All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems
Manitoba Communities

Flin Flon, Manitoba

Doxey's Bus Service (1930s)
Also referred to in print as the Lake View Bus. A fleet of five buses were operated in transit service between residential areas and the mining and smelting employment centres, 1938. Owned by T.H. Doxey (Jarvis et al. p. 54).

Northern Bus Lines Ltd. (August 1949 - 1955)
Owned by Howard Doxey and others. (Saskatoon Star-Phoenix Aug. 15, 1949 p. 3) Began operating bus service for Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company under contract, then assumed city service in 1952 (Luke & Metler, p. 84).

Gardewine and Sons Ltd. (1955 - 01 June 1957)
Signed a five year contract with Flin Flon to operate transit service, which they then gave up early (Regina Leader-Post Sep. 21, 1956 p. 10).

Northern Bus Lines Ltd. (15 August 1957 - 31 July 1959)
Company also an intercity bus operator. (Saskatoon Star-Phoenix Apr. 17, 1957 p. 2, RS, photo: Manitoba Transit Heritage Association).

Flin Flon Bus Co (November 1959 - ?)
Owners John Ross and Russel Cassan. (Dawes et al. 1972 lists Flin Flon Bus Lines Ltd.) (RS).

Northern Bus Lines Ltd. (? - circa 2021)
Contracted operator for Flin Flon, Manitoba and Creighton, Saskatchewan. The City of Flin Flon website lists The City of Flin Flon Bus Service and Creighton Bus Service, although these might be route names (website, 2003). Creighton service cancelled 31 December 2012. (APR 1991, RS, photos: Sue Luchuck, Kevin Nicol) (not in CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1989 or CUTA 1988, website 2013)

The City of Flin Flon Bus Service (circa 2021 - present)
New contractor Strelezki Mechanic Services Ltd. was in place circa 2021.

References

• Jarvis, Stephanie, Lois Burke and Joyce Henderson, Flin Flon: A Visual History 1933-1983, Flin Flon: Flin Flon Jubilee Committee, 1983.

Lockport, Manitoba

Lockport Bus Service (circa 1917 - 1931) Single-bus town service owned by George Donald, connecting with the Winnipeg, Selkirk and Lake Winnipeg Railway Company Winnipeg-Selkirk interurban. Discontinued due to declining patronage. (Intercity Bus History of Manitoba, Manitoba Classic & Antique Auto Club, photo: MCAAC).

McKay's Bus & Boat Service (1920s) Single-bus town service owned by Charles A. McKay, connecting with the Winnipeg, Selkirk and Lake Winnipeg Railway Company Winnipeg-Selkirk interurban. (St. Andrews history book).

Neepawa, Manitoba

Tiger Moth Bus Line (1942 - 1944)
Owner J. Thorpe Crawford. Local scheduled bus service connecting Neepawa with the adjacent British Commonwealth Air Training Plan base. The base was operated 30 March 1942 - 25 August 1944. After the war this enterprise was developed into a charter operator called Crawford Bus Lines Ltd. (The History of Neepawa Businesses: 1883-2018, pp. 335-336; Neepawa Land of Plenty p. 443).

Pinawa, Manitoba

Stan's Bus Lines (circa 1945 - 1951)
In addition to a general taxi business, Stan St. Croix operated one, later two, buses on fixed schedules to transport mill workers to and from work. The schedule operated 7:00 AM to midnight. With ridership declining, the business was sold to Fred Hamlin in 1951.

References

• From the Beaches To the Falls: A Winnipeg River - Lake Winnipeg Heritage, [St. Georges, Man.: Winnipeg River Historical Project], c1989, pp. 488-489.

Portage-la-Prairie, Manitoba

Webb Bus Lines (World War II era)
Single bus local transit in Portage-la-Prairie, and between Portage and the nearby British Commonwealth Air Training Plan airbases at Southport and MacDonald. Owner Gordon Webb. Local service discontinued after the war. (Ian Moore).

? (circa July 2001 - 2006? [July and August only?])
Beginning in the summer of 2001 the City of Portage-la-Prarie began contracting for the operation of a shuttle bus service between the community and the nearby Southport Aquaplex recreation centre. Some council minutes indicate the original contractor was A.G.S. Enterprises (Council minutes, June 29, 2001). On-street observations as late as the summer of 2005 suggests the operator is M C Mc Enterprises, using two ex-Brandon transit buses. (Alex Regiec photo). Service disappeared sometime after about 2005.

References

• IM. Personal email correspondence with Ian Moore, Thompson, Manitoba, 1997.

Steinbach, Manitoba

Steinbach Transit (1999)
Steinbach Taxi doing business as Steinbach Transit. Short-lived transit service for about two weeks in 1999. Two ex-Kitchener Transit buses operated over a three-route network. Service cancelled due to issues arising between the company and the city.

Thompson, Manitoba

Thompson Bus Lines (1959 - 1962)
Owner John Thiessen. Local transit service. Service discontinued 1962 for insufficient ridership. Company continued as a taxi and charter bus enterprise. A trial transit service was operated 23-24 December 1971.

Thompson Transit System (March 1978 - 31 October 2018, 11 February 2019 - 30 June 2019, 02 January 2020 - present)
Operation conducted under contract. Initial contractor was Thompson Bus Lines owned by Ken Thiessen. (Dawes et al. 1972 lists Thompson Cab & Bus Lines (1969) Ltd.). By 1995 contractor was Thompson Bus Lines (1984) Limited (APR, R. Robb 1995). Contract operator switched to Grey Goose Bus Lines Ltd. (a subsidiary of Laidlaw) circa 1996 (APR). GGB from circa 01 October 2007 a subsidiary of FirstBus Canada Ltd. Contract was held by First under the name Greyhound Transportation Canada Inc. when Greyhound ceased all operations in Western Canada 31 October 2018. Service resumed February 2019 with new contractor Maple Grove Equine Ranch Ltd. dba Maple Bus Lines. Service restarted with an operating contract awarded to Maple Bus Lines 02 January 2020 - 30 June 2024. MBL also operates intercity bus service. (website 2011, Photo: Alex Regiec) (not in CUTA 1991/2 or CUTA 1988)

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Reference

• Buckingham, Graham, Thompson: A City and Its People, Thompson: Thompson Historical Society, 1988.