Acadian Bus Lines Closure as of November 30th, 2012 [Updated]

The buses have been running since the middle of May after a six month Lock Out/Work Stoppage. As a reminder they threatened to go on strike, and in return the company locked the employees out. Months of negotiations went horribly wrong due to the negligence of both sides until a new Vice President stepped in, and the lock out ended.
A few days ago this notice appeared on the Acadian website upon entering it. Highlighted along the top is a closure date of November 30th. They company is in debt, more so then they would probably like to admit to the public. As of the work stoppage they lost out on Christmas, Easter, March Break, and the End of the School year regulars they would have received. Since they have returned their service the company has had to cut several routes, as well as schedules due to lack of employees. This is going to affect all of the Maritimes this time, including Nova Scotia which was lucky enough to have a different union during the lock out, and received raises unlike New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Around 120 employees will be losing their jobs as of the closure. Acadian Bus Lines Shutting Operations by November - Prince Edward Island - CBC News is a shorter article which entails most of the information from the notice on the site.
As the lock out occurred several companies tried to step in but the government would not allow it. Acadian was still around technically, and paying the government. With Acadian leaving completely there is more of a chance that a new company will step in. Trius a tour bus company is already planning to attempt that as noted in this article: Trius Bus Company Plans  to Fill Void Left by Acadian - New Brunswick - CBC News.
N.S. Government, Union Open to talks with Acadian Lines - Prince Edward Island - CBC News This last article entails the fact that Acadian might have been able to stay afloat if the government would allow them to change some of the routes that are existing. There are times when there are only two, or three customers on the bus, and personally I have been in that situation before.
This announcement is the beginning of a lot of turmoil. Personally I am upset because that is how I get home for Christmas, and once again this year I will be fighting to get home. Now once again not to mention all the other students who depend upon a bus system. The VIA Rail does not go to every single city in Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and not to mention there no longer is a train to the Capital of New Brunswick, and there hasn't been for at least 20 years. Hopefully another bus system can step in, and everything will be okay.

--{UPDATE}--
There has been news of VIA Rail helping out a new bus company if we get another one in the Maritimes because VIA Rail has not been doing well financially either lately.

Acadian Bus Lines New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Work Stoppage Finished

The tentative deal was made up in the late evening of May 2nd with the help of a mediator, and the new Vice President Denis Gallant for the company who hails from the Maritimes in Moncton, New Brunswick.
Voting of the Amalgamated Transit Union 1229 occurred Sunday May 6th. Even before the voting Glenn Carr, president of the Union said his co-workers would probably accept it, and they did with 92% in favour.
After a "five month contract dispute" (They were locked out by the company after voting 98% to go on strike December 2nd, 2011, so more like 6 months) buses will be gradually running within ten days. They are giving time to get employees back as well as buses, because a lot of them were sent out of the province after the strike started.
It wasn't even money that was the problem to begin with it was the working conditions as well. I still did not see it fit to have a company over four provinces, and give raises, and better benefits to Nova Scotia, and Quebec, and not Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick.
A lot of people are still throwing the "I am never using your service again", and honestly they can throw that threat around, but the train is limited in schedule, and locations like mentioned in a previous entry. Some people do not like the idea of Ride shares too so they are stuck riding the bus. There are also others trying to get Greyhound into the province. With Acadian back we do not need another bus, I mean I have heard about Greyhound being amazing, but it would take time to move it out here, and it would probably be difficult. Common sense doesn't exist sometimes.
I am very excited to have the company working again in New Brunswick as it will be easier to travel. At the first of the strike I was infuriated, and sent the most ridiculous email saying I would never use their services again. I emailed them two months later with a more well written, and respectable email saying mostly what I have been in previous entries about the strike.
Great to have them back, now hopefully now that there is better work conditions coming for the employees the service will improve as well.


