What's news at 567 Wallace Road

Ontario Northland has completed the construction of its new bus garage.

Further information is included in the following news release issued this morning by ON:

Construction of Ontario Northland’s new $2.3 million motor coach maintenance and administration facility is complete.

The 1288-sq. meter facility is located at 567 Wallace Road in North Bay and houses both maintenance and office administration operations for the company’s Motor Coach Services division.

“This new facility is an investment in the future of Ontario Northland’s Motor Coach Services division and demonstrates our commitment to our passengers and to the North,” said Steve Carmichael, President and CEO of Ontario Northland.

“We have constructed a first-class facility in which we will maintain not only our own coaches but as well, from which we will be able to offer services to our colleagues in the industry.”

The facility will allow Ontario Northland’s Motor Coach Services division to perform full maintenance on all of their motor coaches.

Its location on Wallace Road, next to the Pete Palangio Arena in North Bay, is ideal in that is at less than 1 km away from The Station, the main terminal for passengers traveling by motor coach and train in and out of the city.

The building was constructed of prefabricated steel and features eight bays, including a washing facility. The garage can accommodate the larger 55-passenger coaches, which have become standard in the industry.

Staff and operations are currently transitioning into the new facility and an official opening is scheduled for April 2006.

Background
Ontario Northland’s Motor Coach Services division operates a fleet of 24 highway motor coaches, nine of which are wheelchair accessible. The division operates scheduled motor coach service between Toronto and Hearst, along the Highway 11 corridor which passes through North Bay and Cochrane, and along the Highway 69 corridor, which passes through Sudbury and Timmins.


Motor Coach Services also offers charter and tour services for groups traveling throughout Canada and the continental United States, along with Bus Parcel Express (BPX) services. BPX is a shipping service which offers station-to-station delivery of envelopes and parcels, often on the same day. The transportation of these parcels is handled through scheduled motor coach service routes, with connections across the continent offered through partnerships with other carriers.

In 2005, more than 300,000 passengers traveled with Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services.