Transit Windsor

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Transit Windsor

Windsor International Transit Terminal
Slogan Driving today for a better tomorrow
Founded 1977 (Predecessor SW&A was founded in 1872)
Headquarters 3700 North Service Road East,
Windsor, Ontario
Service area Windsor, Ontario
Detroit, Michigan
Service type Public transit
Routes 13
Fleet 103 buses
Daily ridership 16,865 (2010)
Fuel type Diesel, Hybrid-Diesel-Electric
Operator City of Windsor
Website Official Website

Transit Windsor is a company that provides public transportation in the city of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Transit Windsor provides transportation to more than 6 million passengers each year, covering an area of 121 square miles (310 km2) and a population of 211,000. Transit Windsor operates a cross border service between the downtown areas of Windsor and Detroit via the Tunnel Bus, and service to events at Detroit's Comerica Park, Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Hall and Ford Field.[1]

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 the Sandwich, Windsor & Amherstburg Railway Company or the "SW&A".

1872 to 1939

SW&A started in 1872, using horse-drawn streetcars. In 1920, SW&A switched to electric streetcars. However, the company began phasing out streetcars during the 1930s and began using motor buses. The streetcar service ended altogether in 1939.

Remains of the streetcar network can be found at the intersection of Sandwich and Mill streets, where the crosswalks of Sandwich Street still retain their original streetcar rails from 1939. A business on University Ave. (formerly London Street) called "the Junction" is one of the original streetcar barns that was used by SW&A before it ended use of the streetcars.

1940s to 1960s

In the 1940s, SW&A was running Fords and twin coaches.

During the 1950s, it stopped the River Canard line (1951), the 6 mile Tecumseh route (1956), and the Amherstburg line (1958).

In the 1960s it 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

1977 to present

After changing its name to "Transit Windsor" in 1977, the company began operating GMC New Look buses and GM highway coaches.

In the 1980s, Transit Windsor bought 30 ft (9.1 m) and 40 ft (12 m) Orion 01.501 and 01.508 buses and 40 ft (12 m) GM New Looks. The company also purchased GM Classics, MCI Classics, and an Orion 05.501 demo.

In 1997 it purchased its first low-floor buses, the Nova Bus LFS. No new high-floor buses have been purchased since.

There are six buses in Transit Windsor's roster that are second-hand buses from other transit system: 523 from Detroit Department of Transportation, 499 (Demo unit) from MTA New York City Transit and NJ Transit, and 565,566,567 and 569 from Durham Region Transit.

On Sunday, June 24, 2007, Transit Windsor and Greyhound began using the newly constructed Windsor International Transit Terminal (WITT).[2] The new facility was built to replace the former bus station which was in disrepair. The routes that run through WITT include the Transway 1A, Transway 1C, Central 3 West, Ottawa 4, Dominion 5, Dougall 6, Walkerville 8, Parent 14 and the Tunnel Bus. The terminal is located at 300 Chatham Street West behind the Windsor Family Aquatics Centre.

Fares

2014 Transit Windsor Fare Structure[3]
Group Cash Fare Monthly Pass Tunnel Bus Tunnel Pass combo city & tunnel Student Summer Saver
Child (under 5) Free with adult fare N/A $4.50 N/A N/A N/A
Student $2.75 $60 $4.50 N/A N/A $96
Adult $2.75 $87 $4.50 $87 $143 N/A
Senior $2.75 $44 $4.50 N/A N/A N/A
  • Ride all day passes are also available for $8.25 and are unlimited use on any "regular" service
  • All day family passes are available for $8.25 and can be used by 2 adults and up to 3 children (5-12 years old)on any "regular" service
  • Transfers are valid for 2 hours after printing on any "regular" service running in any direction
  • Sheets of 5 tickets can be purchased for $11.50 ($9.00 for seniors and students) Transfers can be issued for tickets.

