Saugeen Shores Trolley (July 2016 - present [July and August only])
Shuttle bus operated annually from the beginning of August to Labour Day weekend in September. Service is daily. Route connects Port Elgin with Southampton.
Referenced in some media as
The S.S. Trolley.
LINX (07 August 2018 - present)
Regional intercommunity transit service. First route launched with free service in August 2018 connected
Penetanguishene/Midland,
Wyebridge,
Waverley,
Elmvale,
Midhurst,
and
Barrie.
Fares introduced 04 September 2018.
From 06 August 2019 three services added [1] between Orillia and Barrie via
Oro-Medonte; [2] between
Wasaga Beach and Barrie via
Clearview and Essa Township;
and [3] assumed the pre-existing route between Collingwood and Wasaga Beach.
Future route plans, for implementation between 2020 and 2021, include
Alliston to Bradford West Gwillimbury,
and
Midland to Orillia.
Burn's Transfer (19th Century?)
Nothing is known about this operation except that it issued [undated] passenger
fare tokens. The typical business pattern was common carrier scheduled omnibus
service between railway station(s) and local hotels, coordinated with train arrivals
and departures. Most such firms also engaged in charter activities, and some
also carried mail.
(Atwood – Coffee p. 471).
Martin Bros. Transfer (19th Century?)
Nothing is known about this operation except that it issued [undated] passenger
fare tokens. The typical business pattern was common carrier scheduled omnibus
service between railway station(s) and local hotels, coordinated with train arrivals
and departures. Most such firms also engaged in charter activities, and some
also carried mail.
(Atwood – Coffee p. 471).
Stratford Coach Lines, Ltd. (circa March 1930 - 1933)
(CR&MW Mar. 1930, p. 175).
Private operator succeeded
by CBLCo (CR&MW 1933).
Cities Bus Service Company Limited (06 November 1933 - ?)
Incorporated 17 October 1933 by the same interests that owned the
Sarnia Bus Company Limited (CR&MW 1933).
Stratford Coach Lines, Ltd. (circa 1950 - 1952)
Subsidiary of
Bluebird Coach Lines, Ltd. (RS).
Private operator preceding Stratford Transit.
(notes on April 3/89 Stratford Transit: Bus
Routes and Schedules)
Stratford Transit (1952 - present)
Operated by the
Stratford Public Utility Commission.
The PUC was replaced by a city department prior to 2002 (Dennis Fletcher 2001).
(Dawes et al. 1972 lists
Stratford Public Utilities Commission City Transit System).
(CUTA 1976-77, Sotnyk 1981, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992, photos: William A. Luke, Bernard Drouillard [Peter Cox collection])
Service area population | 27,000 (1991) |
Ridership | 579,148 (2009) | Vehicle fleet | 17 buses (2000) | Employees | 26 (1991) | Data source: | CUTA 1991/2 CTHF/SSG 2000 CTF [Aug. 2010] (ridership) |
Teeswater Bus Line (19th Century?)
Nothing is known about this operation except that it issued [undated] passenger
fare tokens. The typical business pattern was common carrier scheduled omnibus
service between railway station(s) and local hotels, coordinated with train arrivals
and departures. Most such firms also engaged in charter activities, and some
also carried mail.
(Atwood – Coffee p. 471).
International Transit Limited (1947 - circa 1949)
Intercity bus operator based in Port Arthur [Thunder Bay] (1926-1965).
Operated local bus service in Terrace Bay, a one-industry town on the remote north shore
of Lake Superior. Service unprofitable and discontinued.
(Lawrence, Loring M., “International, From the Lakehead: Part I”, Bus Industry, Vol. 24, No. 91, March 2010, pp. 30-45.)
Sandwich, Windsor and Amherstburg Railway Company (01 May 1907 - 1956)
See Sandwich, Windsor and Amherstburg Interurban.
Interurban operation 1907-1938.
The SW&A continued to operate the route to Tecumseh with buses until 1956 (Drouillard).
Eastern Canadian Greyhound Lines, Ltd. (1940's?)
ECG operated frequent commuter-oriented bus service from Windsor to Tecumseh, Lakewood, and Belle River (Russell's Official National Motor Coach Guide table 144 April 1948).
