Greyhound used to stop four times a day in Barriere at the Esso Station;twice travelling southbound and twice travelling northbound. The afternoon buses that previously made those connections have now been discontinued. The cutbacks are part of a package of service reductions recently approved by BC Passenger Transportation Board.
These reductions have taken place despite a concerted effort by the District of Clearwater, and an online petition organized by Canadian Auto Works (CAW), which gathered approximately 800 names.
Greyhound now only makes two stops a day at the Esso Station in Barriere; the northbound bus stops at 12:45 a.m., and the southbound at 5:30 a.m.
Bus passengers must now have their tickets and baggage tags before boarding, and can no longer buy a ticket after getting on the bus. Rates have also been increased.
Passengers who have been travelling by bus to Kamloops for medical appointments, will now find leaving and arriving in the middle of the night makes the trip near to impossible, and for those with medical appointments in Kelowna or elsewhere in the Okanagan, will find the trip even more problematic.
However, there are currently two other options available. Transit service courtesy of Yellowhead Community Services provides a weekly Thursday bus from Vavenby to Kamloops and return the same day. That bus picks up travelers in Barriere at two stops: the Ridge at 9:45 a.m., and the AG parking lot at 9:50 a.m. From Barriere, it costs $5 to ride each way, for a round trip of $10. To pre-book your trip, call 250-674-3935, or for more information call 250-672-9773 Mondays-Thursdays. There is also a bus on Tuesdays, but only for those with medical appointments in town; access information on this bus from the Barriere Medical Centre.