A new passenger and freight bus service has begun serving Ponoka.
Edmonton-based Cold Shot made its first Edmonton to Calgary run on Aug. 10 with twice daily service as part of its expansion in order to further fill the void left by Greyhound’s departure from the business last October.
“We’ve added the run after stepping into the breach created,” said Sunny Balwaria, Cold Shot president, in a release.
The new route operates from the company’s Edmonton terminal on the southside of the city (119 St. and 112 Ave.) with scheduled stops in Red Deer, Airdrie, northeast Calgary and ending at the Flying J Truck Stop on 40 St. S.E. Calgary.
“We believe that local businesses and passengers will appreciate the convenience to ship and travel with an Alberta-owned carrier along the Hwy. 2A corridor to Calgary,” added Balwaria.
“We have local depots for freight and passengers in 11 communities between Edmonton and Calgary, so, you can travel and ship to communities as near as Millet or Wetaskiwin or as far away as Crossfield and Airdrie.”
The route utilizes a custom 20-passenger shuttle bus rather than the large and expensive coach buses, providing convenient and quality service for a lower cost, explained Balwaria.
“By using smaller buses, we are able to pass on savings to our customers,” he said. “Passenger and freight customers will benefit from rates that are 35 to 45 per cent lower than any competitor.”
In addition, Cold Shot has instituted a unique passenger rewards program, offering a free ticket for an individuals’ sixth ride. Passengers also benefit from the company’s user-friendly online ticketing system.
“Our system makes it easier for passengers to plan and purchase tickets and we ensure that real people are available to provide our services, rather than automated interfaces,” he stated.
To check out the new service, passengers should head to www.coldshot.ca or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/coldshotbus. Freight customers can go to www.coldshotca.com.