Caribou Coach shuts down services to Atikokan and Fort Frances indefinitely

Travellers who are looking to head to Atikokan or Fort Frances, Ont. from Thunder Bay on a passenger charter bus will now have to find alternative ways to get there.

"Basically, the ridership is nonexistent," saidSandy Smith, the President and General Manager of Caribou Coach Transportation a family operated business in Thunder Bay, Ont. that provides transportation services to northwestern Ontario communities like Geraldton and Longlac, Ont.

Earlier this month, after over 10 years of service, Smith announced they'll be shutting down their transportation line to Atikokan and Fort Frances.

"Running a bus line isn't any different than a mom and pop hardware store. If people stop coming into the store to buy their stuff there, eventually they'll have to close up shop as well too." Smith expressed.

He said over the last decade, ridership numbers have decreased sharply.

"When we started that run...we were running five days week," Smith continued, but "within the first year, that went down to four days a week."

He said up until February of this year, they've had services running to Atikokan and Fort Frances three times a week every Sunday, Tuesday and Friday but with only two or three passengers on board, Smith said they "reduced the service down to Tuesdays only."

Smith said with the lack of government support, decreasing number of riders, he feels that there's "no point in keeping this going,"

The last passenger charter bus to Atikokan and Fort Frances through Caribou Coach wasOct.14.