shutting down the bus company and today touted its safety record as one of the reasons people should join the fight.

Risk increases without STC, argues group

The group said that many of STC's buses are wheelchair capable and fitted with all the latest safety gear including high-tech tracking systems. Save STC added that the drivers and the mechanics at the public company are given top level training to handle all situations.

Some private companies have come forward with a desire to take over but in a news release Save STC suggested that "a company that advertises for drivers using Facebook" is a serious concern.

Save STC also stated it believes "people will die"if the Crown bus company is shut down. That's because so many people rely on it to access medical care. The group also said that shutting down STC will expose more people to the dangers of hitchhiking.

Save STC, the Amalgamated Transit Local 1374, and Stop the Cuts are planning arally in front of STC Minister Joe Hargrave's office onMonday in Prince Albert, Sask.