Public transit in rural N.L. isn't a fantasy — in some areas, it already exists

As gas prices and the cost of living in Newfoundland and Labrador remain high, advocates say it's time for the provincial government to take a serious look at transportation alternatives.

Gas prices have declined somewhat after jumping to more than $2 a litre in most parts of the province earlier in March, but at about $1.80 a litre they are still causing headaches for many drivers.

Adding to those headaches is the lack of alternatives to driving in the province — there is no government-run or co-ordinated ground public transportation system in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Instead, private businesses fill in some of the gaps, often serving as an essential service for residents who need to travel between communities or to bigger centres like St. John's and Corner Brook.

April Stapleton is the owner of Matthew's Taxi and Bus Services, which ferries residents between communities on the Burin Peninsula and St. John's each day. Though the service is small — around eight passengers on busier days — Stapleton said for some who don't drive, the bus is the only way to get to St. John's for essential services.

"There's a lot of people that rely on it," she said in an interview with CBC News.

"We have a lot of regulars that go back and forth once a month for doctors' appointments, sometimes more often than that. We've had some people going back and forth to St. John's for cancer treatments."

Stapleton said the province provides no assistance to her business, and she's had to raise ticket prices as the cost of gas rises and travel remains slow due to COVID-19. 

Paris Marx, the author of Road to Nowhere: What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong about the Future of Transportation, said eradicating car dependence in Newfoundland and Labrador isn't a realistic goal, but services like Stapleton's could be part of the solution for those who don't drive.

"The approach that works best is going to vary based on the community and the local circumstances," said Marx, who uses he/they pronouns.

Marx said those options could include a fixed route bus line for larger communities, or on-demand options like Stapleton's service.

Some municipalities — includingHappy Valley-Goose Bay — have explored the feasibility of offering some bus routes.

Marx said they'd like to see the provincial government step in to subsidize such a program, especially given the role cars play in the ever-worsening climate crisis.

"There's clearly a need for some kind of alternative transportation service that's not just based around a car," they said.

Last week, at a news conference focused on the cost of living, the provincial government announced it would extend its electric vehicle subsidy program.