History of bus transport via Rimouski
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![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Terminus_Orleans_Express_de_Rimouski_-_01.jpg/300px-Terminus_Orleans_Express_de_Rimouski_-_01.jpg) Orleans Express Station in Rimouski
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Location
| 90 Avenue Leonidas S,
Rimouski
,
Quebec
Canada
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Owned by
| Orleans Express
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The city of
Rimouski
located in the administrative region of
Bas-Saint-Laurent
, in the
province
of
Quebec
, in
Canada
, has known several bus terminals throughout its history. Several carriers have served this territory. In 1996, more than 200,000 travelers per year passed through the Rimouski bus terminal.
[1]
History of bus transport via Rimouski
[
edit
]
- Launch of a bus service in 1924
A daily bus service (twice a day) connecting
Rimouski
and the Hotel des Touristes in
Sainte-Luce
was launched on July 14, 1924. The departure was from the Hotel St-Laurent (at 6:15 am) in Rimouski by following rue St-Germain towards the river, rue Tessier, rue de l'Eveche, avenue de la Cathedrale, rue St-Germain est and from there, along Chemin du Littoral, to your destination, either Sainte-Luce; the bus returned to Rimouski at 8:30 a.m.
[2]
- Bus service in 1927 between Rimouski and Riviere-du-Loup
A new bus service linking Rimouski and
Riviere-du-Loup
was launched by MM. Baillargeon and Pigeon, of St-Magloire, county of Bellechasse. The lighted and airy Dodge-type bus capable of carrying 21 passengers served this route daily, except Sunday. The bus left in the morning at 7:00 a.m. from Riviere-du-Loup and arrived around 10:00 a.m. in Rimouski. For the return trip, the bus left Rimouski at 3:00 pm to arrive at its starting point around 6:30 pm The bus stops at each of the parishes on its route.
[3]
- Accident in 1928 of a bus falling down a bridge
On August 17, 1928, a passenger transport bus doing daily Rimouski-Riviere-du-Loup service fell about 40 feet down a bridge at Riviere Trois-Pistoles, or about a mile to the east of the village of
Trois-Pistoles
. Six people were injured, including the driver, Mr. Lamelin, who was the most seriously injured.
[4]
- Biencourt-Rimouski bus service in 1937
In an ordinance of December 16, 1937, the Public Services Commission granted a bus service license between
Biencourt
and Rimouski to Mr. Albert Lavoie.
[5]
- Three regular bus services in 1938 attached to Rimouski
In 1938, three companies offered regular daily bus service from Rimouski:
- The first service served the riparian municipalities between Rimouski and
Matane
, over a 60-mile route;
- The second offered a daily service over approximately 65 miles between Rimouski and
Biencourt
, serving the communities of
Sainte-Blandine
[
fr
]
,
Saint-Narcisse
, L'Esprit-Saint,
Lac-des-Aigles
and Biencourt;
- The third made the trip for about 30 miles, twice a day, between Rimouski and
Saint-Francois-Xavier-des-Hauteurs
, passing through
Pointe-au-Pere
,
Sainte-Luce
,
Luceville
,
Saint-Donat
and
Saint-Gabriel
.
Note: None of these services operated on Sundays.
[6]
In addition, a fourth bus service from
Trois-Pistoles
, served the communities of the county of Riviere-du-Loup, to the colonies of
Saint-Medard
and
Saint-Guy
in the county of Rimouski.
- Bus service in 1939 between Hauteurs and Rimouski
A bus service between
Les Hauteurs
and Rimouski was inaugurated on May 10, 1939, for the second consecutive year. This service was offered by the contractor Antoine Levesque who had built the passenger compartment of the coach during the winter of 1938?39. This coach could carry up to 25 passengers. This daily service included a departure at 8:00 am from Les Hauteurs, over a journey of approximately two hours to reach the terminus of Rimouski. The departure from Rimouski was at 4:00 p.m. for the return trip. The parishes served were behind Rimouski then benefited from two daily bus services, that of Rimouski-Biencourt, and Rimouski-Hauteurs.
