Gray Coach
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Gray Coach was an inter-city bus line based in Toronto, Canada, from 1927 to 1991.
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[edit] Overview and history
Gray Coach Lines was suburban bus operator founded in 1927 by the Toronto Transit Commission. From 1927 to the 1930s, Gray Coach acquired numerous and smaller competitors in the Greater Toronto Area. The operator eventually dominated inter-urban bus service by the end of the 1930s. Gray Coach used inter-urban coaches to link Toronto to outlying areas throughout Southern Ontario. In addition, Gray Coach operated tour bus operations in association with Gray Line tours. The main terminal was at the Toronto Bus Terminal on Elizabeth Street, downtown.
In 1954, Gray Coach expanded further when it acquired suburban routes from independent bus operators not merged with TTC bus routes following the creation of Metropolitan Toronto.
By the 1980s, Gray Coach faced fierce competition in inter-urban service in the Greater Toronto Area. In order to focus on its basic urban transit service, TTC sold Gray Coach Lines in 1990 to British carrier Stagecoach Holdings Ltd. Stagecoach sold it to Greyhound Lines of Canada and Ontario Northland in 1991.
[edit] Roster
Historic and current buses used by the Gray Coach:
Make/Model | Description | Fleet size | Year acquired | Year retired | Notes |
AEC/CCC Ranger Coach | highway coach | ||||
Flxible Clippers | highway coach | acquired by Independent Bus Lines | |||
General Motors Diesel Division Buses SDH-5302 | glass-roof sightseeing bus | ||||
Motor Coach Industries MC-9 | highway coach | ||||
Motor Coach Industries MC-5B | highway coach | ||||
Motor Coach Industries 1023A3 | highway coach | ||||
General Motors Highway Palour Coach | highway coach | ||||
Flyer Industries D901 | suburban bus | used for Gray Line tours | |||
Yellow Coach 743 | coach |
[edit] Stops
GC operated at various locations across Toronto:
Terminal/Stop | Location | Notes |
(Metro) Toronto Bus Terminal | Dundas and Elizabeth | Now used by Greyhound, Pacific Western and other bus operators |
Toronto Pearson International Airport | Terminal 1 (former) and 2 - Arrival and Departure levels | Served by TTC and other private charters at Terminal 1 (new), 2 and 3 |
Downtown hotels | N/A | Now served by Pacific Western |
Islington subway station | Islington Avenue and Bloor Street West | No longer in use; TTC Airport Rocket Route 192 operating out of Kipling Station |
GO Yorkdale Bus Terminal | Yorkdale Shopping Centre | Now used by Greyhound, GO Transit and Ontario Northland buses |
York Mills subway station | York Mills and Yonge Street - old bus platforms | now served as GO Transit stop on Yonge Street north of York Mills |
Keele Subway Station | Keele Street and Bloor Street West | ticket booth (still exists, but boarded up) |
North Yonge Terminal | Glen Echo and Yonge Street | abandoned upon opening of York Mills, now a supermarket |
GO Finch Bus Terminal | Yonge Street and Bishop Avenue | Now serving GO Transit, Viva, York Region Transit and Brampton Transit; private charters |
Sunnyside Bus Terminal | Queen Street West, Roncesvalles Avenue, King Street West, and The Queensway | West Toronto (Roncesvalles Village) Pick-up and drop off location at corner of Roncesvales Streetcar Barn, now a McDonald's |
[edit] City routes
Toronto city routes once travelled by Gray Coach:
- Beach Coach
- Hill Coach
- Islington
- Kingsway
- Kingsway Coach
- Lambton
- Leaside
- Rosedale Coach
- Woodbridge
[edit] Other Interurban Operators
A list of independent operators acquired by Gray Coach:
- Danforth Bus Lines - East York, Ontario
- Hollinger Bus Lines - East York, Ontario
- Roseland Bus Lines - Weston, Ontario
- West York Coach Lines
[edit] See also
- Toronto Transit Commission
- Greyhound Lines of Canada - took over Gray Coach routes
- Gray Line Worldwide - US Tour operator
- Ontario Northland
- Stagecoach Group