GO Transit DIAL-A-BUS Route HistoryLast revised February 16th, 2001 |
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| by Jeffrey Kay From Transfer Points, Vol , No. , 19 |
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October 29th, 1973Service introduced in the York Mills area. This region is bounded by Yonge Street, Highway 401, Leslie Street, Lawrence Avenue, Wilket Creek and York Mills Road. The area was divided into three zones. At rush hour two minibuses served each zone; while at midday there was only one minibus per zone. At rush hour all trips ran to or from York Mills Station, while midday trips also served major shopping plazas within the service area. At the subway buses terminated at the south station entrance on Old York Mills Road. Hours of service were 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays. No Sunday or holiday service was provided. Fares were cash only, 40 cents for adults and 20 cents for children. Free transfers were allowed between zones within the York Mills area, but they were not accepted to or from regular Toronto Transit Commission routes. Note that this was a premium fare, greater than the regular cash fare of 30 cents for adults and 10 cents for children. |
December 15th, 1973Dial-A-Bus service is introduced in the Armour Heights area as stage two of a four-part plan to bring local transit to much of North York. This region was roughly bounded by Finch Avenue, the west branch of the Don River, Highway 401, Wilson Heights and Dufferin Street, and was subdivided into three zones. Rush hour service operated to and from York Mills Station but off-peak trips terminated at Yorkdale Shopping Centre. There was a connecting shuttle service between Yorkdale and York Mills Station during those hours. Hours of service and fare structure were the same as for the York Mills area. |
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March 18th, 1974New demand-responsive service for the Downsview area, a region bounded by Steeles Avenue, Murray Ross Parkway, Keele Street, and Highways 400 and 401. This area was subdivided into nine zones, with five of them receiving rush hour service only. Service hours in the other zones were similar to the other regions. Downsview Dial-A-Buses run to local shopping centres and connected with regular TTC routes, but there was no direct connection to the subway. All passengers paid a 25-cent fare at rush hour and no transfers were issued. The off-peak fare was 25 cents for adults and 15 cents for children, with limited transfer privileges. |
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Rek-Vee minibus number 1211 refueling for the last time at Eglinton Garage, after running in after the end of service on
Friday June 25th, 1976. The photographer was the last Dial-A-Bus revenue passenger, a situation that was arranged (along with the
photo session) by being a friend of the driver's. Alan Gryfe photo |
The above information is drawn from GO Transit and Toronto Transit Commission maps, TTC Headlights--now called Rider News--and pocket timetables in both the Toronto Transportation Society's and the author's collection.
Can you help with other Route Histories? Our sources do not detail the many short turn services operated on some of the longer routes
during the 1950s and 1960s. Many of these routes also operated both local and express services at rush hours. Specific routes that we
require help with are 7 BATHURST, 29 DUFFERIN, 32 EGLINTON
WEST, 34 EGLINTON EAST, 41 KEELE, 59
NORTH YONGE and 86 SCARBOROUGH. If you can help, please
contact Jeffrey Kay at a Society meeting, by e-mail at jeffrey_kay@hotmail.com, or regular mail
care of the Toronto Transportation Society at
