Yukoner reports loss of heat on more Greyhound bus trips
Last Updated: Tuesday, January 6, 2009 | 11:20 AM CT
CBC News
The mother of a Greyhound bus passenger travelling between the Yukon and northern British Columbia said her daughter endured two bus trips without heat during the holidays, similar to another frigid trip reported last week.
Bonnie Harpe of Whitehorse said her 15-year-old daughter complained of freezing temperatures and mechanical troubles aboard a Greyhound bus travelling from Whitehorse to Dawson Creek, B.C., on Dec. 26.
The teen reported the same frigid problems on the return trip to Whitehorse a week later, on Friday, Harpe said.
"They had broke down ... I don't know how many times during the night," Harpe told CBC News on Monday.
"Her father and I spoke by telephone, and we're saying, 'God, you know, they had so much problems going down that they must have rectified this by the time she would come home a week later.' And I was very surprised to hear that it happened again, and she had called me all the way home and told me that, again, they were sitting in Fort Nelson with no heat on the bus."
Last week, a CBC News report revealed that a Greyhound bus lost heat during a trip from Whitehorse to Fort St. John, B.C., on Dec. 29, leaving passengers to sit in an unheated bus for nearly 20 hours as the temperature outside dipped below –30 C.
Greyhound says it can only confirm the Dec. 29 incident, saying some bus components are prone to problems in extremely cold conditions.
"Greyhound's been around for numerous years, and they know the conditions of the North," Harpe said.
"They need to somehow address these issues, or at least warn people that this is a possibility."
Meanwhile, a Yukon highways official said he will be looking into how the bus lost heat on the Dec. 29 trip.
"We certainly will take a look at that," said Julius Debuschewitz, the Yukon government manager responsible for enforcing the National Safety Code.
"Also, I'd be interested to find out more about this particular vehicle and check the inspection records," he added.
Harpe said her daughter deserves at least an apology, if not compensation, from Greyhound for the cold bus rides.
As well, Harpe warned other Greyhound travellers to lower their expectations and bring warm clothes with them onto the bus.
