Grand River Transit: Difference between revisions
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| Largest order to date for Grand River Transit |
| Largest order to date for Grand River Transit |
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* 2400-2418 ordered in 2004, 2419-2433 ordered in 2005 |
* 2400-2418 ordered in 2004, 2419-2433 ordered in 2005 |
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* 2433 destroyed in fire and retired |
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* 2408 and 2409 bear the iXpress livery and are used on the iXpress route |
* 2408 and 2409 bear the iXpress livery and are used on the iXpress route |
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| In full service |
| In full service |
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*21001-21006 bear the iXpress livery and are being used for the iXpress route |
*21001-21006 bear the iXpress livery and are being used for the iXpress route |
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| In full service |
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| 21101 - 21115 Nova Bus LFS 2011 Cummins ISL |
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| In full service |
| In full service |
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Grand River Transit has a fleet of |
Grand River Transit has a fleet of 248 buses. These include: |
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*123 NOVA LFS |
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*47 NFI D40LF |
*47 NFI D40LF |
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*30 Orion VII |
*30 Orion VII |
Revision as of 14:53, 30 August 2011
File:Grtshadow.png | |
Founded | 2000 |
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Headquarters | 250 Strasburg Rd., Kitchener |
Service area | Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, St. Jacobs, Elmira |
Service type | Bus service, Paratransit |
Fleet | 196 buses[1] |
Daily ridership | 40,000[1] |
Operator | Region of Waterloo |
Website | www.grt.ca |
Grand River Transit, or GRT, is the public transport operator for the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It operates daily bus services in the region, primarily in the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge.
It was named for the Grand River, which flows through the Region; the naming also echoes the Grand River Railway, a former electric railway which served the area in the early twentieth century. GRT is a member of the Canadian Urban Transit Association.
Overview
On January 1, 2000, the Region of Waterloo created GRT by assuming the operations of the former Kitchener Transit (which also served Waterloo) and Cambridge Transit from these cities. By the end of that year, operations had been fully synchronised and buses began running between Cambridge and Kitchener; as a result, ridership in Cambridge improved dramatically, and there have been increases in service, including Sundays and late evenings Monday-Saturday.
In recent years, many new low-floor, wheelchair-accessible buses have been purchased, principally from Nova Bus, Orion, and New Flyer, and these now constitute the majority of the fleet. Most operating buses are less than twenty years old, though a few older buses are used primarily for high-school special runs. GRT has also in recent years installed bicycle racks on the front of its buses in order to encourage the use of sustainable transport; all standard and express buses now have these racks.
Service to less dense areas is provided by the busPLUS system, large vans which take regular fares on scheduled routes to new neighbourhoods and more remote facilities; if ridership is sufficiently high, these services can later be replaced with regular buses, as happened with the 71 Melran route in Cambridge.
GRT also operates MobilityPLUS, which provides specialised transit for disabled patrons using minibuses equipped with wheelchair lifts.
The GRT fleet consists entirely of motor-buses; although the former Kitchener Transit operated trolleybuses earlier in their history, these had all been withdrawn during the 1970s, well before the systems were merged. They have continued operating 23 compressed natural gas-driven buses inherited from Kitchener Transit but have not expanded this fleet; these buses are to be retired before the end of 2009. Until the 1950s, the area was served by electric passenger and freight trains run by the Grand River Railway, who even earlier in the 20th century had run streetcars on city streets before the separated railway lines were built.
