Prairie Transportation Company Limited 1927-1933

Incorporated in March 1927 at Regina by W.F. Lange and A. McLellan, this company began operating the Regina-Moose Jaw-Assiniboia route. It was later acquired by R. Peverley and Checker Stage Service Ltd. Pictured above was the company's 1927 Gotfredson model 51 named "Miss Regina".

Photogragh from Canadian Marine & Railway Magazine

Checker Stage Service Limited 1931-1938

Owned by R. Peverley and managed by G.T. Peverley, this company began operating the Regina-Weyburn route. The company also provided contract bus service to the Regina Municipal Railway.

By 1933 Checker Greyhound extended its Regina-Weyburn service to Estavan after assuming control over a route operated by O.L. Monteith, and later adding North Portal to the run for the Minot-Bismark-Fargo-Minneapolis-Chicago connection. However, rapid expansion across southern Saskatchewan left Peverley's company heavily in-debt. He sold the operation in 1938 Central Canadian Greyhound Lines of Calgary, Alberta.

Photograph courtesy of Ian Moore

Checker Stage Service Limited 1931-1938

On May 18, 1933, Checker Stage Service connected for the first time with Manitoba Motor Transit at Fleming, Saskatchewan to provide inter-provincial service between Regina and Winnipeg. Operating under the name "Checker Greyhound" the company also ran the Regina-Moose Jaw route, later expanding service to Swift Current and Maple Creek. An interline arrangement with Central Canadian Greyhound Lines allowed passengers to travel through to Medicine Hat and Calgary.

Photograph courtesy of Ian Moore

Gray Goose Stage Limited

Gray Goose Stage Limited of Saskatoon which ran the Prince Albert-Saskatoon-North Battleford-Lloydminster route.

Photograph courtesy of Bill Luke

Midland Bus Lines Limited 1926-1938

Established by Lorne Frizzell of Edmonton, Alberta, this bus line made the crucial connection at Lloydminster to connect Saskatoon with Edmonton. Midland bought Gray Goose Stages, and Greyhound eventually bought Midland Lines.

Arrow Coach Lines Limited

Other bus operators around this time included Arrow Coach Lines Limited of Saskatoon owned by Robert J. Duncan which ran the Yorkton-Saskatoon, Saskatoon-Humbolt, Saskatoon-Manitou Beach, and Saskatoon-Moose Jaw-Regina routes, while G.J. Stewart held the operating authority for the Regina-Melville-Yorkton route, the Moose Jaw Checker Cab Company which operated the Moose Jaw-Manitou Beach route, and Red Bus Lines of Drumheller, Alberta and owned by W. Poxon operated the Clagary-Drumheller-Alsask-Saskatoon Route.

Photograph courtesy of Bill Luke

Western Canadian Greyhound LInes Limited 1940-1957

By 1941 Greyhound had acquired a series of companies operating in Saskatchewan including Midland Bus Lines/Gray Goose Stage Limited, Arrow Coach Lines, and Checker Stage/Prairie Coach Lines. This allowed Greyhound full inter-provincial route access, and gave it a number of intra-provincial routes including Regina-Melville-Yorkton, Regina-Watrous-Manitou Beach, Regina-Weyburn-Estavan, Regina-Moose Jaw-Saskatoon-Prince Albert, Saskatoon-Rosetown-Alsask and Moose Jaw-Assiniboine. Pictured above, a 1948 MCI Courier 95 departs Winnipeg for Calgary traveling via the "Short Route" through southern Saskatchewan including stops in Regina, Moose Jaw and Swift Current.

Photograph courtesy of Bill Luke

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

Created by an order-in-council on April 1, 1946, the provincial government of premier T.C. "Tommy" Douglas established a crown corporation called the "Saskatchewan Transportation Company". It was mandated to provide bus services between major centres and to as much of the dispersed rural population as possible in a fiscally responsible manner.

