Markham Transit

Markham Transit was a transit system for the Town of Markham, Ontario, Canada. It was created in 1973 and operated by Travelways and Miller Transit Limited on behalf of the Town. The service was merged into York Region Transit in 2001.

Routes

• 1 North Trunk - ran along Highway 7
• 2A - ran along 14th Avenue
• 2 South Trunk - ran along John Street, Denison Street
• 3 Thornhill Local (Merged with Vaughan Transit route 8 to form existing YRT route 3 in 2002)
• 4 Unionville/Markham Local (now YRT route 40 & 41)
• 5 Buttonville North (merged with route 4 in 1998)
• 6 Brimely (cancelled circa 1997)
• 7 16th Avenue (1998-1999, merged with Richmond Hill Transit Route 5 (now YRT route 85)
• 8 Kennedy (since 1998)
• 9 Markham Road (1998-2002, merged with TTC route 102)
• Unionville Express
• Markham Express
• Sunday and Holiday Express - ran along Yonge Street, John St, Leslie St. and Highway 7

There were a number or north-south routes operated for Markham Transit by other operators:

• Bayview GO Transit
• Yonge C GO Transit
• 17A Birchmount Toronto Transit Commission
• 129A McCowan Road North Toronto Transit Commission
• 43C Kennedy Road Toronto Transit Commission
• 25D Don Mills Toronto Transit Commission
• 68B Warden Toronto Transit Commission
• 24C Victoria Park Toronto Transit Commission
• Unionville GO Transit Shuttle

Toronto Transit Commission's 53 Steeles East was never operated on behalf of Markham Transit and did not require additional fares when the bus ran within Markham (namely Middlefield Avenue, Elson Street and Markham Road).

Park N'Ride

This service allowed patrons to park cars at select locations and board buses without paying for parking. Park 'N Ride Locations included:

• Markham Village Community Centre
• Knob Hill Farms- Woodbine and Highway 7
• Former Fortinos store - Denison Street and Kennedy Road
• Denison Square - Highway 48 and Denison Street
• Thornhill Community Centre
• First Markham Place

Additional services

Mobility Bus Service

Transit for the disabled was similar to the TTC WheelTrans. It also included Taxi Scrip, service for unplanned trips.

Request Stop Program

Similar services offered by the TTC for female patrons at night.

Faster to Finch

Offered connection between Markham Transit and GO Transit and 407 ETR to Finch Station.

Transcab

Introduced in 1991s when Markham Transit did not operate night services. The hours of operations was after 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday. By the late 1990s, Markham Transit offered evening and weekend services; this has been continued under YRT. Transcab was replaced by school bus shuttles in 1997.

Fleet

Many of Markham Transit's vehicles were second-hand, but more recent buses were new purchases.

Current YRT status (2005):

• 1977, 1979, 1981 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-4523N (#2001-#2006, #2014) - Only 2006 remains active in Newmarket.
• 1979-1984 Ontario Bus Industries Orion I 01.501 (#2007-#2013, #2015-#2020) - Only #2020 remains in service
• 1985-1988 Ontario Bus Industries Orion I 01.508 (#2021-#2025, #2027-#2030, #2033-#2036) - Only #2025 is retired, the rest remain in service
• 1966 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5303 (#2025) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #3758, retired
• 1966 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5303 (#2026) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #3746, retired
• 1971 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-4523N (#2031) - Loaned Brampton Transit #9724, acquired in 1988
• 1974 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-4523N (#2032) - Loaned Brampton Transit #9741, acquired in 1988
• 1967 General Motors Diesel Division Buses TDH-5303 (#2037) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #7113, acquired in 1989, retired
• 1963 General Motors Diesel Division Buses TDH-4519 (#2038) - Ex-London Transit Commission #81-3, acquired in 1989, retired
• 1969 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5305 (#2039) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #7371, acquired in 1989, retired
• 1969 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5305 (#2040) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #7338, acquired in 1989, retired
• 1969 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5305 (#2041-2042) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #7372-7373, acquired in 1989, retired
• 1970 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T8H-5305A (#2043) - Ex-GO Transit #1015, acquired in 1989, retired
• 1989 Motor Coach Industries TC-40102N Classic (#2044-#2047) - all in service
• 1990 Motor Coach Industries TC-40102A Classic (#2048-#2052) - all in service
• OBI Orion V 05.501
• 1998 OBI Orion VI 06.501 (#2061-#2067) - all in service
• Champion Bus Incorporated Solo - sold to BusAdvertising (DPI Transit Media) of Ajax ON (#2055-#2060) - All retired
• 1991 New Flyer Industries D40S (#2068-#2072) - Ex-GO Transit, all retired
• General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-XXXX - NG demostrator from FIBA Canning, Scarborough

Past Fleet

• GMC Flexette (#505)

Denotes wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Loops

• Middlefield Road and Denison Street
• McCowan Road and Steeles Avenue (at Calvary Manor and shared with the TTC)
• Thornhill Town Centre

See also

• Richmond Hill Transit
• Vaughan Transit
• York Region Transit
• Newmarket Transit
• Toronto Transit Commission
• GO Transit
• Viva (bus rapid transit)
• Aurora Transit

References

• Markham Transit 1990 Rider's Guide
• Markham Transit Fall 1994 Rider's Guide
• Markham Transit Fall 1999 Rider's Guide
• Markham Transit 2000 Rider's Guide
• Transit History...Markham