Mike Cassidy is the owner of Trius Transit. (CBC)

A new Maritime bus service will soon be a reality.

Trius Tours, of Charlottetown, has been given the green light to operate a bus service within all three Maritime provinces.

The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approved the application Thursday afternoon. The New Brunswick board had already given approval.

"When you see the written decision that our new company is going to be in a position to operate the passenger line run and passenger and parcel service within Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, it is exciting," said Mike Cassidy, owner of Trius Tours.

"Now the work really begins."

The new bus service will be called the Tri-Maritime Bus Network and will begin operating on Dec. 1. That is the day after Acadian Lines stops its bus service through the region.

In announcing the end of its service, Acadian said it had lost millions of dollars. Government regulations required it to operate on low-traffic routes alongside the more profitable ones.

Cassidy says Trius expects to hire up to 70 people throughout the Maritimes.