Photograph courtesy of Alex Regiec

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

The new crown corporation assumed operation of many intra-provincial routes that were operated by Greyhound and 10 other smaller companies. STC grew rapidly operating over 30 routes by the 1950s, and acquired a fleet of new buses including this Western Flyer model P-41 Canuck.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis Cavanagh

Moose Mountain Lines Limited 1953-1994

Started by a partnership of six ex-STC drivers, including Clayton Stewart, George Allen and Howie Erlandson, to replace STC's discontinued service along Highway 48 (formerly Highway 16) between Regina-Kipling-Wawota-Maryfield.

Photograph courtesy of William A. Luke

Safe-T-Ways Motor Coach Limited 1958-1966

Ira Whitcomb, an ex-STC driver, started a company to provide scheduled service between Saskatoon-Purdue-Biggar-Kerrobert-Luseland-Macklin using a Western Flyer 28-passenger coach similar to the one pictured above.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis Cavanagh

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

The 1960s were an era of expansion and growth as the crown corporation purchased modern diesel coaches equipped with air-conditioning and restrooms. It also constructed a new bus depot in Regina and upgraded facilities in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon.

Photograph courtesy of Peter Cox

Moose Mountain Lines Limited 1953-1994

In 1957 the company was sold to Alex Bishop, who in 1960 succesfully obtained a full chartering authority from the Saskatchewan government.

Photograph courtesy of Peter Cox

Moose Mountain Lines Limited 1953-1994

Taken on the grounds of the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in 1967, this picture highlighted the fleet of buses from Western Flyer Coach and Motor Coach Industries. The drivers from left to right were: Patrick "Dewey" Bell, Don Callan, Bill Molnar, Willie Lipsett, Dallas Tenold, and Arnold Yanke.

Photograph courtesy of Jim Duke

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

The crown corporation had an equipment pooling and interline arrangement with Grey Goose Bus Lines allowing each company's buses to operate "thru-service" on the Regina-Gainsborough-Morden-Winnipeg route. This arrangment lasted until 1969. This Regina bound Canuck 500 was seen departing the Winnipeg Bus depot in 1967.

Photograph courtesy of Peter Cox

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

The crown corporation introduced escorted tours in the early 1970s, providing winter vacationers with trip packages to the southern United States.

Photograph courtesy of Peter Cox

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

The crown corporation constructed a state-of-the-art bus depot in Saskatoon in 1975. Above, STC purchased a Motor Coach Industries model MC-5C in the late 1970s.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis Cavanagh

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

A luxury non-stop express service was introduced on the Regina-Saskatoon corridor.

Photograph courtesy of Peter Cox

Moose Mountain Lines Limited 1953-1994

Scheduled route operations included Regina-Kipling-Wawota-Maryfield with a summer extension into the Kenosse Lake town site; Regina-Bengough; Regina-Redvers; and Regina-Moosomin-Rocanville.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis Cavanagh

Greyhound Lines of Canada Limited 1957-1995

Greyhound had redesigned its corporate look adopting large double "swoosh" lines and a red-white-blue colour scheme.

Traveltime Postcard

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

A major maintenance and storage facility was built in Saskatoon in 1983, replacing the outdated garage built in 1947. The crown corporation also redesigned its corporate look and colours, re-branding itself at "STC Lines".

Photograph courtesy of Peter Cox

Moose Mountain Lines Limited 1953-1994

The company changed ownership and declining ridership led to the abandonment of the Regina-Bengough and Regina-Redvers routes.

Photograph courtesy of Peter Cox

Western Trailways Motor Coach Lines Limited 1957-1989

Established by Bob "Big Red" Evans, an ex-STC driver, the company provided daily service on the Saskatoon-Outlook-Elrose-Eston route. It was purchased by the Meier family of Saskatoon and later sold to Diversified Transportation/Pacific Western of Alberta. Eventually scheduled service was discontinued due to declining ridership.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis Cavanagh

Capital Coach Lines Limited 1988-1995

Resumed operation of the Regina-Stoughton-Redvers route, but only lasted for a short time. Fuller's Bus Service assumed operation of the current schedule operating Regina-Redvers-Alida with a van and trailer.