[7]
At the time, the bus service stopped operating in winter, because the roads were not cleared of snow.
- Creation of the Cie d'Autobus Rimouski Ltee in 1945
According to the
Gazette officielle du Quebec
, the letters patent were granted on January 10, 1945, to the Cie d'Autobus Rimouski Ltee whose founders were: Paul-Emile Gagnon, lawyer, Claude Gagnon, student, Lucienne Michaud, secretary, all three of Rimouski. The company was set up to trade in the transport of passengers and goods, particularly by means of omnibuses, buses, taxi-cabs, coaches, auto-trucks, motor vehicles or other means of public or private transport.
[8]
- Bus transport by Edmond Gagnon in 1946
On December 20, 1946, Edmond Gagnon announced his offer of bus trips on the route from
Mont-Joli
to
Sainte-Florence
,
Val-Brillant
,
La Redemption
,
Price
,
Sanatorium
,
l'Ascension
. His bus was based in
Mont-Joli
.
[9]
- Request in 1948 to obtain a bus service license to serve Rimouski-Est airport
In April 1948, the Regie des Transports sat for two weeks in Rimouski a session to consider several requests for general transport or passenger transport permits (including in snowmobiles), in particular:
- Two entrepreneurs, MM. Alphee Gagnon and Noel Banville, both from Rimouski, had filed a separate request in April 1948 with the Regie des Transports in Rimouski in order to be able to offer passenger transport service to both the head, by bus and taxi, between the airport of Rimouski-est and the city of Rimouski. However, Mr. Banville's request also offered snowmobile service.
- Mr. Edmond Gagnon, of Mont-Joli, presented a request to be authorized to transport by bus and snowmobile, within the limits of the city of Mont-Joli, the faithful going to divine services on Sundays and days of party or coming back.
- Mr. Emile St-Pierre, from Rimouski presented a request to be authorized to operate a local bus service between Rimouski, Bic and St-Fabien, via Notre-Dame-du-Sacre-Coeur.
[10]
- Offer of public transport by bus in 1949 and 1950
According to a 1949 advertisement, bus transportation with connection via Rimouski was offered on three routes:
- Gagnon bus: Mont-Joli -
Matapedia
;
- Harrison bus: Rimouski, Mont-Joli, Matane; from the Hotel Manoir National in Rimouski;
- Autobus Lemelin: Levis, Rimouski; from the Hotel Georges VI, in Rimouski.
[11]
In September 1949, Mr. Albert Gagne put on sale his line of buses, comprising three bombers. The advertisement indicates the address of 121, rue St-Joseph, Rimouski.
[12]
- End of the bus service in 1967 in Saint-Pie-X
The newspaper Le progress du Golfe mentions the end of the bus service in Saint-Pie-X; this service was no longer profitable for Cie d'Autobus Rimouski Ltee.
[13]
- Merger of operation of school and public transport in 1968
Since August 28, 1968, school and public transporters in Rimouski and its suburbs have been under the control of the company "Votre Choix Transport". This company was incorporated in 1965 with the advent of the "Commission scolaire regionale du Bas Saint-Laurent". La Cie d'Autobus Rimouski Ltee, which had been offering public transport for 23 years, was acquired by "Votre Choix Transport", thus putting an end to the duplication of public transport services. This fleet of eight buses and all the equipment inherent to its maintenance has been transferred to the new carrier. Thus, since September 2, 1965, the rolling stock of the old company has been stored on the land of the purchaser located on the hill, at 52 rue Leonidas, where the head office is also located. Thus, the new company continued its offer of public transport service in all districts of the city without municipal subsidy.
[14]
- Construction of a terminal station for "Le Voyageur" buses in 1969
The newspaper "Le progress du Golfe" mentioned in its October 17, 1969 edition that a terminal station (100 'X 40') for "Le Voyageur" buses will be built shortly on the grounds of the Hotel Georges VI.
