All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems
Ontario Communities (S - Z)

Stratford, Ontario

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])

Temiskaming Shores, Ontario

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 (? - present)
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). (CUTA 1992 "non-member"). (not in CTHF/SSG 2000).

Nipissing Central Interurban

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.

References

• Helm, Norman. Tri-Town Trolleys: The Story of the Nipissing Central Railway. Highway Book Shop, Cobalt (Ontario). 1984.

Thorold, Ontario

? (1970s?)
Perera 1973 lists that the Town of Thorold received transit operating subsidies from the provincial government separate from St. Catharines.

Thorold Transit (? - present?)
Operated by St. Catharines Transit using StCT buses (CTHF/SSG 2000). (Bus World, Vol. 19, No. 2, Winter 1996-97, p. 17, Chow 1998)

Tillsonburg, Ontario

Tillsonburg Transit (1994 - end of December 2001)
(CTHF/SSG 2000).

References

• Tillsonburg Transit Web Site, a web site at the URL http://www.octtf.on.ca/tillsonburg-T.html, 2002.
• Oldfield, Richard, Tillsonburg Transit: Another one bites the dust..., a web site at the URL http://www.angelfire.com/on/TORONTO/tillsonburg.html, 2002.

Timmins, Ontario

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]).

Wasaga Beach, Ontario

Wasaga Beach Transit (07 July 2008 - present)
Rides the first week (07 July - 13 July, 2008) were free. Contract operator is Georgian Coach Lines.

Woodstock, Ontario

Bluebird Coach Lines, Ltd. (1942 - after 1950)
(RS).

Woodstock Transit (? - present)
Operated by the City of Woodstock Community Services Department. (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])

Woodstock, Thames Valley and Ingersoll Interurban

Woodstock, Thames Valley and Ingersoll Electric Railway Company (08 November 1900 - 01 October 1925 -)
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, Ontario

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 (in Newmarket, including Aurora), Miller Transit Limited ( Miller Group in Markham), Partners With Transit (in Richmond Hill), and Can-Ar Coach Service (in Vaughan).

On 04 September 2005 YRT launched a rapid bus service it branded Viva. Viva 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).

system logo

Data source:

website 2002 (logo)

Markham System

Toronto and York Radial Railway Company
Interurban electric railway service along Yonge Street (then the western boundary of Markham Township).

Maple Leaf - Markham Coach Lines (? - Spring 1929)
Suburban Toronto - Markham service acquired by Gray Coach Lines (CC69).

North Yonge Bus
Bus service between Toronto and Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill operated under contract by the Toronto Transportation Commission, replacing earlier T&YR service.

Travelways (Fall 1973 - ?)
Probably a contract operator. (CC73, CC74). Company also cited by it's earlier name: Trailways of Canada Limited (Newmarket) (CUTA 1976-77).

Markham Transit (? - 31 December 2000)
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 logo	Service 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

Toronto and York Radial Railway Company
Interurban electric railway service between Newmarket and Toronto 1899-1930.

Newmarket Transit (? - 31 December 2000)
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]).

Aurora System

Aurora Transit (? - 30 August 1999?)
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).

Richmond Hill System

Toronto and York Radial Railway Company
Interurban electric railway service between Richmond Hill and Toronto 1896 - 1948.

North Yonge Bus (1948 - ?)
Bus services operated by the Toronto Transportation Commission as contracted by Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill.

Richmond Hill Transit (? - 31 December 2000)
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 logo	Service 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

Toronto and York Radial Railway Company
Interurban electric railway service between Toronto and Vaughan.

North Yonge Bus
Bus services operated under contract by the Toronto Transportation Commission as contracted by Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill.

Vaughan Transit (? - 31 December 2000)
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 logo	Service 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)

References

• "York Region Transit latest regional system," Canadian Transit Heritage Foundation Bulletin, Vol. 9, No. 1, May 2001, pp. 19-20.
• "Transit History", a world wide web page on the Town of Richmond Hill website, at the URL: http://www.town.richmond-hill.on.ca/townhall/epw_transit_history.html, 2000.