- Ajax Transit
Ajax Transit was the former public transit operator in the Town of
Ajax, Ontario . Ajax Transit andPickering Transit were merged on September 4, 2001 to form the Ajax Pickering Transit Authority. APTA was itself merged intoDurham Region Transit on January 1, 2006.Routes
The following routes were operated:
*Elm
*Duffins
*Beach
*Harwood
*Westney Heights
*Village
*Puckrin
*Hospital
*Flag BusHistory
In 1973, the Town of Ajax conducted a survey of potential transit ridership in Ajax. This led to bus service beginning in 1973, under a contract with
Charterways Transportation Limited , which operated service using a fleet of school buses, with heaviest ridership between the Pickering Beach area and downtown Ajax.In the late 1970s,
public transit buses were acquired and began operations on the Elm, Duffins, and Beach routes, which exist to this day. In the early 1980s, the Harwood, Westney Heights, and Village routes began service. Service on the Puckrin route began in the late 1980s.In 1985, Ajax built a new transit garage and offices near the location of the
Ajax GO Station . This location was ideal as Ajax Transit's routes all operated from the Ajax GO Station, providing a service that was tightly coupled with the Lakeshore East train service ofGO Transit . This facility remains in use as the 'DRT West' facility ofDurham Region Transit , and DRT's Ajax routes continue to operate from the GO Station.In 1991, Ajax Transit implemented a
smart card fare system. This system allowed riders to use stored-value cards to access transit services. This system was eliminated in 2001 with the formation of the Ajax Pickering Transit Authority. However, this system was very forward looking and foreshadowed the forthcomingPresto card , in which Ajax Transit's descendantDurham Region Transit will be a participant.In 1992, Ajax Council authorized implementation of a town-operated transit system to replace the contracted services. Also in 1992, Ajax Transit introduced Flag Bug service in which cutaway vans could be flagged down at any point on a fixed route.
Durham Region Transit 's Ajax operations remain heavily based on those operated by Ajax Transit.ee also
*
Presto card References
* A Town Called Ajax, The Ajax Historical Board, 1995
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