Opening of the 15 km. bridge from Cape Tormentine, NB, to Borden, PEI, has meant that SMT bus running time from Moncton, through Summerside, to Charlottetown has been cut by about one hour. This has prompted the Irving-owned company to increase service from 9 to 21 round trips per week, greatly improving bus and VIA Rail connections in Moncton, with waits of generally under one hour. Evening trips by-pass Summerside, and thus make the Charlottetown-Borden-Moncton trip in just over 2 hours. Local stops are also made at Hunter River, Kensington, and Borden. Members are urged to publicize the service so the new runs survive the critical winter period.

Meanwhile, the $35 flat rate return fare on the Confederation Bridge cut ferry traffic on the alternative route from easter PEI to Caribou, Nova Scotia, by 30%. The return fare for car and driver on the ferry was $40. But, $9.50 was added for each passenger. Transport Canada recently gave permission for the federally-subsidized Northumberland Ferries Ltd. to shift to an all-inclusive $45 rate and traffic has improved. Numbers for the first week of August, 1997 were 21% higher than in 1996.

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