All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems

by David A. Wyatt

Ottawa, Ontario

In 2001 Ottawa was reconstituted as the amalgamation of the cities of Ottawa, Gloucester, Kanata, Cumberland, and Vanier, the village of Rockliffe, and the townships of West Carleton (formerly Torbolton, Fitzroy, and Huntley twps.), March, Goulbourn (including the former villages of Richmond and Stittsville), Nepean, Osgoode, and Rideau (formerly Marlborough, and North Gower twps.) (Wikipedia 2011).

Principal System

Ottawa City Passenger Railway Company (21 July 1870 - 01 June 1894)
street railway/light rail omnibus Incorporated 15 August 1866 (Can.). Line in Rockcliffe Park was separate from the operation in Ottawa from its opening 03 August 1889 to construction of connecting track in May 1891. Company purchased by same interests that owned the OESRy 09 October 1891, reconstituted as an amalgamation of the OCPRy and the OESRy 26 March 1894, and renamed OERy 01 June 1894 (RFC). Service to Hull, Québec opened by omnibus in February 1892. Horsecar service converted to electric by fall (September?) 1893.

Ottawa Electric Street Railway Company (29 June 1891 - 26 March 1894)
street railway/light rail Incorporated 13 February 1891. Amalgamated with the OCPRy March 1894.

Ottawa streetcar Ottawa Electric Railway Company (01 June 1894 - 13 August 1948)
street railway/light rail omnibus Hull service converted from omnibus to rail 31 December 1896. Controlling interest held by the Ottawa Traction Company, Ltd. (McGraw 1918). (photos newdavesrailpix, William A. Luke, Peter Cox).

Ottawa Electric Railway #134, a 1941 Mack model LD3G (Peter Cox) Ottawa Electric Railway ticket (front) Ottawa OER55 Ford (William A. Luke)

Ottawa GM old look (William A. Luke) Ottawa Transportation Commission (13 August 1948 - 01 August 1972)
street railway/light rail trolley bus Public agency. Acquired the services of the OERy Co 1948. Acquired suburban services and bus fleets of the NBL 1949, EBS and Cyrville 1950, and UBL 1951 (CTHF Bulletin v5 no.1, May 1997). (photos William A. Luke)

Ottawa 6336 GM new look (William A. Luke)

Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission (01 August 1972 - 31 December 2000)
Marketed as OC Transpo. First segment of the Transitway rapid busway opened 1983. Commission dissolved at the end of 2000 when municipal amalgamation occurred. (CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992.)

OC Transpo logo
 
system logo
Service area population586,000 (1991)
Vehicle fleet899 buses (2000)
Employees2,249 (1991)
Data source:CUTA 1991/2
CTHF/SSG 2000
OC Transpo website 1998 (logo)

OC Transpo O-Train 2002 OC Transpo (01 January 2001 - present)
motor tram Owned by the newly enlarged City of Ottawa. Service also extends into downtown Gatineau, Québec. Diesel light rail service begun 2001 over tracks of the city owned Capital Railway. From September 2002 some service in rural areas has been operated under contract by Laidlaw Inc. (routes 720 to Cumberland Village and 730 to Notre-Dame-des-Champs and Navan), Transport Thom (route 796 to Kars and North Gower), and Premier Bus Lines (routes 163 in Stittsville and 783 to Munster Hamlet) (PS 2002). Electric light rail transit system opened 14 September 2019. (Photo David Loftson)

Ridership83,177,342 (2009)
Data source:CTF [Aug. 2010] (ridership)

Secondary Systems

C. Levesque (05 April 1915 -?)
Ottawa's first jitney operator. Car carried the signage: Jitney Passenger Service. (CR&MW May 1915, pp. 188-189)

Mrs. M. Gorman (? - ?)
Bus service between Ottawa and Hurdman's Bridge, 15 round trips/day, 1 bus fleet, 5¢ fare (CR&MW May 1926, pp. 262-263, June 1926, p. 323). (CR&MW June 1928, pp. 364-365).

Cyrville Bus Service (? - 1950)
Licence to operate scheduled bus service Ottawa - Cyrville held by C. Trudel in 1928 (CR&MW June 1928, pp. 364-365). Purchased new Fitzjohn Cityliner bus August 1950 (Lawrence 2012, p. 47). Buses (and probably services) acquired by OTC 1950 (CTHF Bulletin v5 no.1, May 1997).

Uplands Bus Lines Ltd. (? - 1951)
Operating in 1943 at the time of the Eastview fire (Ottawa Citizen Feb. 16, 1943, p. 1). Buses (and probably services) acquired by OTC 1951 (CTHF Bulletin v5 no.1, May 1997).

