For the second time in two years, the Commons transport committee has launched an inquiry into ongoing issues with VIA Rail service, following a Labor Day weekend trip that left passengers stranded for 14 hours on what should have been a routine four-hour journey. Blacklock's Reporter says the incident, which occurred on VIA Rail’s busy Montreal-Québec City route, has reignited frustration over the Crown railway's handling of passenger services.Conservative MP Luc Berthold (Mégantic-L’Érable, Que.) described the harrowing experience on Train 622, where passengers were stuck near Drummondville, Que., without food or washroom facilities after the train suffered engine trouble."There were passengers who were crying, who called 911," Berthold said. "People were having panic attacks. Some were having medical issues and needed to be evacuated. This is unacceptable in 2024."Passengers were instructed to remain on board for hours as a foul odor, resembling burning rubber, spread through the train cars. The ordeal has prompted calls for those affected to share their experiences directly with the committee. “We really need to hear from the passengers,” said Liberal MP Sherry Romanado (Longueuil-Charles LeMoyne, Que.), suggesting that their testimony will help “get a better understanding” of what went wrong.Conservative MP Philip Lawrence (Northumberland-Peterborough South, Ont.) noted that this was not an isolated incident. "If it were in a vacuum, perhaps I would not have as much frustration as I do," he said, referencing earlier service disruptions that have plagued VIA Rail in recent years.This latest inquiry comes after the committee’s 2023 investigation into Christmas holiday disruptions, during which travelers were left stranded for 18 hours near Cobourg, Ont., due to a freight train derailment and fallen trees. At the time, then-CEO Martin Landry apologized, admitting, “We should have done better,” and expressed hopes that travelers would give VIA Rail another chance.Landry, who was awarded a $413,500 salary and part of a $6.4 million bonus package for executives in 2023 despite the railway’s service issues, acknowledged the disappointment felt by passengers: “We didn’t meet your expectations and for that we apologize.”VIA Rail, a Crown corporation created in 1978, has struggled with reliability in recent years, with operating losses reaching $381.8 million in 2023. To improve its performance statistics, the company has even redefined "on-time" service, extending the acceptable delay to 15 minutes—a looser standard compared to other countries, where on-time metrics range from 5 to 10 minutes.
For the second time in two years, the Commons transport committee has launched an inquiry into ongoing issues with VIA Rail service, following a Labor Day weekend trip that left passengers stranded for 14 hours on what should have been a routine four-hour journey. Blacklock's Reporter says the incident, which occurred on VIA Rail’s busy Montreal-Québec City route, has reignited frustration over the Crown railway's handling of passenger services.Conservative MP Luc Berthold (Mégantic-L’Érable, Que.) described the harrowing experience on Train 622, where passengers were stuck near Drummondville, Que., without food or washroom facilities after the train suffered engine trouble."There were passengers who were crying, who called 911," Berthold said. "People were having panic attacks. Some were having medical issues and needed to be evacuated. This is unacceptable in 2024."Passengers were instructed to remain on board for hours as a foul odor, resembling burning rubber, spread through the train cars. The ordeal has prompted calls for those affected to share their experiences directly with the committee. “We really need to hear from the passengers,” said Liberal MP Sherry Romanado (Longueuil-Charles LeMoyne, Que.), suggesting that their testimony will help “get a better understanding” of what went wrong.Conservative MP Philip Lawrence (Northumberland-Peterborough South, Ont.) noted that this was not an isolated incident. "If it were in a vacuum, perhaps I would not have as much frustration as I do," he said, referencing earlier service disruptions that have plagued VIA Rail in recent years.This latest inquiry comes after the committee’s 2023 investigation into Christmas holiday disruptions, during which travelers were left stranded for 18 hours near Cobourg, Ont., due to a freight train derailment and fallen trees. At the time, then-CEO Martin Landry apologized, admitting, “We should have done better,” and expressed hopes that travelers would give VIA Rail another chance.Landry, who was awarded a $413,500 salary and part of a $6.4 million bonus package for executives in 2023 despite the railway’s service issues, acknowledged the disappointment felt by passengers: “We didn’t meet your expectations and for that we apologize.”VIA Rail, a Crown corporation created in 1978, has struggled with reliability in recent years, with operating losses reaching $381.8 million in 2023. To improve its performance statistics, the company has even redefined "on-time" service, extending the acceptable delay to 15 minutes—a looser standard compared to other countries, where on-time metrics range from 5 to 10 minutes.
