Hearings will take place in Flin Flon, Snow Lake and Thompson to determine the future of intercommunity bus service between the three northern centres.
After fielding intense opposition to cuts proposed by Greyhound Canada, the Manitoba Motor Transport Board wants to hear directly from the communities before reaching a decision.
"The board will hear from the people in the communities and the concerns..." said Iris Murrell, secretary of the Winnipeg-based board. "And Greyhound will have their opportunity to present their application to the public and their reasons (for seeking the cuts)."
As of Monday, no dates had been set for the hearings, but Murrell hoped they would be advertised in local newspapers in the near future.
She would not say how many Manitobans forwarded filings against the cuts.
"There was opposition filed, definitely," Murrell said.
There is no deadline for the board to reach its decision, she added.
Greyhound has applied to eliminate its three-day-a-week service between Flin Flon and Thompson as well as all service in and out of Snow Lake.
Flin Flon city council, the chamber of commerce, the NOR-MAN Regional Health Authority and MLA Gerard Jennissen are among the organizations and individuals who have come out against the move.
Greyhound cites a sluggish economy and low ridership as its rationale.
The company had hoped to implement the cuts effective June 17, a deadline that passed a week ago.
Spokesperson Abby Wambaugh did not know when Greyhound might hear back from the board.
The board's mandate is to ensure Manitobans have adequate transportation services at a fair cost.
