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Greyhound officials will meet with Transport Canada “in the near future” to discuss what measures could be added to improve security on inter-city bus travel across Canada, a spokesperson for Greyhound says.
Whether the Ottawa Bus Central Station could be affected by the changes depends on what is decided at the meeting.
Greyhound recently completed an assessment of its bus network, including research about the security measures currently in place and how different risks are being handled.
Two recent stabbings on Greyhound buses in Canada have raised awareness among Canadians about bus safety issues, but the risk assessment began before these incidents
Abby Wambaugh, a Greyhound spokesperson, says Greyhound has been working with Transport Canada for more than a year and a half.
According to a Transport Canada news release from April 2007, the 2004 bombings in Madrid and 2005 bombings in London prompted Canada to look at security issues with high-volume passenger transit.
Transport Canada funded Greyhound Canada with $285,000 for the risk assessment.
Wambaugh says many different security measures are being discussed as possibilities, but says it would be premature to discuss any potential measures.
Although Greyhound Canada has buses departing from the Ottawa central station on Catherine Street, the facility is not owned by Greyhound. It is a Greyhound agency, meaning a third party contracts with Greyhound to sell tickets and act as a bus stop, says Wambaugh.
Even if there were any policy changes at Greyhound Canada, this would not necessarily mean the Ottawa station would automatically be affected.
“That does depend on what’s decided at the meeting, and what’s decided in terms of security in general,” says Wambaugh.
Wambaugh says Greyhound Canada is looking to Transport Canada for funding so it can implement some different security measures.
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“We believe that it’s not something that can be addressed by the private sector alone financially,” says Wambaugh.
In the Ottawa station, travellers line up informally at the appropriate gate with their tickets, and board the bus from there.
Greyhound Canada’s policy says it reserves the right to inspect all baggage and freight, but it is not mandatory for drivers to do so.
In the United States, Greyhound has random baggage checks. Wambaugh says the Department of Homeland Security has provided Greyhound with over $16 million in grants since 2003, allowing Greyhound to implement security measures.
Wambaugh says Greyhound Canada is looking to apply security measures in Canada based on the risk assessment and the company’s discussion with Transport Canada.
“This might include omissions or additions that would be different from our current security measures in the U.S.,” says Wambaugh.
There are security guards at the station to monitor the area. However, it is open late at night and this can pose safety concerns.
Police have received 15 calls about suspicious people and 14 calls about disturbances at the Ottawa station so far this year, says Carol Ryan, media relations officer at the Ottawa Police Service.
However, Const. Alain Boucher says personal safety should always be kept in mind.
“In any travels, whether it’s on a Greyhound bus, or trains, or airplanes, there’s always a risk involved in travelling. Passengers must be aware of their surroundings and act accordingly."