Sarnia council has two applications for funding to consider Monday for possible reinstatement of intercity Greyhound bus service.
Mayor Mike Bradley would like to see the city take the lead on its own application under the Community Transportation Grant Program rather than supporting a bid from Strathroy-Caradoc.
"I think we both have merits to our applications," says Bradley. "I would prefer we take the lead since we instigated this, at the same time we are the larger city and the need I would say is greater then it is in the other area."
Bradley believes we have the market for the service but says it won't work without a grant.
"The upside on applying, because of the tight deadline at the end of this month, is that we understand that the decision is going to be made very soon. So, we would know by the spring whether we're going to get additional transportation services into Sarnia-Lambton."
City staff believe supporting Strathroy-Caradoc's application, for the same service, would have a higher chance of success -- given that Strathroy is on the border of a priority area identified in the grant guidelines.
The grant for long distance service is a maximum of $1.5-million over five years and would subsidize a route between Sarnia and London with a stop in Strathroy, for two round trips per day five days a week.
The application deadline is February 28.