Charterways Transportation Limited (? - 01 October 1971)
Commuter bus service from Windsor to
Tecumseh,
Maidstone Twp.,
St. Clair Beach, and
Belle River.
Discontinued service 1971.
(Windsor Star Sep. 29, 1971, p. 5).
County Bus Lines (02 October 1971 - circa 1981?)
Commuter bus service from Windsor to
Tecumseh,
Maidstone Twp.,
St. Clair Beach, and
Belle River.
Owner
Don Lafond sold the operation to
Chatham Coach Lines towards the end of 1974.
Service cut from four round trips/day to two in the summer of 1980.
From 06 April 1981 CCL increased trips between Windsor and Tecumseh
from 3/day to 6/day. After a six-month trial service was apparently terminated.
(Windsor Star:
various articles 1971-1981).
Tecumseh Transit (early 1986 - mid 1986)
Six month trial transit service operated under contract by
Chatham Coach Lines. Trial discontinued for insufficient ridership.
(internationalmetropolis 2007, photo: Bernie Drouillard [Peter Cox collection]).
Tecumseh Transit (21 December 2009 - present)
Municipal undertaking. Initial three-year contract operator was
First Student Canada. Service provided free until 31 January 2010.
Website also uses the initials TTS and the name
Tecumseh Transit Service.
(website 2010).
McIsaac Transportation Company (circa 1930s? - circa 1950s?)
Neil McIsaac relocated to Haileybury circa 1919 and [date unknown] established a local bus company serving the tri-town area (Cobalt, New Liskeard, Haileybury). Postcard photo appears to be of a the post-war 1940s Ford bus. (photo: postcard).
R. Walsh Transportation Ltd (? - late 1980's)
Generally a school bus operator, but for a few years ran a local bus service
in Haileybury. Had three buses. (via Alan Gryfe Aug 2002)
TriTown Transit (1976 - circa February 2013)
In town transit system. Running six days per week between towns/townships of Cobalt, North Cobalt, Haileybury, New Liskeard and Dymond (website 2002).
Operated by
Walsh Transportation Ltd. (Chow 2002, website 2008). Walsh bought
by
Contrans Group Inc. in 2004 who sold it to Stock Transportation in 2005.
Contract operator in 2010 was
Stock Transportation Ltd. (website 2010).
(CUTA 1992 "non-member"). (not in CTHF/SSG 2000).
system logo |
Data source: | website 2010 (logo) |
Temiskaming Transit (circa February 2013 - present)
Transit service in Temiskaming Shores and Cobalt.
Operated under contract by
Stock Transportation Ltd.
Nipissing Central Railway Company (30 April 1910 - 09 February 1935)
Incorporated 12 April 1907 (Dom.).
Electric interurban railway service between New Liskeard, Haileybury, Cobalt, and Kerr Lake.
Came under the
ownership of the Ontario provincial government (through the
Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway) 20 June 1911.
(photo: postcard).
Tillsonburg Transit (1994 - end of December 2001)
(CTHF/SSG 2000).
Vehicle fleet | 2 buses (2000) | Data source: | CTHF/SSG 2000 |
T:GO Transit (04 April 2016 - present)
Weekdaily transit service on two routes.
Launched in 2016 as
T:GO Call-N-Ride. Rural service is forecast to begin in 2020.
system logo (2019) |
Data source: | website (2019) |
Dalton Bus Lines (? - circa August 1960)
John Dalton was operating commuter bus services in the Timmins area at least as early as 1926.
Timmins-Schumacher-South Porcupine (CR&MW April 1926, p. 209),
Timmins-Ankorite Mine, 2 buses, hourly service, 50¢ fare, and
Timmins-Schumacher, 5 buses, 30 minute headway, 10¢ fare or 3 tickets for 25¢ (CR&MW May 1926 p. 262-263).
Another Timmins area operator,
Hamilton and Dwyer operated an hourly service from Timmins to Schumacher
with a fleet of two buses, for a 10¢ fare or 3 tickets for 25¢ (CR&MW ibid).
(TJ41 lists
Dalton Taxi and Bus Line buying a bus.) Tickets
from 1950 carried the name
Dalton & Dwyer Bus Line (RS).