Older Posts About the Strike (Newest to Oldest):
Acadian Bus Lines Strike End in View
Acadian Bus Lines Negotiations Fail
Acadian Bus Lines Possible Arbitration
Acadian Bus Lines New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island Strike

Acadian Bus Lines Strike End in View

The last scheduled talks that occurred in February fell through.
Scheduled talks on April 29th, 30th, and May 1st extended into May 2nd with the help of a mediator at the table. This article: Acadian Lines Dispute May End Next Week, Says Union basically stated what has been know for a long time, the company is the problem at the moment, and not the Union who wants to get back to work. The company has a new Vice President who is from Atlantic Canada, which ultimately is going to help. This was the first light of hope we seen in a long time since the fallout in February: Talks Resume in Acadian Bus Dispute. Though information comes through faster on the Acadian FaceBook Page. You also get to read a lot of things of interest.
There was an attempt to a shuttle into the province but there were too problems; the reservation system, and the 15 seat-van. I read one comment that was completely unnecessary saying: "the woman of Northern New Brunswick need to get off their soap box about the whole thing", they lost their children in the Boy in Red 2008 accident with a similar vehicle. There was no need of a comment like that.... I did not like the idea of a shuttle myself, I looked up information, and found they were quite expensive, and the reservation system made it difficult.
On May 2nd the Facebook page announced that negotiations were continuing on that day which is something that has not occurred in the past. Before these negotiations it was said they wanted to reach an agreement. Today another status appeared on Acadian's FaceBook saying that late last night a decision had been made, and this article also appeared: Acadian Lines Union to Vote Deal on Sunday. The head of the Amalgamated Transit Union 1229 thinks that the others will accept the deal. If so the buses will be running again in about two weeks hopefully.

Personally I feel that the talks were scheduled late, but it is the company in control, and not the Union. Most Universities/Colleges are done in April, so anyone wanting to to go to PEI, NS, and NFLD would have difficulties, including travelers trying to get past, or through New Brunswick. VIA Rail is a great way to travel, do not get me wrong, and it is cheaper than the bus, but the scheduled times are horrible, and some cities do not even have train stations. It will be nice to have the bus back, and not have to rely on Kijiji Ride-shares, or hunt through friends to see who is traveling home. Hopefully there are no idiots who screw this up for everyone because there is always a few who will try.

Older Posts About the Strike (Newest to Oldest):
Acadian Bus Lines Negotiations Fail
Acadian Bus Lines Possible Arbitration
Acadian Bus Lines New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island Strike

Acadian Bus Lines Possible Arbitration

I have been watching the Acadian Bus Line situation since before the strike. The company has locked out the workers, and they are on week two of the lock out. In many cities supporters have joined the ranks of Amalgamated Transit Unit 1229 in the picket lines, some with creative posters like the Grinch. This has been happening in Moncton, and Fredericton. An Arbitration Representative has been chosen to pick a side, and if all goes well the buses could be running soon as mentioned in the following article: Arbitration Possible for Acadian Coach Lines. This could be good, or bad depending on where it goes, but it could possibly lift the lock out, and workers could go back to work. This is a crazy time of year to lock-out workers, and discontinue the only intercity coaches in the province. Not only are the New Brunswick students stuck but anyone from elsewhere that isn't travelling by train, car, or plane to specific designations past New Brunswick, or within the province. Some places have organized charter buses while others solutions are finding rides with other students home.
In the end since the workers were going to strike they were locked out so patrons of the service lost either way.
While looking for an image for this article I came across this: Driver is N.S. Bus Plunge Had Previous Crash. Now that is slightly scary. I used VIA Rail in 2010 on the same day as this: VIA Rail Train Derails in Quebec, but thankfully I got off in New Brunswick as I had been coming home from a March Break Trip. This completely scares me off from transportation because you never know when this could occur.

Semester One Coming to a Close

Semester one is coming to a quick close. I cannot wait to be done Foundation year. I am so glad I made some awesome friends though~
I got dumped with all the final projects in one week, and that wasn't too bad except for the broadness of the subject matter we could do which is art, and craft. I decided to do one on Tuxedo colours, and contrasts, and one on Lolita. They were not to bad to work on.
I have been going to all the gallery openings that I can, and visiting galleries when I can.
I joined the Grad Council, and am volunteering as a fashion model for the fashion department.
I am excited for next semester where I finally get to try the studio I really want to do~ I am doing Graphic Design right now, and I did Ceramics already, so next semester I do Fashion, Textiles, Jewelry, and Photography which is a great combination but I can see there being trouble in Jewelry.
Every Sunday that we can we do a different thing at someone's place between the five of us. Last week we played Arkham Horror which is a pretty awesome board game based off of books by H.P. Lovecraft, and we also played Apples to Apples. We watched the Walking Dead Season one another time. We made fajitas, and cupcakes at my place, and watched Tangled, and played Jenga, and Apples to Apples.
The Acadian Bus Line in New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island are going on strike as of last Friday leaving a lot of students stuck for Christmas. Did they ever screw up.