Photograph courtesy of Peter Cox

Moose Mountain Bus Lines Limited 1994-Present

Moose Mountain Lines was acquired by Beaver Bus Lines in 1994. The company name was changed to Moose Mountain Bus Lines Limited and refocussed on escorted tours and charters.

Photograph courtesy of John D. Fehr

Prince Albert Northern Limited 1953-Present

This company is based out of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and maintains a fleet of modern highway coaches for charter service.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis Cavanagh

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

In the 1990s, the crown corporation again redesigned its corporate image by highlighting the province's name and adopting the official provincial colours. This model D4500 coach was seen at a rest stop in Chamberlain, Saskatchewan while enroute on the Saskatoon-Regina express run.

Photograph courtesy of Alex Regiec

Fuller's Bus Service 1996-Present

On the platform at the Regina Bus Depot, a Fuller's Bus Service van and trailer prepares to depart on the Regina-Redvers-Alida route in 2004.

Photograph courtesy of Alex Regiec

Greyhound Canada Transportation Corp. 1995-Present

On a rainy morning in September 2005, an eastbound Greyhound coach is parked at its scheduled coffee stop in Whitewood, Saskatchewan.

Photograph courtesy of Alex Regiec

Engelheim Bus lines Inc. 1975-Present

Started in July 1975 by Oliver and Gladys Engel in Lipton, Saskatchewan, their company began with one school bus and now operates a fleet of 5 modern highway coaches.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis Cavanagh

Whiteline Charters Inc. 2001-Present

Based in Whitewood, Saskatchewan, this company is owned and operated by Tony and Wendy Saltasuk and provides charter services using modern highway coaches.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis Cavanagh

Sun West Coach 1998-Present

Owned and operated by Cliff and Stephanie Wright, this family run company uses four coaches to provide charter and escorted tours. Their company is based in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

Photograph courtesy of Sun West Coach

Stagecoach Tours & Charters Inc.

Seen here on charter duty in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this company is based out of Weyburn, Saskatchewan.

Photograph courtesy of Jackie Wilkie

Excel Bus Lines Inc.

This company is based out of Swift Current, Saskatchewan and was seen here on charter duty in the summer of 2006.

Photograph courtesy of Alex Regiec

Prince Albert Northern Limited 1946-Present

This company is based out of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Owned until recently by Steve Ruznisky, the company was sold to a ownership group headed up by Harvey Clarke, Stacey Peterman and the Montreal Lake Cree Nation. Pictured above is a Prevost model H3-45 coach used primarily for charter service.

Photograph courtesy of Dennis Cavanagh

Moose Mountain Bus Lines Limited 1994-Present

Moose Mountain Bus Lines continues to upgrade its fleet of charter and touring coaches with the purchase of this Motor Coach Industries model J4500 in 2004.

Photograph courtesy of Lloyd Greenaway

Moose Mountain Bus Lines Limited 1994-Present

A recent addition to the Moose Mountain Bus Lines fleet is this Prevost model H3-45 delivered in early 2006.

Photograph courtesy of Wayne Foster

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

The crown corporation introduced accessible services for passengers with physical disabilites by acquiring coaches equipped with wheelchair lifts.

Photograph courtesy of Alex Regiec

Greyhound Canada Transportation Corp. 1995-Present

Greyhound continues to provide inter-provincial scheduled service across Saskatchewan on the Trans-Canada (Regina-Moose Jaw-Swift Current) and Yellowhead (Lloydminster-North Battleford-Saskatoon-Yorkton) highways. The company also provides service on the Saskatoon-Alsask-Calgary route.

Photograph courtesy of Alex Regiec

Saskatchewan Transportation Company 1946-Present

Now in its 67th year of operation, the crown-owned Saskatchewan Transportation Company continues to meet its mandate of providing scheduled service between major cities and rural destinations, along with parcel express and charter bus services.

Photograph courtesy of Alex Regiec