[15]
- Bus service between Les Hauteurs and Rimouski in 1986
A 1986 message indicates that a bus shuttles daily between
Les Hauteurs
and Rimouski. The bus leaves in the morning at Les Hauteurs at 6:45 am, passes through
Saint-Gabriel
,
Saint-Donat
,
Luceville
,
Saint-Anaclet
and arrives in
Rimouski
at 7:40 am. In the evening, the bus leaves the university for the opposite route.
[16]
- Start of the Orleans Express carrier in 1996
A new bus terminal for the Orleans Express carrier was put into service on July 10, 1996, on Leonidas Street in Rimouski, thanks to an investment of $1.5 million. This terminus was owned by the Rimouski businessman Gaston Cote. The latter then became the new agent for Autocars Orleans Express in Rimouski. When it opened, the owners expected to be able to increase the daily frequency of the 18 departures and arrivals of coaches.
The terminal situs offers quick access to
route 132
and to the section of Autoroute 20. When it opened, the new terminal offered a mechanical maintenance service for coaches, as well as a full catering service for users and travelers. In 1996, the new terminus had 28 direct workers and 12 indirect jobs.
[1]
- Autocars La Chaudiere - price in December 2003
The Desjardins Commercial Merit Award for the month of December 2003 was awarded to "Autocars La Chaudiere" by the Chamber of Commerce of Entrepreneurs of Quebec. This company transported more than 300,000 people annually with a fleet of 25 vehicles (12 luxury coaches, school buses and four transport minibuses).
[17]
Since 2001, as part of its expansion, Autocars La Chaudiere has acquired three bus companies: Autobus Daniel de Rimouski, Autobus Saint-Georges and Autobus Mitis.
- Terminus Orleans Express in Rimouski
The Rimouski Orleans Express Terminus is a
bus terminus
located at 90 Avenue Leonidas, in
Rimouski
. In 1996, more than 200,000 travelers per year passed through this terminus.
[1]
In 2019, the buses left from this Rimouski station in the direction of
Sainte-Anne-des-Monts
and
Gaspe
; towards
Carleton-sur-Mer
and
Grande-Riviere, Quebec
; and in the direction of
Riviere-du-Loup
and
Quebec (city)
.
Notes and references
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
Article: "Rimouski - New terminus inaugurated", Journal Le Soleil, July 10, 1996, p. A4.
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Article "Servie d'autobus", Le progress du Golfe, July 11, 1924, p. 4.
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Article "Rimouski-Riviere du Loup", Le Gulf Progress, June 17, 1927, p. 4.
- ^
Journal "Le Progres du Golfe", August 17, 1928, p. 6.
- ^
Journal "Le Progres du Golfe", December 17, 1937, p. 1.
- ^
Document "Inventory of natural and industrial resources", 1938, municipal county of Rimouski, published by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Industry and Commerce of the Province of Quebec.
- ^
Article "Bus service", by DNC, Journal Le Soleil, 10 May 1939, p. 6.
- ^
Gazette officielle du Quebec, June 9, 1945, Tome 77, no. 23, p. 1141-1142 - Letters patent granted to Cie d'Autobus Rimouski Ltee.
- ^
Journal Le Progres du Golfe, December 20, 1946, p. 11.
- ^
Journal Le Progres du Golfe, April 23, 1948, p. 3.
- ^
Le progress du Golfe, published in particular on November 25, 1949, December 2, 1949, January 13, 1950, January 20, 1950 (p. 9).
- ^
Journal Le Progres du Golfe, September 30, 1949, p. 8.
- ^
Le Progres du Golfe newspaper, June 8, 1967, p. 2.
- ^
Article "For a better service - Unit of operation of school and public transport", Journal Le progress du Golfe, September 5, 1968, p. 1.
- ^
The Progress of the Gulf, October 17, 1969, p. 5, chronicle.
- ^
UQAR-Information, weekly from the Universite du Quebec a Rimouski, September 8, 1986, p. 4, "In Brief" section.
- ^
Regional labor market bulletin: Chaudiere-Appalaches - Planning and of the Emploi-Quebec partnership, 4th quarter 2003, p. 6.