Effective September 1, 2007, all undergraduate students at the University of Waterloo are required to purchase a 4-month UPass for less than a quarter of the equivalent adult monthly pass.[2]
On February 14, 2008, the members of CAW4304, which represents GRT employees, planned to go on strike.[3] However a tentative agreement was reached before the deadline of 12:01 AM and the strike was averted.[4]
History
Kitchener
- Berlin Gas Company 1888-1894 horsecar
- Berlin Street Railway 1894-1906 - electric car
- Berlin and Bridgeport Railway Company 1904-1906
- Berlin Public Utilities Commission 1906-1916
- Kitchener Public Utilities Commission 1916-1973; operated streetcars, buses and trolley cars
- Kitchener Transit 1973-2000
- Grand River Transit 2000-present
iXpress
The iXpress is a bus rapid transit operated by GRT, consisting of two routes along main corridors in Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge. The older route, Route 200 (then known solely as the iXpress without a route number), launched in September 2005, and runs from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo and Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge primarily along King Street in Kitchener and Waterloo and Hespeler Road in Cambridge. The second route, route 201, runs from Forest Glen Terminal in Kitchener to Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, primarily along Fischer-Hallman Road in both cities.
Future expansion
Grand River Transit has purchased six Diesel-Hybrid buses which began service in late August 2008.[5] To get the best use of their powertrain, these buses run on routes like Route 7 Mainline, which have frequent stops and heavy usage.
Rapid transit
The Region of Waterloo is currently conducting an Environmental Assessment for the implementation of rapid transit in the area, which would boost more compact urban growth along the main corridor. A light rail line is expected to run from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo to Fairview Park in Kitchener, and a bus rapid transit line from Fairview Park in Kitchener to Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge.[6]
Fares Effective January 1, 2009
Conventional Transit Fares
Item | Cost (CAD) | Comments |
---|---|---|
Cash Fares | $2.50 | Children under 5 (alternately: 4 and under) ride FREE to a maximum of 3 children per paying adult customer |
Adult Tickets | $9.75 ($1.95 x5) | Sold in strips of 5, valid for Adults, College Students and University Students |
Reduced Tickets | $8.25 ($1.65 x5) | Sold in strips of 5, valid for Seniors, Elementary and High School Students; GRT Bus Operators may request customers show a GRT Student or Senior Photo ID at the time the fare is paid to prove elgibility for the use of reduced tickets |
Adult Monthly Pass | $63.00 | Valid for Adults, College Students and University Students ONLY; GRT Photo ID Required |
Reduced Monthly Pass | $52.00 | Valid for Seniors, Elementary and High School Students ONLY; GRT Photo ID Required |
College Pass | $209.00 | Valid for 4-month term |
UPASS (Universal Pass) | $52.94 (Effective Sept. 1/10) | Cost deducted for each semester directly through tuition paid by University Students
Full-Time Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Waterloo Undergraduate and Graduate Students may use their UPASS year-round. All other students including (but not limited to) UW ELI Students, Part Time Students etc. do not qualify for UPASS privileges and must purchase Adult fare media. Using the UPASS: Students show their University Student Card (Laurier OneCard/Waterloo WatCard) as their UPASS to the bus operator when boarding GRT buses. The card is only valid as a UPASS for the person shown/named on the card until the expiry date printed on the front of the card. Invalid, fraudulent, expired cards etc. may be confiscated by GRT (subject to the UPASS agreements with WLU and UW) and returned to the issuing University. It is the cardholder's (read student's) responsibility to ensure they maintain a valid UPASS. Student cards remain the property of the issuing university. |
Day Pass/Sunday & Holiday Family Pass | $5.00 | Valid for 1 Customer for Regular Weekday and Saturday Service; valid for 2 Adults and up to 3 Children, or 1 Adult and up to 4 children on Sundays and Statutory Holidays |
Student Summer Pass | $92.00 | Valid July and August for Elementary and High School Students; GRT Photo ID Required and included in the price |
Corporate Pass | $51.05 | Payroll deduction for employees of participating major employers |
MobilityPLUS Urban Area Fares
Item | Cost (CAD) | Comments |
---|---|---|
Cash Fare & Ticket Price | 2.50 | Permanent registered MobilityPLUS users ride conventional transit for free |
MobilityPLUS Township (Rural) Area Fares
Item | Cost (CAD) | Comments |
---|---|---|
Within Township | 2.50 | -- |
First Boundary Crossed | 4.75 | -- |
Secondary Boundary Crossed | 7.00 | -- |
Routes
Route listing effective September 2, 2008. Routes marked with are routinely operated with low-floor, wheelchair-accessible buses; other routes sometimes use new buses, but do not do so reliably.