(photo: William A. Luke).
Timmins Coach Lines Ltd. (1970s?)
(Dawes et al. 1972, Perera 1973).
Timmins Transit (? - present)
(CUTA 1976-77, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992, Photo: Bernard Drouillard [Peter Cox collection]).
system logo |
Service area population | 46,000 (1991) |
Ridership | 973,764 (2009) | Vehicle fleet | 21 buses (2000) | Employees | 57 (1991) | Data source: | CUTA 1991/2 CTHF/SSG 2000 CTF [Aug. 2010] (ridership) Wikipedia 2010 (logo) |
Harry Day's Bus Line (19th Century?)
Nothing is known about this operation except that it issued [undated] passenger
fare tokens. The typical business pattern was common carrier scheduled omnibus
service between railway station(s) and local hotels, coordinated with train arrivals
and departures. Most such firms also engaged in charter activities, and some
also carried mail.
(Atwood – Coffee p. 471).
Wasaga Beach Transit (07 July 2008 - present)
Rides the first week (07 July - 13 July, 2008) were free.
Contract operator is
Georgian Coach Lines. (website 2011, photo: Kevin Nicol).
Contractor also reported as
Georgian Shores Transportation.
From 01 August 2014 contract operator is
Sinton-Landmark.
Data Source: | www.wasagabeach.com 2010 |
Wawa Transit System (February 2006 - present)
Dial-in/demand-responsive transit service in Wawa and Michipicoten River operated under contract by
Lloyd's of Wawa Ltd. Using the service requires advance booking.
(website 2011, CPTDB wiki 2011).
Ride Well (01 October 2019 - present)
Rural on-demand ride sharing service. Fares calculated by distance. Rides booked by smart-phone app, on a website or by phone.
Service also reaches two transfer points in Guelph.
Wingham Bus Line (19th Century?)
J.A. McIntyre, owner.
Nothing is known about this operation except that it issued [undated] passenger
fare tokens. The typical business pattern was common carrier scheduled omnibus
service between railway station(s) and local hotels, coordinated with train arrivals
and departures. Most such firms also engaged in charter activities, and some
also carried mail.
(Atwood – Coffee p. 472).
City Bus Lines (? - 08 February 1941)
Owner
Sanford Fischer.
Operating at least in 1940 and perhaps from sometime in the 1930's. No service from February 1941 to June 1942. (Nicol).
Bluebird Coach Lines, Ltd. (26 June 1942 - 31 January 1951)
Company dissolved 1951 (Nicol).
(RS).
Lakeview Coach Lines (28 February 1951 - 31 March 1951)
Owner
Ross Hall. Company based in Port Colborne.
Buses sold off to Burley Bus Lines 1951
(Bus Industry, Vol. 6, No. 1, Jan-Feb 1979, pp. 7-14).
No transit service in Woodstock April - November 1951. (Nicol).
Woodstock City Traction (November 1951 - early 1952)
Owner
John E. Beynon. Financially unsuccessful. Service ended early 1952. (Nicol).
City Coach Service (September 1952 - 1953?)
Owner
Matthew McConnell. Franchise approved by City council in July 1952 for service to commence September 1952. If the service began it did not last long. (Nicol).
Woodstock City Bus Lines (circa 1953 - mid 1950's)
Owner
John E. Beynon (see above). Financially unsuccessful. No local transit service in Woodstock from mid 1950's to 1961.
Woodstock Transit (06 December 1961 - present)
Operated by the
City of Woodstock Community Services Department.
Trial service began 06 December 1961. Permanent service began December 1962 after voter approval
in a referendum (Nicol).
(Dawes et al. 1972 lists
City of Woodstock Bus Service, Perera 1973 lists
City of Woodstock Public Transportation Service).
(CUTA 1976-77, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992, pb96, Photo: Bernard Drouillard [Peter Cox collection])
Service area population | 27,000 (1991) | Vehicle fleet | 11 buses (2000) | Employees | 24 (1991) | Data source: | CUTA 1991/2 CTHF/SSG 2000 |
Woodstock, Thames Valley and Ingersoll Electric Railway Company (08 November 1900 - 31 October 1925 -)
Initial operated segment from Woodstock to Beachville. Through service to Ingersoll opened 17 June 1901 (Nicol).