"Beacon Hill Bullet" (05 July 1971 - 02 March 1973)
Sponsored and organized by the Beacon Hill North Community Association: Transport Committee (later the North Gloucester Transport Committee) and operated under contract by Capital Coach Lines (after circa April 1972, a subsidiary of Travelways). Service assumed by the OCRTC 05 March 1973. (Roe)

"Goulbourn/Stittsville" (? - 31 December 2000)
In addition to commuter services contracted to OC Transpo, the Township of Goulbourn operated service from Ashton via Munster Hamlet to Richmond (OC Transpo connection) and local service in Stittsville (known as the "Goulbourn Shuttle" or "Stittsville Shuttle") which reached Kanata (OC Transpo connection). In recent years the contract operator was Premier Bus Lines. At amalgamation the remaining operations passed to the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo. A local service in Richmond had been replaced by OC Transpo service earlier. (PS 2002).

Blackstone Transit Community Shuttle (31 August 2015 - 31 August 2016)
Blackstone and Fernbank Crossing developments in Stittsville provided with a free shuttle bus service by the developers. Service operated weekdays on a 30 minute headway 6AM-9AM and 4PM-7PM. Operations contracted to 417 Bus Line Ltd. Service planned to be replaced by an extension of OC Transpo service after one year.

Nepean Systems

Richmond Bus Service (mid 1946 - 04 November 1947)
Owned by the O'Brian brothers of Brittania (Ottawa Citizen Nov. 4, 1947, p. 11). Bus service in Nepean. Acquired by new owners 1947.

Nepean Bus Line (04 November 1947 - 01 August 1949)
Bus service in Nepean. Acquired by the OTC for $75,000 in 1949. (Ottawa Citizen Jul. 29, 1949, p. 1). (CTHF Bulletin v5 no.1, May 1997).

City View Bus Lines (1961? - 1972?)
Suburban carrier for the City View area of Nepean township. The OTC discontinued service to Nepean 30 September 1962 (Ottawa Citizen Sep. 20, 1962, p. 1). Acquired by Charterways Transportation Limited 01 September 1972. (Canadian Coach 1972).

Eastview (Vanier) Systems

Eastview was renamed Vanier in 1963. Vanier was annexed to Ottawa in 2001.

Ottawa Electric Railway Company (June 1924 - 03 April 1929)
The OERy's first motorbus service was between Ottawa and Eastview. This operated in competition with ETCo. An April 1926 survey listed a service with a 10 minute headway, 4 buses and a 5¢ fare (CR&MW May 1926, pp. 262-263).

Eastview Transit Co. (1924 - 16 April 1926)
Operating in competition with the OERy. An April 1926 survey listed a service with a 10 minute headway and a 5¢ fare (CR&MW May 1926, pp. 262-263).

Eastview Bus Service (late May 1926 - 1950)
Eastview Bus Co. began operating with 3 buses, a 15 minute headway (10 minutes in rush hours), and a fare of 5¢ or 22 tickets for $1.00 (CR&MW July 1926, p. 387). Garage fire 1943 (Ottawa Citizen Feb. 16, 1943, p. 1). Buses (and probably services) acquired by OTC 1950 (CTHF Bulletin v5 no.1, May 1997).

Ottawa Suburban Services

Carleton Bus Lines (? - ?)
Serving Almonte, and Parkenham. (Canadian Coach 1971). Service to Arnprior, Antrim, Carleton Place, Almonte, and Pakenham (Ottawa Citizen Mar. 10, 1986, p. 32).

Canadian Coach 1971 lists CBL and three other Ottawa area suburban carriers:

Canadian Coach 1972 adds that RBL was acquired by Charterways Transportation Limited 01 September 1972.

Seeley's C Bus Lines (circa 1980 - circa 1999)
Suburban commuter service between Merrickville and Ottawa. Route taken over circa 1999 by Howard. (Ottawa Citizen 17 November 2019).

A list of Ottawa area commuter service companies, from mid 2002 and mid 2007, included:

Thom Transport (? - present)
Serving Arnprior, Carleton Place, Dunrobin, Fitzroy Habour, Galetta, Kinburn, Perth, and Woodlawn (2002). Serving Almonte, Arnprior, Carleton Place, Pakenham, and Perth (2007) OC Transpo “rural partner” routes 500, 502, and 503 (2010). Service to Carleton Place probably replaced 03 May 2010 by LCT (see below). Routes in 2013 were Arnprior - Ottawa - Gatineau (500), Pakenham, Almonte - Ottawa (502), and Perth - Ottawa (503).

