Ontario Northland looked “long and hard” for a new Sudbury bus depot before settling on a vacant car dealership at 1663 The Kingsway, according to the president and CEO of the provincial transportation and telecommunications agency.

“We liked this location, particularly for the public, but also for our drivers,” Paul Goulet said, speaking to reporters at the bus depot's grand opening Jan. 27. “We saw ample parking, and knew we had a facility we could live in for a long period of time.”

Goulet said the new location is “very visible” and “easy-to-access,” and is close to stores and restaurants.

The 9,000-square-foot building has been upgraded to be wheelchair accessible, and features free wireless Internet. It also has two bus bays where some repairs can be done to the company's bus fleet, although Ontario Northland's main garage is still in North Bay.

“We're probably going to expand our maintenance capabilities in Sudbury as we go,” Goulet said.

Ontario Northland's bus depot was previously on Notre Dame. Greyhound is still running out of that location.

“We're in ongoing discussions with Greyhound,” Goulet said. “We hope sometime in the future they're going to join us here.”

The new bus depot is the hub for Ontario Northland's motor coach service from Sudbury to Toronto, and vice versa, and from Sudbury to Timmins, and vice versa. On both routes, the buses stops in several communities along the way.

Ontera, Ontario Northland's telecommunications company, has also relocated its Sudbury office to the new bus depot.

Sudbury MPP and Minister of Northern Ontario Development and Mines Rick Bartolucci, who was on hand for the grand opening, said the new bus dept is “an example of how bright the future can be.”

“Efficient, modern transportation such as this new bus terminal is critical to northern Ontario's future,” he said. “After all, transportation infrastructure connects communities within the north to one another, and the rest of the world.”
Blaine Smith, president and general manager of the Sudbury Wolves, said the OHL team started travelling in a “state-of-the-art” Ontario Northland bus about a year ago, and they “couldn't be happier” with their choice.

“It has leather seats, all seats individually are heated, it has Internet access, and there are individual plug-ins for (the players') iPods,” he said.

Smith said he thinks the new bus depot will be “great” for Ontario Northland.
“It gives Ontario Northland a greater presence, certainly, in the Ontario marketplace,” he said. “Now that we have this presence here in a very high-traffic area, I think it's great for their brand, and great for their product.”

The bus depot is open seven days a week, from 6:30 a.m. until midnight. For more information, visit www.ontarionorthland.ca.

Posted by Arron Pickard