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

Saugeen Shores, Ontario

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.

Simcoe County, Ontario

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.

Smiths Falls, Ontario

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, 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])

Teeswater, Ontario

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).

Terrace Bay, Ontario

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.)

Tecumseh, Ontario

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).

Temiskaming Shores, Ontario

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 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. (photo: postcard).

References

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

Tillsonburg, Ontario

Tillsonburg Transit (1994 - end of December 2001)
(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)

Note

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]).

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)

Walkerton, Ontario

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, 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. (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, Ontario

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).

Wellington County, Ontario

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, Ontario

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).

Woodstock, Ontario

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])

Woodstock, Thames Valley and Ingersoll Interurban

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).

References

• Nicol, Kevin, “Public Transit In Woodstock – Prior to 1961”, Transfer Points, Vol. XXXIX No. 2, February 2013, Toronto: Toronto Transportation Society.
• Nicol, Kevin, “Woodstock Transit – 50th Anniversary – 1962-2012”, Transfer Points, Vol. XXXIX No. 3, March 2013, Toronto: Toronto Transportation Society.

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 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).

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

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 Bus Lines (03 May 1948 - 01 July 1958)
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).

Newmarket Town Bus (01 July 1958 - ?)
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).

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 Bus Lines (? - July 1972)
Owner Ronald Farquharson. Operation taken over by municipality 1972 (Newmarket Era 21 March 1973, p. A1).

Aurora Transit (July 1972 - 30 August 1999?)
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).

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)

Modes

References

• Bow, James, “A Brief History of Public Transit In York Region”, Transit Toronto, 2015.
• “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.