Howard Bus Service (circa 1999 - 20 December 2019)
Serving Merrickville, Burritt's Rapids, Kemptville, and North Gower (2002, 2007). OC Transpo “rural partner” route 509 (2010). Route in 2013 was Merrickville - Ottawa (509).

416 Shuttle (? - 2006?)
Serving Shanly, Spencerville, Kemptville, and North Gower (2002). Not listed in 2007 or 2010. (See Kemptville Transportation Services).

Laidlaw (? - 2009?)
Serving Greely, Metcalfe, Vernon, Winchester, Osgoode village, and Manotick (2002). Serving Greely, Metcalfe, Vernon, and Winchester (2007). Not listed as an OC Transpo “rural partner” in 2010. (see Wubs Transit and South Mountain Stagecoach/Transit).

Wubs Transit (01 March 2009 - 28 March 2014)
Commuter service from Chesterville, Winchester, Vernon, Metcalfe, and Greely to Ottawa. OC Transpo “rural partner” route 541 (2010). (Nanda Wubs 2010, website 2010). Routes in 2013 were Morrisburg - Ottawa (540) and Chesterville - Ottawa (541). (website 2013). Routes assumed by Evans Bus Lines.

WUBS Transit logo
 
system logo
Data source: website 2010

Evans Commuter Service [suburban Ottawa] 159 (website 2014) Evans Commuter Service (31 March 2014 - present)
Assumed operation of the Wubs routes Ottawa - Morrisburg and Ottawa - Chesterville. Owners of Evans Bus Lines Ltd. is Rory Evans and Patsy Evans (municipal website 2014). (website 2014).

Lalonde Bus Lines (? - present)
Serving Bourget and Vars (2002). Serving Bourget, Cheney, and Vars as part of CRTranspo (Clarence-Rockland) (2007).

417 Bus Line Ltd. (1972 - 2008?)
Serving Casselman, Embrun, Limoges, and Vars (2002). Serving Casselman, Crysler, Embrun, and Limoges (2007). It seems logical that responsibility for services to TEO communities would have been transferred to TEO in 2008.

Transit Eastern Ontario (2008 - ?)
Transport Est-Ontarien. Commuter service between Ottawa and Gatineau and Limoges, Casselman, Saint-Albert, Crysler, Berwick, Finch, St. Isadore, Maxville and Alexandria. Operations of the North Glengarry Prescott Russell Transport Board. Member municipalities are the village of Casselman, townships of North Glengarry and North Stormont, and the Nation municipality. Operation is contracted to 417 Bus Line Ltd. (website 2010). OC Transpo “rural partner” routes 552-559 (2010). 24 November 2011 North Stormont voted to withdraw from TEO. Routes in 2013 were Casselman - Ottawa (551), Limoges - Ottawa - Gatineau (553), Casselman - Ottawa - Gatineau (555, 556, and 559), and Casselman - St. Isidore - Ottawa - Gatineau (558). (website 2013).

TEO logo
 
system logo
Ridership105,588 (2009)
Data source: website 2010
CTF [Aug. 2010] (ridership)

Autobus Bergeron Bus Lines (? - November 2008)
Serving Embrun, Russell, and Vars (2002). Serving Embrun, Limoges, Russell, and Vars (2007). Became municipally contracted in 2008 (see Russell Transpo)?

Russell Transpo (November 2008 - present)
OC Transpo “rural partner” routes 523, 524, 525, and 526 (2010). Serving Embrun, Limoges, Russell, and Vars (2010). In 2011 website identified the service as Township of Russell Transit Service operated by Autobus Bergeron Bus Lines (website 2011). Bergeron renamed Trillium Coach Lines Ltd. in 2011. The website (2013) cites the service as Russell Transpo and lists Trillium Coachlines as the “official transporter”. Routes in 2013 were Embrun, Russell - Ottawa (523), Vars, Embrun, Limoges - Ottawa - Gatineau (524 and 525), and Russell - Ottawa - Gatineau (526). (website 2013). New route structure and new contractor 417 Bus Line Ltd. from 03 September 2013.

Leduc Bus Lines (? - present)
Serving Alfred, Hawkesbury, L'Orignal, Plantagenet, Wendover, Rockland, and Cumberland Village (2002). Serving Alfred, Hawkesbury, L'Orignal, Plantagenet, and Wendover (2007). Route Hawkesbury, L'Orignal, Alfred, Plantagenet, and Wendover to Ottawa and Gatineau is OC Transpo “rural partner” route 520 (2010). In 2013 route was Hawkesbury - Ottawa - Gatineau (520). (website 2013.).