Owned by the same interests as the
Grand Valley Railway Company until the acquisition of the latter by the City of
Brantford in 1914, when the WTV&IER Co was abandoned to its
bondholders. They ran the railway until 1925 and replacement bus
operations until 1942.
(Mills 1977 erroneously reports last day of electric service as 16 August 1925).
York Region Transit (01 January 2001 - present)
System formed as an amalgamation of operations in Markham, Newmarket
(including Aurora), Richmond Hill, and Vaughan.
Formal launch of the new system was 01 February 2001 although the merger took place on paper at the first of
the year.
At the time of the merger operating contracts were continued with previous parties:
Laidlaw Transit for Division 2 (Newmarket, including Aurora),
Miller Transit Limited (the
Miller Group) for Division 1 (Markham),
Partners With Transit for Division 3 (Richmond Hill), and
Can-Ar Coach Service (subsidiary of
Tokmakjian Ltd.) for Division 4 (Vaughan).
In the wake of a three-month strike (October 2011 - January 2012) the operating contract with
FirstBus Canada Ltd. for Division 2 (Newmarket, Aurora, King Township, East Gwillimbury and Georgina) was cancelled and they were replaced by
Tok Transit Limited effective with the end of the strike 04 February 2012.
An operating contract for evening and weekend service on two routes in Markham and Vaughan (Division 5) was held by
Student Express Limited (2001 - July 2004). In July 2004 SE was purchased by
Stock Transportation Ltd. who continued operating the contract until Fall 2011 (Wikipedia).
On 04 September 2005 YRT launched a rapid bus service it branded Viva. Viva (Division 7) is operated by 4286847 Canada Incorporated (known in promotional material as the York Region Rapid Transit Corporation) on behalf of York Region. The system is operated by Connex, a division of French multinational Veolia Environnement SA (Wikipedia). Veolia reorganized their Division 7 subsidiary as York BRT Services L.P. (date?). The first segment of busway opened 18 August 2013.
As of 2015 the operating contractors were
Miller Transit Limited (Richmond Hill and Markham),
Tok Transit Limited (Newmarket),
Transdev (Vaughan),
York BRT Services L.P. [a subsidiary of
Transdev] (Viva express and bus rapid transit service)
(Street Side Guide 2015).
Toronto and York Radial Railway Company Maple Leaf - Markham Coach Lines (? - Spring 1929) North Yonge Bus Travelways (Fall 1973 - ?)
Markham Transit (? - 31 December 2000) Toronto and York Radial Railway Company Newmarket Bus Lines (03 May 1948 - 01 July 1958) Newmarket Town Bus (01 July 1958 - ?)
Newmarket Transit (? - 31 December 2000) Aurora Bus Lines (? - July 1972)
Aurora Transit (July 1972 - 30 August 1999?) Toronto and York Radial Railway Company North Yonge Bus (1948 - ?)
Richmond Hill Transit (? - 31 December 2000) Toronto and York Radial Railway Company North Yonge Bus Vaughan Transit (? - 31 December 2000) The author is always interested in comments, corrections and further information. Please email to: dawwpg@shaw.ca
This page last modified: Wednesday, 01-Jan-2020 14:18:47 CST
system logo (2001)
YRT and VIVA logos
Ridership 18,314,619 (2009)
Data sources: website 2002 (logo)
CTF [Aug. 2010] (ridership)
website 2013 (logos)Markham System
Interurban electric railway service along Yonge Street (then the western boundary of Markham Township).
Suburban Toronto - Markham service acquired by
Gray Coach Lines (CC69).
Bus service between Toronto and Markham,
Vaughan and Richmond Hill
operated under contract by the
Toronto Transportation Commission,
replacing earlier T&YR service.
Probably a contract operator.
(CC73, CC74). Company also cited by it's earlier name:
Trailways of Canada Limited (Newmarket) (CUTA 1976-77).
Generally, east-west services are
operated for the Town by contractor
Miller Transit Limited
and north-south service (including connections to Toronto) is
provided under an agreement with the
Toronto Transit Commission.
