Transit Windsor
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Transit Windsor is a company that provides public transportation for the city of Windsor, Ontario.
Contents |
[edit] History
Transit Windsor was started on November 1, 1977 with 90 transit buses, one double-decker bus from England, three highway coaches, and two suburban buses. Before 1977, the company was called Sandwich, Windsor & Amherstburg Railway or the SW&A.
[edit] 1872 to 1939
SW&A started in 1872, using horse-drawn street cars. In 1920, SW&A switched to electric street cars. However, the company began phasing out electric street cars during the 1930s and began using motor buses. The electric street car service ended altogether in 1939.
[edit] 1940s to 1960s
In the 1940s, SW&A was running Fords and twin coaches.
During the 1950s, they stopped the River Canard line (1951), the 6 mile Tecumseh route (1956), and the Amherstburg line (1958).
In the 1960s they ran 14 routes:
1. Crosstown
2. Dougall Avenue
3. Erie Street
4. Highway No.2
5. Lauzon Road
6. Malden Road
7. Howard Avenue
8. Ottawa
9. Pillette
10. St. Mary's Academy
11. Sanatorium
12. Sandwich East
13. Tecumseh-Drouillard
14. Wellington-Campbell
[edit] 1977 to present
After changing to Transit Windsor in 1977, the company began operating GMC New Looks and GM highway coaches.
1977 was also the year the company first began using the Greyhound bus station, which is still in use today.
In the 1980s, Transit Windsor bought 30ft and 40ft Orion 01.501 and 01.508 buses and 40ft GM New Looks. The company also purchased Classics and MCI Classics, as well as an Orion 05.501 demo.
Transit Windsor still uses its 1978, 1979, and 1982 GMC New Looks, its 1984 and 1985 Orion 01.508s, its 1991 MCI Classic, and its 1991 Orion 05.501.
In 1997 they brought their first Low Floor Nova Bus LFS, but only brought Low Floors from 1998 to the present.
Four buses used by the system are second-hand buses. GM Classics #515 and #523 are second-hand from DDOT in Detroit, MCI Classic #554 is second-hand from St. Thomas Transit, and Orion 05.501 #499 is second-hand from MTA New York City Transit and NJ Transit.
[edit] Fleet
In 2006 they only use
- 2 1979 GM Fishbowls 907-912
- 8 1986 GM Classics 501 and 504-510
- 7 1987 GM Classics 512-518 and 523
- 7 1988 MCI Classics 519-526
- 8 1989 MCI Classics 527-534
- 1 1989 OBI 05.501 499
- 8 1990 MCI Classics 535-542
- 7 1991 MCI Classics 543-548
- 2 1991 OBI 05.501s 411-412
- 5 1997 NOVA LFS 549-553
- 6 1998 OBI 06.501 413-418
- 6 1999 BIA 06.501 419-424
- 7 2003 OBI 07.501 425-430
- 13 2004 OBI 07.501 431-444
- 10 2005 NOVA LFS 555-564
- 2 2006 ElDorado E-Z Rider IIs 701-702
[edit] Bus Wraps
Many buses in the fleet are completely covered with advertisements, also known as being "wrapped". Below is a list of the buses wearing wraps.
- 499 are the Crime Stopper bus
- 436 Edge Nutrition bus
- 912 in the SW&A livery
- 435 & 559 drivers side jiffy lube wrap
- 439 drivers side wrap and 563 the same
[edit] Current Routes
The Current routes are:
- Transway 1A
- Transway 1C
- Transway Express
- Crosstown 2
- Crosstown Express
- Central 3
- Central 3 West
- Ottawa 4
- Dominion 5 (Formerly had auxiliary routes, Dominion 5B, 5C, and 5B/C)
- Dougall 6
- Dougall 6 Express
- South Windsor 7 (newly added in 2005)
- Walkerville 8
- Lauzon 10
- Parent 14
- Tunnel Bus
The express routes only run on weekdays in rush hour. Buses run westbound/southbound in the AM and eastbound in the PM. The Dougall Express only runs in the AM.
The Central 3 West runs Monday-Saturday nights and Sundays when the Central 3 does not run.
The South Windsor 7, Lauzon 10, and Parent 14 do not run on Sundays.
[edit] Advertisements
From time to time, advertisements are placed on the electronic displays on newer buses. On holidays they wish citizens a happy St. Patrick's Day, or a Merry Christmas.
These advertisements also reflect on local current events, such as the death of Senior Constable John Atkinson, or Smog Advisory Days, when the sign displays "Today is a smog advisory day, breathe easy, ride transit." Recently, when the Detroit Tigers went towards the World Series, the Transit Windsor Buses were shown on local Detroit NBC affiliate WDIV-TV 4, where their electronic signs read their routes, then said "GO TIGERS, GO!!!".
[edit] Environment
Transit Windsor encourages citizens to ride transit so that less pollution will be created. Transit Windsor also provides a means of transporting a bicycle for people who must travel where the routes will not transport them to.