CRTranspo (circa 2007? - 31 August 2019)
Service to Clarence Creek and Rockland operated by Leduc Bus Lines (2007, Street Side Guide 2015). In 2013 routes were Clarence/Rockland - Ottawa - Gatineau (530), and Bourget - Ottawa - Gatineau (535). Municipal administration of transit ended 2019, with services continuing as a private enterprise by Leduc Bus Lines. (website 2013).

Delaney Bus Lines Ltd. (01 May 2007 - present)
Serving Ottawa - Cornwall commuters (2007). OC Transpo “rural partner” route 515 (2010). Added commuter service from Finch via Berwick and Crysler to Ottawa (route 516) and from Alexandria via Maxville to Ottawa (route 517) 01 April 2010. In 2013 routes were Cornwall - Ottawa (515), Finch - Ottawa - Gatineau (516), and Alexandria - Ottawa - Gatineau (517).

Kemptville Transportation Services (2006? - present)
Serving Kemptville and North Gower (2007). Kemptville express route also serves Gatineau (2007). OC Transpo “rural partner” routes 542 and 543 (2010). Routes in 2013 were Kemptville - Ottawa - Gatineau (542) and Kemptville - Ottawa (543). Cornwall (515) and Avonmore (516) routes operated by 417 from circa August 2018.

Greyhound QuickLink Commuter Service (200x? - present?)
The Montréal - Ottawa and Cornwall - Ottawa routes operated by Greyhound Transportation Canada Inc. are marketed as QuickLink commuter services, with commuting schedules and monthly passes. As of January 2008 service details were: (1) Ottawa/Kanata - Cornwall (monthly pass: $285.00); and (2) Ottawa - Montréal (monthly pass: $446.00/student: $393.00, 21+ round trips/weekday, one-way trip time 2:10 -> 2:40). Since October 2007 Greyhound has been a subsidiary of FirstBus Canada Ltd. The QuickLink brand is also used in the United States. (www.greyhoundquicklink.ca 27 January 2008).

South Mountain Stagecoach/Transit (31 March 2009 - 31 July 2012)
Commuter service from Osgoode and Inkerman to Ottawa. OC Transpo “rural partner” route 565 (OC Transpo website 2010).

South Mountain Stagecoach/Transit logo Data source: website 2010

Lanark Community Transit (03 May 2010 - present)
Commuter bus service between Carelton Place and Ottawa operated under contract by Groupe Galland. Initial schedule of eight two-way trips, four each in the AM and PM. Service interrupted approximately Christmas 2010 due to funding issues, resuming 04 January 2011. (website 2010, Ottawa Sun 05 January 2011). Route in 2013 was Carleton Place - Ottawa (538). Website dead July 2013. Leduc Bus Lines purchased the Ottawa area operations of Galland circa May 2014.


system logo 2010
Data source: website 2010

(2002 info from OC Transpo's Bus Fan Club, forwarded by Alan Gryfe Aug 2002. 2007, 2010 and 2013 surveys from OC Transpo website “Rural Transit” page)

Note

commuter rail Via Rail Canada, Inc. provides commuter-friendly train schedules, and sells monthly commuter passes, for its train service between Alexandria and Ottawa. Commuters depart Alexandria at 7:34AM arriving at Ottawa at 8:17AM, and return departing Ottawa at 5:35PM arriving Alexandria 6:35PM. (CPTdb and Via, 2015).

Modes

Animal railway21 July 1870 - fall (September?) 1893
Omnibus20 March 1875 - 31 December 1896 ***
Electric railway29 June 1891 - 30 April 1959*
Light rail transit14 September 2019 - present
Diesel light rail15 October 2001 - present†
Motor busJune 1924 - present
Motor bus busway11 December 1983 - present **
Trolley coach15 December 1951 - 27 June 1959
* Formal closing ceremonies held 02 May 1959 (RFC).
** Transit News Canada reported in its August 1983 issue that buses had begun using segments of the busway. The December 1983 issue reported “The first substantial segments of the Ottawa-Carleton ‘Transitway’ (busway) system opened Dec. 11” (p. 18).
*** Omnibuses operated each spring during transition from sleighs to horsecars 20 March 1875 - circa spring 1893. Omnibuses operated year-round on route to Hull from early 1892 to end of 1896 (McKeowan).
† O-Train service suspended 27 April 2013 - 02 September 2013.

References


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: Tuesday, 25-Aug-2020 22:41:19 CDT