Cross-service area routes
Kitchener-Waterloo service area
Route | Service Limitations | Notes | |
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1 Stanley Park | (Service every day) |
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2 Forest Hill | No Sunday/holiday service |
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3 Ottawa South | (Service every day) | ||
4 Glasgow | No Sunday/holiday service |
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5 Erb West | (Service every day) |
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6 Bridgeport | No Sunday/holiday service | ||
7A Fairview via Connaught | (Service every day) |
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7B Fairview via Weber | (Service every day) |
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7C Conestoga Mall | (Service every day) | ||
7D University of Waterloo via University | (Service every day) |
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7E University of Waterloo via Columbia | No Evening, Sunday/Holiday service |
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7F Fairview via Wilson | No Evening Sunday/Holiday service |
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91 Late Night Loop | No Monday-Wednesday OR Sunday/holiday service |
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8 University via Weber | (Service every day) | ||
8 University via Westmount | (Service every day) | ||
8 Fairview via Courtland | (Service every day) | ||
8 Fairview via Franklin | (Service every day) |
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9 Lakeshore | (Service every day) |
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10 Conestoga College | (Service every day) |
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11 Country Hills | (Service every day) |
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12 Conestoga Mall - Fairview Park Mall | (Service every day) |
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13 Laurelwood | (Service every day) |
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14 Bathurst | Weekday rush hour service only | ||
15 Frederick | No Sunday/Holiday service |
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16 Forest Glen | Weekday service only |
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17 Heritage Park | (Service every day) |
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18 Guelph Street | No Sunday/Holiday service | ||
19 Victoria South | Weekday rush hour service only | ||
20 Victoria Hills | (Service every day) |
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21 Elmira | No Sunday/Holiday service |
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22 Laurentian West | No Sunday/Holiday service | ||
23 Idlewood | No Sunday/Holiday service |
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24 Highland | No Sunday/Holiday service |
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25 Queen South | (Service every day) |
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27 Chicopee | (Service every day) | ||
29 Keats Way | Weekday service only |
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31 Lexington | Weekday service only |
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32 Kumpf | Weekday rush hour service only | ||
33 Huron | Weekday rush-hour service only |
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35 Eastbridge | No Sunday/holiday service |
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52 Fairview Park Mall - Ainslie Street Terminal | (Service every day) |
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61 Conestoga College - Cambridge Centre | Weekday service only |
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72 Cherry Blossom BusPLUS | Weekday rush hour service only |
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73 Northlake BusPLUS | Weekday rush hour service only |
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110 Fairview Park Mall-Conestoga College Express | No Saturday, Sunday or holiday service |
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111 Ainslie Street-Conestoga College Express | Weekday rush-hour service only |
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116 Forest Glen-Conestoga College Express | Weekday rush-hour service only |
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iXpress Conestoga Mall - Ainslie Terminal | (Service every day) |
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Huron Industrial Special | Weekday rush hour service only | Selected trips on weekday rush hours only |
Cambridge service area
Route | Service Limitations | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
51 Hespeler Road | (Service every day) |
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52 Fairview Park Mall - Ainslie Street Terminal | (Service every day) | Runs from Kitchener service area to Cambridge service area | |
