Valley Bus will be transitioning its services to help better serve the community effective as of Monday, May 1, with the non-profit Valley Bus Society contracting transportation and dispatch services to Bubba T’s Bus Tours and Shuttle Service.
Although Bubba T’s will be taking over service operations, the Valley Bus Society board will continue to remain active in the community and will put its focus on fundraising to help offset and manage costs.
“Contracting (the services) out will leave more time for the board to do fundraising and those kinds of efforts,” says Valley Bus Society President Ron Tremblay. “Instead of being split in two directions and going nowhere, we can focus our efforts on one direction.”
Valley Bus was started in 1984 when The Royal Purple and the Elks clubs got together and bought the first handibus for the community. Operations of the service were handed over to the Town of Drumheller during the early days prior to the formation of the Valley Bus Society, which has maintained operations since.
Over the last several years, the Valley Bus Society has run into challenges as ridership-the main source of revenue-began to dwindle around 2018 to 2019.
Town Councillor Tony Lacher, who is the appointed Town representative on the Valley Bus Society board, shares ridership was about 1,200 people a month at its height, but has dwindled to less than half in recent years.
Not only did ridership decline, expenses began to increase as the fleet required repairs and potential replacement, and Mr. Lacher says the society came to the decision about two years ago it would need to change its business plan, and that’s when discussions regarding subcontracting operations began.
“We’ll look to the community for continued support-we’re going to be out fundraising and looking for donations, we still have an operation to maintain,” Mr. Lacher says.
Although the Town of Drumheller provides the Valley Bus Society with an annual grant, it is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the organization. The Town offered space on its municipal website to post an Expression of Interest to assist in the search for a subcontractor.
Two tenders were received and, after review, Bubba T’s were chosen as the successful applicants.
Brothers Norm and Tom Fournier, co-owners of Bubba T’s, have lived in the Drumheller Valley for some four decades. They tell the Mail they have seen and heard first hand the need for the Valley Bus service in the community, and say they want to make the transition as smooth as possible for existing Valley Bus riders.
“The goal is to provide the best service possible to the elderly and disabled in the community,” Tom says. “We’re in it for the seniors and handicapped people in the community; we’re not in it to make a million.”
Bubba T’s will use two of its own handicap accessible buses currently in its fleet, and will also lease a third from Valley Bus. Norm and Tom hope they will be able to resume out of town trips, which had been previously discontinued, and aim to keep existing services the same as best as they are able.
Bubba T’s will officially take over service operations and dispatch effective as of Monday, May 1.

With the snow quickly receding and the river breaking up, spring is coming to the valley. It is also leaving behind tinder-dry grass and brush.
Conditions in Drumheller and the surrounding area are extremely dry and have heightened the fire risk.
Last Saturday, April 22, the Dalum Fire Department responded to a brush fire in their area in windy conditions. Fire Chief Albert Jensen tells the Mail, that conditions are very dry in their service area, contributing to the risk.
At this point, no fire ban has been issued for Wheatland County.
“It is not unprecedented for this time of year, but it is highly flammable,” said Jensen.
The department utilized a Super B water tank to have water on site. This unit is on loan as the department awaits delivery of its own, which it has been diligently fundraising to purchase. This brings an ample supply of water to the site when often there is no access in rural areas.
He cautions residents to be more vigilant when conditions are this dry. This includes properly extinguishing smoking materials and taking care when burning.
“Right now, it is so dry that even hitting a rock when you are harrowing can start it,” said Jensen.
The following day, at around noon, the Drumheller Fire Department responded to a grass fire near a gas plant on Taylor Siding Road. While the department was able to quickly put out the fire, it demonstrates the heightened risk.
“It’s getting awful dry, and it doesn't look like there is much moisture in the near future," said Drumheller Fire Chief Derian Rosario.
This follows a bale fire near the Drumheller Institution on Wednesday evening, April 19, and last weekend's fire in Nacmine that started from an outdoor recreational fire.
“If you are going have an outdoor fire right now, and there are no restrictions, make sure you have a proper fire pit, and have it three metres away from any combustibles, including above, such as a tree canopy,” said Rosario. “The pit must be 18 inches tall and have a screen. It is so important.”
“If you do have an outside fire in a pit, when you are done, soak it, stir it and soak it again, so you know it's out. Be careful and mindful not to leave a fire unattended.”
The Town of Drumheller issued a fire advisory on Tuesday, April 25 until further notice due to warming weather and dry, windy conditions.
Under the advisory consumer fireworks and burning without a valid fire permit are prohibited.
Campfires and fire pits at commercial campgrounds and residential fire pits compliant with Fire Bylaw 04.07 are permitted, along with natural and propane fire pits, electric stoves, barbecues, and smokers that are CSA approved or ULC certified; charcoal, briquette, and wood barbecues and catalytic or infrared style heaters that are CSA approved or ULC certified are also permitted.