All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems

by David A. Wyatt

Calgary Region, Alberta

On-It Regional Transit (11 October 2016 - present)
Transit operation of the Calgary Regional Partnership (a multi-municipalty group). Regional commuter transit service connecting Calgary with other centres in the region. A two-year pilot service has been announced for communities south of Calgary, including Okotoks, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, and High River. Operated under contract by Southland Transportation Ltd. for the projected two-year pilot. (website 2015, Calgary Herald 31 October 2014). A weekend-only summer-only pilot service connecting Calgary with Cochrane, Canmore, and Banff was launched 17 June 2017. The Banff pilot operated Saturdays, Sundays and holidays until 04 September 2017. Ownership, management and branding transferred to Southland 01 March 2018 ending the pilot seven months early.

On-It [Calgary Region] logo 2014
system logo 2014
Data source:website 2014

Airdrie, Alberta

Satellite Commuter Services Ltd. (1975 - circa 1980)
Commuter bus service between Airdrie and Calgary, with some internal Airdrie service. Internal service ended when town started its own transit system. Competition on the commuter run with Cardinal Coach Lines circa 1981 ended when SCL sold out the service to CCL. (C Dahl, 2006).

Airdrie Transit 304 (GM new look) (Peter Cox 1982) Airdrie Transit (circa 1980 - present)
Bus service started by the town in 1980 using a minibus and second hand buses from Edmonton and Southern Bus Lines in Winnipeg. (Motor Coach Age Vol. XXXIII Nos. 1-2 p. 11, January-February 1981, courtesy Alan Gryfe, 2004). (CUTA 1988, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2 lists City of Airdrie, CUTA 1992) The 1996 and 1998 telephone directories, and web site [1999, 2002] list “ City of Airdrie / Dial A Bus.” Web site [April 2004] indicated the "current" service was operated on a six months trial (01 December 2003 - 31 May 2004) and was contracted to Cardinal Coach Lines. Regular transit service between Airdrie and Calgary begun 04 October 2010 under the name Airdrie Transit Intercity Express (ICE). ICE contract operator from 2010 is First Student Canada. Saturday, Sunday and holiday only service between Airdrie and Balzac commenced 09 November 2013. (Photos: Peter Cox, C.I.L.E., BARP)

Airdrie Mitsubishi (C.I.L.E. photo) Airdrie Transit minibus (BARP photo)

Airdrie Transit logo
system logo
Service area population12,000 (1991)
Vehicle fleet8 buses (1991)
Employees9 (1991)
Ridership26,987 (2009)
Data sources:CUTA 1991/2
CTF [Aug. 2010] (ridership)
website 2010 (logo)

Airdrie Commuter Bus Service (200x? - present)
Weekday bus service between Airdrie and downtown Calgary, operated by Cardinal Coach Lines Limited (an affiliate of FirstBus Canada Ltd.) The 01 May 2006 schedule was for five round trips per day, all in the peak hours. (www.cardinal-cal.com 2006). All Calgary-area Cardinal commuter services rebranded FirstBus 2009. Discontinuance announced for September 2010, then withdrawn. (website 2010).

References

Didsbury - Carstairs - Crossfield, Alberta

Cardinal Coach Lines Limited (circa 2006? - 2009)
From at least 2006 weekday commuter service from Carstairs via Crossfield to downtown Calgary advertised as Cardinal Carstairs Crossfield Commuter Bus Service. Circa January 2008 broken into separate Didsbury - Carstairs - Calgary and Crossfield - Airdrie - Calgary routes. CCL is an affiliate of FirstBus Canada Ltd. (www.cardinal-cal.com 2006, 2008).

FirstBus Canada Ltd. (2009 - present)
Operations rebranded 2009. (website 2010).

Airdrie Transit (05 October 2015 - 31 March 2016)
Six month pilot transit service connecting Airdrie with Crossfield, operated by Airdrie Transit and financially supported by the Town of Crossfield (airdriecityview.com 2015). Service discontinued for insufficient ridership.

Chestermere, Alberta

Chestermere 126 (Peter McLaughlin 2008) Chestermere Commuter Service (circa October 2007 - circa November 2007, 17 December 2007 - 30 June 2009)
Three daily commuter trips between Chestermere and Calgary (website Jan 2008). Service operated by J & P Transportation. Service interrupted briefly in late 2007 while operating authority was sorted out. Service competes with Cardinal Coach Lines' Strathmore - Chestermere - Calgary commuter service. (photo Peter McLaughlin 2008).

Cochrane, Alberta

Cochrane Commuter (1993 - present)
Commuter service. Three daily round trips (from 2003) between Cochrane and Calgary operated by Southland Transportation Ltd. (website 2007, 2015).

Jim's Taxi and Bus Service (05 March 2007 - circa March 2007)
Brief trial of a local transit service. (Cochrane Times 14 February 2007, 28 February 2007, 07 March 2007).