I cannot wait for Christmas Break because I will be completely free to do as I please. World of Warcraft, and my own art~

I woke up to find my poor little hamster dead this morning. She was around eight months old.

Snowball (Russian White Dwarf Hamster) May ??/11 - Decemeber 6/11

She held a special place in my heart from the first moment I saw her.

Acadian Bus Lines New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island Strike

Acadian Lines Intercity Coach picking
up passengers at a designated point
along the routes. (Photo taken by me).

I have been hearing since October that Acadian Bus Lines, an Intercity Coach might go on strike in early, middle, or the end of November. There usually is no, ifs, ands, or buts, there usually is a strike...  Great time to go on strike though, next month is Christmas season, and thousands of university, and college students that use the bus to travel home will be out of luck.
It all started with Acadian Bus Talk Falls Apart - Prince Edward Island, this was released on CBC News on November first, and says there would be a strike starting November first. The management walked out before wages were even discussed. There is all disagreement on the bus drivers scheduled shifts but these are set by rules already made up. The negotiations where shut down a day early.
Today November 24th this: Acadian Lines Workers Give Strike Notice - New Brunswick was released on CBC News. There was negotiations this morning to try, and prevent a walk out. Orleans workers in Quebec received a raise as well as Acadian Nova Scotia workers. New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island workers did not. Most of the Acadian Routes in New Brunswick, are unprofitable. This is because there are a lot of stops at smaller towns, and there are not a lot of customers in those towns that there are stops at.
In my opnion there should be stops at these locations in New Brunswick: Sackville, Moncton, Fredericton, St. John, Miramichi, Campbellton, Edmundston, and St. Stephens.
They are officially not operating as of Friday, December 2nd.
My general opinion on strikes is not a good one. While yes the workers want a raise this is quite the immature way to go about it. It speaks to me as "We want more money, and until something is done about it we shall not work for." It was the same when the teachers went on strike about six years ago, and when my Father's workplace went on strike around ten years ago. Though sometimes there are others that actually want to work, and still get paid depending on the situation that is not a possibility. I use the Acadian Intercity Coaches to travel, and I have received horrible service in the past two years, and this has made me dislike them further

Final Summer Trip Home

The complete date of my trip home was altered due to work, what else would cause it.

I went home Wednesday after the boss BlackBerry Messaged me to tell me it was dead, and he was cutting my shift. He said enjoy your day off. I was actually ready for work, just about ready to leave too. Of course I was scheduled to work Sunday, there usually isn't a week where I am not so I had to leave Saturday afternoon.

I just started throwing stuff in a bag to bring home, and then I had to stop myself, and re-pack everything. In my hurry I forgot the present for my friend's adorable little baby boy.

I traveled by bus of course. Acadian is the bus line that runs through the Maritimes; meaning New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Quebec has Orléans. The Quebec bus has Wi-Fi Internet, and leather seats, the leather seats I do not like. I like the Acadian bus line seats better though. Coming home I ended up on two different Orléans buses, and I do not like the leather seats. I had my fun with them again because my departure day I waited for the bus for an hour because it was late out of Montreal again. I wish I could take the train, I love the train, and miss it dearly.

It was rather nice compared to the last time I was home. Thursday was absolutely beautiful, and I had a nice walk around town, and found some people I was looking for. Visits to my favourite diner occurred almost every day but one. Most of the day was spent sitting on a picnic bench talking with friends. Friday I had another friend over, and we reminisced the past, and I dug out and old VHS of anime taped off YTV when I was 13. It wouldn't be a Friday night home if the Brat Pack didn't go out for Karaoke. ♥ Two of us spent the night before listing off songs. It was so much fun, and so many people were there. Saturday was very short lived. :( I went with a friend for a bit then went, and met up with my two friends. I met my friend's baby boy, and he is absolutely precious. One of them told me I would be next to have a kid, and I don't think so. I met up one more time with the Brat Pack, and we took pictures before I left.

In the end though I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see, including another family member.

My plan is to not go home again until Christmas.

I am going to miss my dear friend who will be leaving for school far away. Hopefully we will see each other at Christmas time.

The college school year starts in a week, and orientation is Friday. I am so excited, and nervous.