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 Negotiations Fail

Photo taken by me in Sackville, New
Brunswick.

Almost a month went by with no news showing up from the Acadian Bus Lines in the news, or on their FaceBook page. The this showed up out of nowhere after I checked on February 4th: Acadian Lines Employees Pick Up Work (PEI CBC News). This basically told everyone that the works of Amalgamated Transit Union 1229 employees are picking up work at other establishments to make money, which is great for them but it really isn't what the public wants to see, and it was quite infuriating.
Two days later on February 6th another article was released from the local newspaper on Prince Edward Island called "The Guardian." Bus Line and Locked Out Workers Going Back to the Negotiating Table (The Guardian - PEI) ATU 1229, and Acadian Lines Respresentatives went back to the table on February 11th with the help of a mediator, and negotiations lasted all day, and continued into Sunday. The workers, and Acadian have not spoken since November 25th, and the lockout and strike had lasted since December 2nd.
According to this article: Acadian Line Contract Negotiations Continue (PEI CBC News), Acadian lost around $2 million dollars running the intercity coaches in New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island in the last year. This is not surprising because there are so many routes that are unneeded, and unprofitable in the province of New Brunswick where as there are two daily trips to one stop on Prince Edward Island. But in the two plus months that there was no service in either province quite a bit of revenue was lost because it was one of the busiest time of year being the Christmas/New Year season. Acadian has probably received their share of angry emails, and even on FaceBook you can see people are angry, but a lot of stupid/amusing things are said. The workers did want to work this out from the beginning. The economy is horrible, and the price of living has increased, and honestly I do not think it is fair that the Nova Scotia, and Quebec workers received a raise while New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island were left high, and dry. The strike/lock out is always the worst way to deal with these types of problems though.
We are in the third month, and after the negotiations this weekend it failed horribly, and I quote "In fact we feel that there is a lack of seriousness, and willingness to resolve the issues on the part of the union. No dates are set to return to the table." The company was better run when Irving owned Acadian, and even when we had the Greyhound buses in the province. This is getting quite ridiculous, and I cannot believe they are still going to leave two provinces with an intercity bus system." To wake up to this this morning is ridiculous. Acadian Lines Talks Fail to Resolve Dispute (CBC News PEI)
During this strike shuttles are available so I peeked on the prices, and the bus is a lot cheaper, and so is the train if you are lucky enough to live in a town, or city with a train. The prices for a shuttle are ridiculous considering you had to book it, and share it with people but it is hard to find people who would be traveling to the same place. Also they are the 15 passenger vans that have been banned in New Brunswick after an incident  in 2008 that killed seven school students, and the wife of the coach from Bathurst High. I won't go in any van bigger than a standard size myself after hearing about that incident. I was in high school myself at the time in grade eleven, and it was a horrible tragedy.
For previous information on the strike I have written two other blog articles:
Acadian Bus Lines New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island Strike
Acadian Bus Lines Possible Arbitration - Update