53 Franklin Boulevard | Weekday service only | At the Hespeler Terminal, buses change to route 66 Winston | |
54 Lisbon Pines | No Sunday/holiday service | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to route 57 Blair Road | |
55 St. Andrews | (Service every day) | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to route 59 Christopher | |
56 Dunbar | (Service every day) | At Cambridge Centre, buses change to route 60 Northview Acres (except for 11:26 PM arrival on weekdays: route 51 Hespeler Road to Hespeler) | |
57 Blair Road | No Sunday/holiday service | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to route 54 Lisbon Pines | |
58 Elmwood | (Service every day) | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to route 62 Woodside | |
59 Christopher | (Service every day) |
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60 Northview Acres | (Service every day) | At Cambridge Centre, buses change to route 64 Langs (except for Monday-Saturday arrivals at 6:30 PM and later: route 56 Dunbar) | |
61 Conestoga College - Cambridge Centre | Weekday service only |
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62 Woodside | No Sunday/holiday service | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to route 58 Elmwood | |
63 Champlain | No Sunday/holiday service | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to route 55 St. Andrews | |
64 Langs | No Sunday/holiday service | At Cambridge Centre, buses change to route 56 Dunbar (except for Monday-Saturday arrivals at 6:30 - 8:30 PM: route 60 Northview Acres) | |
65 Fisher Mills | (Service every day) | At the Hespeler Terminal, buses change to route 51 Hespeler Road | |
66 Winston | (Service every day) | At the Hespeler Terminal, buses change to route 53 Franklin Boulevard, Weekdays between 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM only | |
67 Lovell Industrial | Weekday rush hour service only | ||
71 Melran | No Sunday/holiday service | ||
72 Cherry Blossom BusPLUS | Weekday rush hour service only |
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75 Saginaw BusPLUS | Weekday rush hour service only | BusPLUS route | |
111 Ainslie Street-Conestoga College Express | Weekday rush-hour service only |
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iXpress Conestoga Mall - Ainslie Terminal | (Service every day) | Express route |
Numbering notes
Route 8 is so numbered because its travelled route forms a rough figure 8 through Kitchener and Waterloo, with the Charles Street terminal as the central point.
Many routes in the Kitchener-Waterloo area had their numbering split in the early 2000s as interlining was handled differently, to allow more flexibility. The separated sections usually had major route or schedule changes at the time. Routes split were:
Route before splitting | Year of split | Routes after splitting |
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Many Cambridge-area routes are based on their former Cambridge Transit numbers, with 50 added to the number. Thus, the 51 is the former Cambridge Route 1, and the 52 is the former Route 2 Coronation which was extended from Preston Parkway into south Kitchener by merging it with the former Kitchener Transit Route 20 Sportsworld/Gateway Park (The Route Number 20 has since been reused in Victoria Hills); Cambridge Route 14 became 56, 17 became 60, and since 2000, additional routes have been numbered in the 60s.
During the turbulent times surrounding the Kitchener Transit - Cambridge Transit merger, many short-lived, experimental, or interim routes existed. One was the route 20 Sportsworld/Gateway Park, which was later merged with Cambridge Transit route 2 Coronation to form the route 52. At one point, a very short-lived route 61 existed as a satellite route operating from Highland Hills Mall. Soon after, this route was changed to a long-since forgotten route: route 41 Laurentian West - Highland West BusPLUS. This route did not last long, and its service area was later covered by routes 19, 20, and 22. Route 21 St. Jacobs started by running to St. Jacobs Market from Conestoga Mall via Northfield Drive and Weber Street.
School specials
GRT also provides school specials to most Secondary Schools in the Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge areas. The purpose of these routes is to help alleviate overcrowding problems on regular GRT Routes, and supplement regular GRT routes by adding extra and/or short turn trips. The main function of many of the specials is to provide services between schools and neighbourhoods where limited or no regular service is available, or where multiple time-consuming transfers would be required. These specials usually operate on completely or partially different routings than regular GRT Routes. Any other school bus services are yellow school bus services.