Cochrane On-Demand Local Transit (07 October 2019 - present)
On-demand local transit service operated under contract by Southland Transportation Ltd. Provincial GreenTRIP grant funding to establish a local transit service in Cochrane was announced in July 2017. Service start-up was forecast for late 2018 or 2019. System will likely be known by its acronym: COLT.

COLT [Cochrane] logo 2019
system logo 2019
Data source:website 2019

High River, Alberta

Good Travel Company Inc. (1992? - circa 2009)
Commuter bus service between High River and Calgary. Service closed circa 2009 “After more than 17 years” when ridership declined (High River Times archive Article ID# 2005343).

High River Shuttle (01 March 2009 - present)
Weekdaily shuttle service between High River and Calgary (website 2010). Website also uses HRShuttle Service. Service suspended 21 June 2013, recommencing 08 July 2013.

High River Connector (circa 07 July 2013 - 22 August 2014)
A temporary transit service with three local routes in High River, service to Calgary on an approximately two-hour headway, and a daily trip to Lethbridge. Initial plan was to operate the service for a minimum of two weeks. Circa 29 July 2013 trips to Calgary and Lethbridge no longer appeared on the schedule. A one-route internal service connecting the town to temporary neighbourhood Saddlebrook remained in service (website 07 August 2013, 05 March 2014). The 13 February 2014 update of the web page identified Arrow Cab Ltd. as the contact for further information (website 2014). Service ended with the closure of the Saddlebrook temporary neighbourhood August 2014.

Langdon, Alberta

D & K Shuttle Services (circa February 2010 - ?)
Commuter shuttle service between Langdon and Calgary via Chestermere. Three morning departures from Langdon, and three late afternoon departures from Calgary (Discover Calgary website 2010).

Langdon Shuttle Inc. (2013? - present)
Commuter shuttle service connecting Langdon with Calgary (facebook 2015).

Okotoks, Alberta

Cardinal Coach Lines (1960's?)
(Scrafton et al. 1970). Suburban service from Calgary to Okotoks, Black Diamond and Turner Valley.

Pacific Western Transportation Limited (? - circa 1990?)
Brander 1978 describes the service as weekdays two trips per peak hour and one mid-day trip. The Official Canadian Bus Guide July-August 1989 listed just two trips per day per direction.

Southland Okotoks Commuter MC-8 (Peter McLaughlin 2005) Okotoks Commuter (? - present)
Commuter service between Okotoks and Calgary operated by Southland Transportation Ltd. (website 2007, 2015). (photo Peter McLaughlin).

Okotoks Transit (02 December 2019 - present)
On-demand “Curb-to-curb” ride-sharing service. Rides booked by smart-phone app, online website, or telephone.

Okotoks Transit logo 2019
system logo 2019
Data source:website 2019

Black Diamond - Turner Valley, Alberta

Monden Transportation [Calgary] 24 (WFC) (Western Flyer builder's photo) Felix Monden Transportation (1932 - 1950's?)
Bus service from Calgary to Okotoks, Black Diamond and Turner Valley (Calgary Herald Supplement Mar. 01, 1940, p. 2). During the Second World War also operated bus service to Currie Barracks in Calgary.

Cardinal Coach Lines (1960's?)
(Scrafton et al. 1970). Suburban service from Calgary to Okotoks, Black Diamond and Turner Valley.

Regional Shuttle [Black Diamond] (Peter McLaughlin 2010) Regional Shuttle Service (circa April 2010 - present?)
Commuter shuttle service connecting Black Diamond and Turner Valley to Calgary. Website lapsed by June 2013. (cptdb 2010, website 2010, photo Peter McLaughlin 2010).

Strathmore, Alberta

Cardinal Coach Commuter Services (2001? - circa 2004?)
Daily commuter service between Strathmore and downtown Calgary. (Strathmore website 2001). Disappeared from website by October 2004. (DAW)

Strathmore Chestermere Commuter Bus Service (circa 2006? - present)
Daily (weekdays) commuter service from Strathmore via Chestermere to downtown Calgary operated by Cardinal Coach Lines Limited (an affiliate of FirstBus Canada Ltd.) (www.cardinal-cal.com 2006). Competed for Chestermere traffic with Chestermere Commuter Service (see Chestermere). All Calgary-area Cardinal commuter services rebranded FirstBus 2009. (website 2010).

Tsuu T'ina, Alberta

Calgary Transit (circa 1998? - circa 2000?)
The Tsuu T'ina First Nation funded Calgary Transit to operate between the community and the Anderson C-Train Station in Calgary. Service was CT route #504. Service ended when financial contribution was terminated. (CPTdb 2015, CT website 1998).


Copyright ©1989-2020 David A. Wyatt. All Rights Reserved.
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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 14:03:27 CST