Transit in Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, and Aurora were merged to form York Region Transit
01 January 2001 (CTHF Bulletin May 2001).
(\maps, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992,
Chow 1998).
(Photos: Richard Hooles 2001, Peter Cox collection).
system logoService area population 146,000 (1991)
Vehicle fleet 58 buses (2000)
Employees 7 Markham
66 MTL (1991)Data source: CUTA 1991/2
CTHF/SSG 2000
Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)Newmarket System
Interurban electric railway
service between Newmarket and Toronto 1899-1930.
Owner/operators
Earlby Ruthven and
Larry Needler. Two buses serving each direction of a circular town route on a 30 minute frequency. (The Newmarket Era and Express: 29 April 1948, p. 1).
Owner
Robert Stackhouse.
Purchased used Fitzjohn Cityliner bus from the Toronto Transit Commission
sometime after TTC absorbed Hollinger in 1954 (Lawrence 2012 p. 47).
Sale of the company by Stackhouse to
Travelways (owner
Larry Needler) announced 20 September 1967
(Newmarket Era 20 September 1967, p. 1).
Operated by a contractor.
Perera 1973 lists that the Town of Newmarket received transit operating subsidies from the provincial government.
Absorbed the operations of Aurora Transit probably 30 August 1999.
Transit in Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, and Aurora were merged to form York Region Transit
01 January 2001 (CTHF Bulletin May 2001).
(Sotnyk 1981, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992,
Chow 1998, photo: W.E. Miller [Peter Cox collection]).
Service area population 40,000 (1991)
Vehicle fleet 9 buses (2000)
Employees 1 (Newmarket) (1991)
Data source: CUTA 1991/2
CTHF/SSG 2000Aurora System
Owner
Ronald Farquharson. Operation taken over by municipality 1972
(Newmarket Era 21 March 1973, p. A1).
Contract operator at start-up was
Ronald Farquharson.
Perera 1973 lists that the Town of Aurora received transit operating subsidies from the provincial government.
Operations absorbed by Newmarket Transit circa 1999.
(TNC85, CUTA 1992 "non-member",
Chow 1998)
(not in CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1988 or Sotnyk 1981). (Photo: Peter Cox Collection).
Vehicle fleet 2 buses
Data source: CTHF/SSG 1998
Richmond Hill System
Interurban electric
railway service between Richmond Hill and Toronto 1896 - 1948.
Bus services operated by the
Toronto Transportation Commission as
contracted by Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill.
Operated by contractor
Trailways of Canada Limited circa 1960 -
circa 1976
(Scrafton et al. 1970, TC76, CUTA 1976-77). Trailways became
Travelways and
eventually Laidlaw.
Operated under contract by
Laidlaw Transit (CUTA 1989,
CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992).
Transit in Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, and Aurora were merged to form York Region Transit
01 January 2001 (CTHF Bulletin May 2001). (photo: W.E. Miller [Peter Cox collection]).
system logoService area population 78,000 (1991)
Vehicle fleet 26 buses (2000)
Employees 5 (Richmond Hill) (1991)
Data source: CUTA 1991/2
CTHF/SSG 1998
Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)Vaughan System
Interurban electric railway
service between Toronto and Vaughan.
Bus services operated under contract by the
Toronto Transportation Commission as
contracted by Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill.
Some ("additional") service,
especially between Vaughan and Toronto, is provided under contract
by the
Toronto Transit Commission.
CUTA 1991/2 cites contract operator
Can-Ar Coach Service, a division of
Tokmakjian Ltd.
Perera 1973 lists that the Town of Vaughan received transit operating subsidies from the provincial government.
Transit in Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, and Aurora were merged to form York Region Transit
01 January 2001 (CTHF Bulletin May 2001).
(\maps, CUTA TT89, CUTA 1992,
Chow 1998) (not in CUTA 1988)
system logoService area population 98,000 (1991)
Vehicle fleet 23 buses (2000)
Employees 4 (Vaughan),
38 (CAS) (1991)Data source: CUTA 1991/2
CTHF/SSG 2000
Mike Rivest 1998 (logo)Modes
Interurban electric railway
1896 - 1948
Motor bus
1920s? - present
Motor bus busway
18 August 2013 - present References
Return to All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems