Thunder Bay Transit

Infobox Bus transit
name = Thunder Bay Transit

logo_size = 230


image_size = 250
image_caption = Thunder Bay Transit bus at Brodie St Terminal.
company_slogan = Climb on Board!
Save the fuss... Ride with us!
parent =
founded = 1970 (Originally 1892)
headquarters = 570 Fort William Road
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
locale = Thunder Bay Urban AreaStatistics Canada. [http://geodepot.statcan.ca/GeoSearch2006/GeoSearch2006.jsp?minx=6373838.50163265&miny=1353471.88857143&maxx=6416055.48979592&maxy=1379169.18571429&Last
] [map] , Canada 2006 Census. Retrieved on 17 June 2007.]
Fort William First NationThunder Bay Transit [http://www.thunderbay.ca/docs/transit/603.pdf 4 Neebing–6 Mission Route Schedule] [map] , 2006. The portion of the route highlighted in yellow serves the Fort William First Nation. Retrieved on 17 June 2007.]
service_area = convert|256|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on" [http://www.ucalgary.ca/~wjandrea/msctransit/ Mid-sized City Transit in Canada] ", Field visits: Case study transit systems - Key facts. Retrieved on 30 October 2007.]
service_type = Local bus service
alliance = CUTAThe " [http://www.cutaactu.ca/en/node/122#Ontario Canadian Urban Transit Association] " lists Thunder Bay Transit as a member. Retrieved 17 June 2007.]
routes = 211 Mainline; 2 Crosstown; 2 Crosstown-Westfort; 3 Memorial; 3 Airport; 3 County Park; 3 Jumbo Gardens; 3 Northwood; 4 Neebing; 5 South Neebing; 6 Mission Road; 7 Hudson; 8 James; 9 Junot; 11 John; 11 John-Jumbo Gardens; 12 East End; 15 AM Extra; 17 PM Extra; 18 Chippewa Park; 19 McIntyre]
stops =
hubs = 2
stations =
fleet = 49 low-floor models
ridership = 9,000The City of Thunder Bay, " [http://www.thunderbay.ca/docs/access/750.pdf Fourth Annual Accessibility Plan] ", (2005–2006) pp. 30–31. Retrieved on 17 June 2007.]
fuel_type = Diesel - 46
Biodiesel - 3" [http://www.thunderbay.ca/index.cfm?fuse=html&pg=5213 Green Fleet Visits City Hall for Clean Air Day] ", City of Thunder Bay, 6 June 2007. Retrieved on 5 September 2007.]
operator = City of Thunder Bay - Transportation and Works Department
ceo =
website = [http://www.thunderbay.ca/transit Thunder Bay Transit]

Thunder Bay Transit is the public transit operator in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It was formed in 1970, after the amalgamation of the cities of Port Arthur and Fort William and their respective transit agencies.Wyatt, David A. (2005). [http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~wyatt/alltime/thunder-bay-on.html Transit History of Thunder Bay, Ontario] . Retrieved on 8 March 2007.] Thunder Bay Transit is a member of the Canadian Urban Transit Association.

Thunder Bay Transit operates 21 transit routes in the urban area of Thunder Bay and neighbouring Fort William First Nation, an area of convert|256|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on." [http://www.ucalgary.ca/~wjandrea/msctransit/ Mid-sized City Transit in Canada] ", Field visits: Case study transit systems - Key facts. Retrieved on 30 October 2007.] Its fleet of 49 buses run on diesel and biodiesel fuels. Thunder Bay Transit carries 3,300,000 passengers annually, or approximately 9,000 passengers daily, and employs 140 people." [http://www.thunderbay.ca/index.cfm?fuse=html&pg=5038 Transit celebrates anniversary and accessibility milestones] ", City of Thunder Bay, 28 February 2007. Retrieved on 17 June 2007.] The company maintains two transit terminals, one at 40 North Water Street in Port Arthur, and the other at 140 North Brodie Street in Fort William.

Thunder Bay Transit is the first transit agency in Ontario to be 100% handicapped accessible, and the first Canadian transit agency to use the NextBus system with passenger counters, fare box integrations and passengerinformation systems." [http://www.netnewsledger.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1819&Itemid=2 Another First for Thunder Bay Transit] ", Netnewsledger, 13 September 2007. Retrieved on 13 September 2007.]

History

Public transit in Thunder Bay began in 1892. The silver boom had recently ended, destroying Port Arthur's primary economic raison d'être. Compounding the matter was the Canadian Pacific Railway's decision to build its grain elevators and rail yards in neighbouring Fort William, convert|6|km|mi|0|abbr=on away. With businesses and population vanishing, Port Arthur decided after much debate to build a street car line to connect the town with the rail yards in neighbouring Fort William, much to that town's chagrin. [http://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/streetcar.htm Thunder Bay Museum] - Electric Street Railway, 1892. Retrieved on 30 October 2007.]

In 1891, the town of Port Arthur was authorized to construct and operate the first municipally owned street railway in Canada. The "Port Arthur Street Railway" (PASRy) commenced operations in March 1892, and in that same year, "McDonald and Company" commenced operations of a private street railway in neighbouring Fort William, which connected the Port Arthur Street Railway's southern terminus at Fort William's northern town limits into the downtown core of Fort William. Although Fort William wanted nothing to do with Port Arthur's municipal railway, PASRy gained control of the McDonald and Company line on 1 June 1893, and extended its operations into the town. Scollie, F. Brent (1990). "The Creation of the Port Arthur Street Railway 1890-95: Canada's First Municipally-owned Street Railway". [http://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/publications.htm Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society] , "Papers and Records", XVIII, pp. 40–58, map.]

In 1907, Port Arthur and Fort William became cities. The Ontario Railway and Municipal Board forced Port Arthur to sell its section of the railway in Fort William to that city on 11 March 1908, and to submit to operation by a joint commission until 1 December 1913, under the name "Port Arthur and Fort William Railway". Thereafter, each city ran its own street railway—Port Arthur assumed the name "Port Arthur Civic Railway" in 1914, and Fort William assumed the name "Fort William Street Railway". Port Arthur added two belt lines to its main line in 1913, with the first street cars running on the North Belt Line 29 October 1913.

The Port Arthur Public Utilities Commission which ran the street railway acquired its first 36-passenger bus (painted maroon and cream) in August 1946 manufactured at the Canadian Car and Foundry plant in Fort William. It immediately phased out the Arthur Street railway line, and renamed its system as "Port Arthur Transit.". [Port Arthur News-Chronicle 1 & 13 Aug 1946.] Gasoline-powered buses were introduced in December 1946 to serve the intercity route. Electric trolley buses were introduced on 15 December 1947, [http://www.trolleybuses.net/pta/pta.htm Trolleybuses.net] - Port Arthur and Fort William. Retrieved on 30 October 2007.] the same year that the "Fort William Street Railway" was renamed the "Fort William Transit Company". The trolley buses were manufactured by J. G. Brill and Company at the Canadian Car and Foundry plant in Fort William. The Intercity trolley coach line of each city's system opened in 1947 and was interlined, with operators' coaches serving the entire line in both cities until 1955.

Street railway operations ended in Thunder Bay in 1948. Port Arthur's last three antiquated cars made their final run over the North Belt Line on 15 February 1948 in a driving snowstorm, and Fort William's street cars ceased operations on 16 October 1948. Since 1 January 1970, when Port Arthur and Fort William were amalgamated into the City of Thunder Bay, the system has been known as Thunder Bay Transit. Electric trolley buses were discontinued on 10 September 1972, and the city has since used diesel buses.

Thunder Bay Transit purchased its first low floor buses in 1994, [http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/thunderbay.html Thunder Bay Transit bus roster] 2001. The New Flyer Industries D40LF was the first low floor bus model purchased by Thunder Bay Transit, in 1994. Retrieved 30 October 2007.] and by March 2007 became the first full-sized transit agency in Ontario to have a fleet that consisted entirely of accessible buses. Later that year, Thunder Bay Transit became the second Canadian transit agency to implement Grey Island Systems GPS/AVL and NextBus system with passenger counters, fare box integrations and passengerinformation systems. [http://www.thunderbay.ca/docs/thismonth/5057.pdf NextBus Gives Transit Arrival Times to the Minute] . yourCity, June-July 2008 edition. Retrieved on 29 June 2007.]

Fares and passes

Technology

Since September 2007, Thunder Bay Transit buses have been using the Grey Island Systems GPS/AVL and NextBus real-time passenger information systems, which uses GPS sensors and electronic maps to track bus movement and devices to measure passenger numbers." [http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=99741 High tech system for city buses] ", TBSource, 13 September 2007. Retrieved on 13 September 2007.] The system uses TBayTel's CDMA wireless network to relay information to the transit office and to electronic signs located at major transit stops to let riders know when their bus will arrive." [http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=64440 Transit keeps track of buses] ", The Chronicle-Journal, 14 September 2007. Retrieved on 14 September 2007.] These electronic signs are located at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Lakehead University, Confederation College, Intercity Shopping Centre, and Thunder Bay Transit's two downtown transit terminals, with a seventh sign planned for the Westfort neighbourhood in the city's south end. A test of the system was released on 17 March, 2008 and allowed passengers to view arrival times for routes 2 Crosstown, 3 Northwood, 8 James and 9 Junot." [http://www.thunderbay.ca/index.cfm?fuse=html&pg=5242 Special Events] ", Thunder Bay Transit. Retrieved 17 March 2007.] " [http://www.tbsource.com/Localnews/index.asp?cid=106932 New transit arrival boards will keep riders informed] ", TBSource, 21 April 2008. Retrieved on 21 April 2008.] By 26 May 2008, all routes except 19 McIntyre were online.

