To see her husband in Michigan, this student pays more than $100. She wants Windsor's Tunnel Bus back
CBC
Even though University of Windsor student Nikita Padhi's husband lives a half hour away in Michigan, limited options to cross the border have left her paying more than she expected to go back home.
At the very least, Padhi says she pays $140 in cab fares per round trip from the school in Windsor, Ont. into downtown Detroit where her husband picks her up. It's a steep price compared to Windsor's public bus service — which charged $10 round trip — through the Detroit–Windsor tunnel. But the service isn't available.
Transit Windsor's Tunnel Bus, which the company said is the only public transit cross border service in North America, was an accessible and affordable option for many Windsorites crossing into the United States. The service has been suspended due to COVID-19 since March 2020 and the company said the bus will remain idle as long as certain vaccination measures remain in place.
"I don't travel frequently because the cost comes in between," said Padhi, adding that her husband is their only source of income at this time.
"I wish I had other options where I don't think much about that [cost] and I can travel any time I want."
Initially, Pradhi was hopeful the Tunnel Bus service would resume, but her hope is fading as the route remains on pause for its 30th month.
Since her husband has an expired Canadian visa and Padhi doesn't have a car, the only way she can cross the border is using a cab.
The pricey cab fare limits how often she goes back home, said Padhi.
Last year, she commuted between Windsor and Detroit between 12 to 15 times. Here's the cost breakdown and comparison:
As for carpooling, Padhi said the timing doesn't always align with her schedule.
Tyson Cragg, executive director of Transit Windsor, told CBC News that the Tunnel Bus hasn't been removed, but remains on pause due to continued COVID-19 measures at the border.
"If we were able to run it today, we would have it in operation," Cragg said.
The transit service said as long as it remains mandatory for people entering Canada to submit a form through ArriveCAN and show proof of vaccination, the Tunnel Bus won't be resurrected.
According to Cragg, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) told the company that if it wants to operate the cross-border route, it is responsible for immediately returning passengers to the U.S. who have not fulfilled the mandatory COVID-19 requirements.
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