Companies including Trius Tours and VIA Rail have come forward to express interest in keeping a Maritime bus service running, but they want some more freedoms from regulations that Acadian says made the business unprofitable.

Transportation minister Maurice Smith tells News 95.7 the provincial government is open to the possibility of allowing companies freedom to set schedules, pick routes and design stops without a regulator overseeing the process.

“I spoke late yesterday (Thursday) with my deputy and he was in touch with both deputies in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick,” he says. “Our staff is working on these things and of course the applicant will have to have their input as well as to what their needs are.”

He explains up until now Acadian has had the exclusive rights to all the routes – including the ones that were profitable and the ones that weren’t.

“The new company Trius that has put in an application to the UARB is basically saying the can certainly make a profit but they would need some leeway to make economic decisions without having to go to the UARB every time,” says Smith.

He says the discussions have already begun with their provincial counterparts in New Brunswick.

The goal is to end up with compatible regulations between the provinces.