Accessibility

To accommodate disabled passengers, Thunder Bay Transit buses are wheelchair accessible low-floor models. Low-floor buses are capable of kneeling to street level and have extending ramps which allow wheelchairs to board safely. Thunder Bay Transit buses had 19,175 rides by persons in wheelchairs in 2006, the most per capita in Ontario." [http://www.thunderbay.ca/index.cfm?fuse=html&pg=5038 Transit celebrates anniversary and accessibility milestones] ", City of Thunder Bay, 28 February 2007. Retrieved on 17 June 2007.] Thunder Bay Transit offers a "Night Stop" service, where buses will allow passengers to disembark at locations between bus stops during night hours due to safety or security concerns.The City of Thunder Bay, [http://www.thunderbay.ca/docs/access/750.pdf Fourth Annual Accessibility Plan] , (2005–2006) pp. 65. Retrieved on 17 June 2007.]

Facilities

Thunder Bay Transit operates two bus terminals in the north and south cores of the city. Thunder Bay Transit's head office and bus garage is located at Thunder Bay Transit and Central Maintenance, located at 570 Fort William Road.

Brodie Street Terminal

:Address: 140 Brodie Street North, Fort William:Coordinates: coord|48|23|07.2|N|89|14|49.5|W:Functions: downtown south core bus terminal; heated waiting area.:Platforms: 3:Routes: 1 Mainline, 2 Crosstown-Water Street, 3 Memorial, 4 Neebing, 5 South Neebing, 8 James, 12 East End, 15 Extra, 17 Extra, 18 Chippewa

Water Street Terminal

:Address: 40 North Water Street, Port Arthur:Coordinates: coord|48|26|08.7|N|89|13|01|W:Functions: downtown north core bus terminal; heated waiting area:Platforms: 1:Routes: 1 Mainline, 2 Crosstown, 3 Memorial, 7 Hudson, 9 Junot, 11 John, 17 Extra, 19 McIntyre

Transit Garage

:Thunder Bay Transit and Central Maintenance:Address: 570 Fort William Road:Coordinates: coord|48|25|02|N|89|14|11|W:Functions: main office and vehicle maintenance

Greyhound Bus Depot

:Address: 815 Fort William Road:Coordinates: coord|48|24|28.6|N|89|14|22.3|W:Functions: privately owned bus depot providing intercity Greyhound bus and courier service. [http://www.greyhound.ca/scripts/en/ticketcenter/terminal.asp?city=126235&PrinterFriendly=true&BackPage=/scripts/en/TicketCenter/locations.asp?State=on Greyhound.ca - Thunder Bay bus depot information] ] :Routes: accessible by route 1 Mainline

Other transfer points

Other terminals, serving two or more routes, are located at Intercity Shopping Centre, Lakehead University and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, and Confederation College. The intersection of Brown Street and Frederica Street in Westfort is a transfer point for routes 1 Mainline, 2 Crosstown Westfort, 4 Neebing, 5 South Neebing, 6 Mission,Thunder Bay Transit [http://www.thunderbay.ca/docs/transit/4030.pdf Route Map] [map] , 2006. Retrieved on 17 June 2007.] and Country Fair Plaza is served by routes 3 Jumbo Gardens, 3 County Park, and 19 McIntyre.

See also

* Transportation in Thunder Bay, Ontario

References

Further reading

* Scollie, F. Brent (1990). " [http://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/publications.htm The Creation of the Port Arthur Street Railway 1890–95: Canada's First Municipally-owned Street Railway] ". Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, Papers and Records, XVIII

* Andreas, Wesley, MA (2007). " [http://www.ucalgary.ca/~wjandrea/msctransit/ Moving Forward: Public Transit in Canadian Mid-sized Cities] ". University of Calgary Department of Geography

External links

* [http://www.thunderbay.ca/transit Thunder Bay Transit] Official web site
* [http://www.nextbus.com/?a=thunderbay Nextbus Stop Selector] for Thunder Bay Transit
* [http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~wyatt/alltime/thunder-bay-on.html History of Transit in Thunder Bay]
* [http://www.trolleybuses.net/pta/pta.htm Tom's North American Trolleybus Pix -- Thunder Bay / Port Arthur / Fort William]
* [http://www.busdrawings.com/Transit/ontario/thunderbay/index.htm Drawings and photos of Thunder Bay Transit buses]
* [http://www.hagi.ca/transitservices.html HAGI - Accessible Transit Service]