All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems

by David A. Wyatt

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Principal System

International Transit Co. [Sault Ste. Marie] streetcar 221 International Transit Company (30 March 1903 - 31 October 1941>)
street railway/light rail ferry Incorporated by Ontario letters patent 22 May 1888 as the Sault Sainte Marie Electric Light and Transit Company. renamed 1901 to ITCo. Through many sales and reorganizations, ITCo was associated corporately with Sault Ste. Marie's principal industrial conglomerate. Immediate parent companies included Lake Superior Power Company (until 1912), Algoma Steel Corporation (1912-1916), Great Lakes Power Company (1916-1931), and Great Lakes Power Company Limited (after 1931). In 1903 ITCo acquired the ferry service across to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, where streetcars were operated by a sister subsidiary. (Wilson says the last day of streetcar service was 31 October 1942). (photos: City of Sault Ste. Marie; Maritime History of the Great Lakes).

International Transit Co. [Sault Ste. Marie] ferry Agoming (Maritime History of the Great Lakes)
International Transit Co. [Sault Ste. Marie] logo
system logo
Data source: Wilson (logo)

Algoma Steel Corporation (1941 - 1960?)
Operator of successor bus service to the ITCo street railway. (TJ December 1941).

Steel City Coach Lines, Ltd. (1960 - 1963)
(RS)

Wawa-Soo Bus Service (1963 - 1980)
(RS).

Two Cities Transit Company Ltd. (circa 1960s?)
(Scrafton et al. 1970, Dawes et al. 1972). Acquired by Charterways Transportation Limited circa October 1966 (Canadian Coach 1966, Transit Canada 1975). Perhaps contract operation for the SSMTComm .

Sault Ste. Marie No. 13 Ford Transit (William A. Luke) Sault Ste. Marie Transit (circa 1964 - present)
Operated under the authority of the Sault Ste. Marie Transportation Commission. (RS, Dawes et al. 1972, Canadian Coach 1974, Transit Canada 1975, CUTA 1976-77, CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992, photos: William A. Luke, W.E. Miller [Peter Cox collection], Dennis Cavanagh).

Sault Ste. Marie 39 (GM old look) (William A. Luke) Sault Ste. Marie Transit 96 (GM new look) (W.E. Miller 1985) Sault Ste. Marie Orion V (Dennis Cavanagh)

Service area population82,000 (1991)
Vehicle fleet28 buses (2000)
Employees98 (1991)
Ridership1,904,180 (2009)
Data sources:CUTA 1991/2
CTHF/SSG 2000
CTF [Aug. 2010] (ridership)

Secondary Systems

International Bridge Bus (2004? - 19 March 2020)
Frequent local bus service between Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Quoting the website: “The Bridge Bus is funded with transit funds from the Michigan Department of Transportation. In addition, funding is received from the International Bridge Administration, Lake Superior State University, Sault College, the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The Bridge Bus is operated under a contract through the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan by the Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Community Action Human Resource Authority.” (website 2009, website 2017) Was still operating in 2019 but was discontinued early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Modes

Electric railway30 March 1903 - 01 November 1941
Motor bus1941? - present

References


Copyright ©1989-2023 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: Thursday, 23-Feb-2023 17:52:57 CST