Bus fleet
Berlin/Kitchener
- horse drawn cars - Berlin Gas Company
- Preston Car & Coach Company cars - Berlin PUC
- ex-Cleveland Street Railway cars - Berlin PUC
- 10 Yellow Coach model 733 bus - Kitchener PUC
- 25 Canadian Car & Foundry T44 trolleybus - Kitchener PUC
- 2 CCF-Brill model C-36 gas bus - Kitchener PUC
- 5 ex-Ottawa Transportation Commission trolley buses - Kitchener PUC
- 8 General Motors TDH-3501 bus - Kitchener PUC
- 10 GMDD TDH-3502 bus - Kitchener PUC
- 1 Aerocoach - ex-Wellesley Bus Lines - Kitchener PUC
- 2 Brills - ex-Wellesley Bus Lines - Kitchener PUC
- 1 Ford - ex-Wellesley Bus Lines - Kitchener PUC
- 6 GMDD T6H-5305 - Kitchener PUC
Kitchener-Waterloo Division: Current Fleet
Numbers and Model(s) | Special Features/Notes | Current status | |
---|---|---|---|
8501 - 8508 General Motors TC40-102N 1985 Detroit Diesel 6V71
Allison V731 |
Last buses with orange cushion seats |
FLEET RETIRED | |
8509 - 8510 General Motors TC40-102N 1985 Detroit Diesel 6V71
Allison V731 |
First buses with all new seats and interior color scheme | FLEET RETIRED | |
8801 - 8806 Motor Coach Industries TC40-102N 1988 Detroit Diesel 6V71 Allison V730 | 8805 Retired due to major structural failure | School specials and occasional revenue runs only | |
8901 - 8906 Motor Coach Industries TC40-102N 1989 Detroit Diesel 6V92T Allison V731 | 8904 Retired due to Major Mechanical Failure | School specials and occasional revenue runs only | |
8907 - 8910 Orion Bus Industries 5.501 1989 Detroit Diesel 6V92T
Voith D863 |
In regular weekday service | ||
8911 - 8913 Orion Bus Industries 5.501 1989 Detroit Diesel 6V92T
Allison HTB748 |
In regular weekday service | ||
8914 Orion Bus Industries 5.501 1989 Detroit Diesel 6V92T Allison B400 | School specials only | ||
9001 - 9013 Orion Bus Industries 5.501 1990 Detroit Diesel 6V92T
Voith D863 |
In regular weekday service | ||
9200 - 9213 New Flyer Industries D40LF 1992 Detroit Diesel 6V92T
Voith D863 |
First ever low floor buses in Ontario to be in service | In full service | Being retired later in 2011 |
9400 - 9419, 9421 - 9424 New Flyer Industries D40LF 1994 Detroit Diesel Series 50 Allison B400 | 9409 was fully rebuilt due to engine fire
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In full service | Being retired later in 2011 |
9600 - 9622 New Flyer Industries C40LF 1996 Detroit Diesel Series 50G Allison B400 |
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FLEET RETIRED | |
2200 - 2207 New Flyer Industries D40LF 2002 Cummins ISC
Allison B400 |
First order delivered to Grand River Transit
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In full service | |
2300 - 2329 Orion Bus Industries 7.501 2003 Cummins ISC
ZF HP592 |
In full service | ||
2400 - 2433 Nova Bus LFS 2004/2005 Cummins ISL
ZF Ecomat |
Largest order to date for Grand River Transit
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In full service | |
2601 - 2614 Nova Bus LFS 2006 Cummins ISL |
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In full service | |
2701 - 2724 Nova Bus LFS 2007 Cummins ISL
ZF Ecomat |
First order delivered with rear LED screens | In full service | |
8007 - 8021 Nova Bus LFS 2008 Cummins ISL
ZF Ecomat |
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In full service | |
8022 - 8027 Nova Bus LFS HEV 2008 Cummins ISL |
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In full service | |
20901 - 20913 Nova Bus LFS 2009 Cummins ISL |
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In full service | |
21001 - 21009 Nova Bus LFS 2010 Cummins ISL |
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In full service | |
21101 - 21115 Nova Bus LFS 2011 Cummins ISL | In full service |
Grand River Transit has a fleet of 248 buses. These include:
- 123 NOVA LFS
- 47 NFI D40LF
- 30 Orion VII
- 24 Orion V
- 4 GMC CLASSICS
- 10 MCI CLASSICS
- 6 NOVA LFS HEV
- 4 ORION VI
Cambridge Division (ordered before incorporation)
- Leased GM New Look fishbowl (returned)
- Motor Coach Industries & GM TC40102N (Classic)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 1997-1999)
- Orion Bus Industries I 01.507 (retired in 2006)
- Orion Bus Industries V 05.501
- Orion Bus Industries VI 06.501
Kitchener-Waterloo Division (ordered before incorporation)
- Flyer Industries D800-B (ordered 1977-1979)
- GM New Look fishbowls (Retired November 2005)
- Motor Coach Industries & GM TC40102N (Classic) (ordered 1985-1989)
- Orion Bus Industries V 05.501 (ordered 1989-1990)
- New Flyer Industries D40LF (ordered 1992)
- New Flyer Industries D40LF (ordered 1994)
- New Flyer Industries C40LF (ordered 1996) (Retired summer 2008)
Both Divisions (ordered after incorporation)
- New Flyer Industries D40LF (ordered 2002)
- Orion Bus Industries VII 07.501 (ordered 2003)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2004)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2006)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2007)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2008)
- NovaBus LFS HEV (ordered 2008)
- Ford minibus – F450 chassis
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2009)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2010)
Denotes wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
Facilities
Major transit terminals are operated and staffed in both Downtown Kitchener (Charles Street Terminal) - (Routes 1,2,3,4,6,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,8,11,15,18,19,20,22,23,24,25,iXpress) and the Ainslie St. Transit Terminal at Galt City Centre in Cambridge - (Routes 51,52,53,54,55,57,58,59,62,63,111,iXpress).
Unstaffed off-road satellite terminals are also in place at Waterloo’s Conestoga Mall (Routes 7C,9,12,14,21,31,32,35,iXpress), Kitchener’s Fairview Park Mall (Routes 7A,7B,7F,8,10,12,17,23,27,52,110,iXpress), Forest Glen Plaza (Routes 3,11,12,16,22,33,116), Stanley Park Mall (Routes 1,17,23), Highland Hills Mall (Routes 2,12,19,20,22,24,25), Sportsworld (Routes 52,72busPLUS) and Cambridge Centre (Routes 51,56,60,61,64,67,75busPLUS,iXpress).
Other significant transfer points include King Street/University Avenue (Routes 7C,7D,7E,8,9,12,iXpress), the University of Waterloo (Routes 7D,7E,8,9,12,13,29,31,iXpress), Uptown Waterloo (Routes 5,7C,7D,7E,35,iXpress), Holiday Inn Drive/Hespeler (Routes 51,53,65,66,71), Conestoga College-Doon Campus (Routes 10,16,61,110,111,116) and the Preston Towne Centre (Routes 52,56,61,64)
The Kitchener-Waterloo fleet, and all central operations, are run from the agency’s headquarters on Strasburg Road in Kitchener (across from the Laurentian Power Centre); the Cambridge fleet has its base on Conestoga Boulevard, behind the Cambridge Centre.
See also
References
- ^ a b Transit Programs in GRT
- ^ "University of Waterloo students get onboard with UPASS" (Press release). Region of Waterloo. 2007-08-30. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- ^ "Bus service threatened by dispute with drivers". Waterloo Region Record. 2008-02-05. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ "Tentative agreement reached on Grand River Transit contract". Waterloo Region Record. 2008-02-14. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ "Green transportation initiatives can fast run out of gas". Waterloo Region Record. 2007-11-17. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ "Region's $790M rapid-transit proposal". Waterloo Region Record. 2009-05-09. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
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