Routes

Current Transit Windsor bus routes[4]
# Route Name Description Notes
1A Transway 1A Windsor International Transit Terminal to Devonshire Mall Via Ouellette and Howard Serves Devon Dr. for first 3 trips 20 minute peak service weekdays and saturday
1C Transway 1C College Avenue Community Centre to Forest Glade, including the Windsor International Transit Terminal 15 minute peak weekday service
2 Crosstown College Avenue Community Centre to Tecumseh Mall Via Wyandotte Street 15 minute peak weekday service
3 Central College Avenue Community Centre to Transit Centre, including Rhodes Industrial Park No Sunday or evening service. 22 minute peak weekday service
3W Central 3 West College Avenue Community Centre to Windsor International Transit Terminal Runs when Central 3 is not - no accessible service 60 minute service 7 days a week
4 Ottawa Windsor International Transit Terminal to Lauzon Parkway, including service to Tecumseh Mall 20 minute peak weekday service, covers Erie after 6pm and all day sunday
5 Dominion Windsor International Transit Terminal to St. Clair College via Dominion and Campbell 25 minute peak weekday service
6 Dougall Windsor International Transit Terminal to St. Clair CollegevVia Dougall Avenue Not currently serving Windsor Crossing. 40 minute peak weekday service
7 South Windsor College Avenue Community Centre to Legacy Park/Silver City via St. Clair College and Devonshire Mall No Sunday or evening service. 50 minute service weekdays and Saturday
8 Walkerville Windsor International Transit Terminal to Legacy Park/Silver City and Walkerville 30 minute peak weekday service
10 Lauzon Tecumseh Mall to Forest Glade (Southbound) or East Riverside (Northbound), including WFCU Centre and St. Joseph's High School No Sunday service. 30 minute peak weekday service
14 Parent Windsor International Transit Terminal to Devonshire Mall, including Remington Park No Sunday or evening service. 40 minute peak weekday service
TB Tunnel Bus Windsor International Transit Terminal to and from Downtown Detroit 30 minute peak service 7 days a week

Notes

represents all trips on designated route are fully accessible. (all routes have some accessible trips) Based on Fall 2013 schedule.
The Central 3 West runs Monday-Saturday nights and Sundays when the Central 3 does not run.
Service on the South Windsor 7 Parent 14 ends at 7pm
The South Windsor 7, Lauzon 10, and Parent 14 do not run on Sundays or holidays.
The Tunnel Bus runs from Windsor International Transit Terminal to the Rosa Parks Transit Center in downtown Detroit, Michigan via the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. More information can be found on Transit Windsor's website

Fleet

Clean diesel buses

Transit Windsor #633 on Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at the Windsor International Transit Terminal running on route 8: Walkerville
In 2013, Transit Windsor began purchasing clean-diesel buses rather than continuing to purchase hybrid-electric vehicles. This decision was made by Transit WIndsor in order to maximize its vehicle budget. The first four New Flyer XD40s arrived in Windsor in October 2013 and are numbered 630-633.

Hybrid buses

2011 New Flyer 'XCelsior'
In 2009, 18 diesel-electric hybrid buses were added to Transit Windsor's fleet. The purchase of the new hybrid buses was made possible through partnership funding from all levels of government. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) Green Municipal Fund contributed $2.4 million through grants and loans, while the Government of Ontario contributed over $7.2 million in funding to the City through the Ontario Bus Replacement Program (OBRP) and Gas Tax Program. Additionally, the City of Windsor contributed $1.8 million for the purchase of these alternative fuel vehicles. The vehicles were New Flyer Industries DE40LFR.[5] 11 more diesel-electric hybrid vehicles were added in 2011. These vehicles were 2011 New flyer Industries XDE40 'XCelsior' and brought the total number of hybrid vehicles in the fleet to 29.

The following improvements are achieved with the addition of 29 hybrid buses:[6]
- 28% of total fleet is using alternative fuel
- 76% of the fleet is fully accessible, with A/C and bike racks
- Average age of fleet is 12 years

Buses

In October 2013, the fleet consisted of:

Current Transit Windsor Fleet Roster[7]
Year Builder Model Unit Total
1985 General Motors Classics 566 1
1986 General Motors Classics 567 and 569 2
1987 General Motors Classics 523 and 565 2
1988 Motor Coach Industries Classics 521. 1
1989 Motor Coach Industries Classics 529, 530, 532, 533 4
1989 Ontario Bus Industries Orion 05.501 499 1
1990 Motor Coach Industries Classics 535, 537, 539, 541 and 542 5
1991 Motor Coach Industries Classics 543,544,547-548 4
1991 Orion Bus Industries Orion 05.501 411 1
1997 Nova Bus LFS 549-553 5
1998 Orion Bus Industries Orion 06.501 413-418 6
1999 Orion Bus Industries Orion 06.501 419-424 6
2002 Orion Bus Industries Orion 07.501 425-430 6
2004 Orion Bus Industries Orion 07.501 431-444 14
2005 Nova Bus LFS 555-564 10
2006 ElDorado E-Z Rider IIs 701-702 2
2009 New Flyer DE40LFR 601-618 18
2011 New Flyer XDE40 619-629 11
2013 New Flyer XD40 630-633 4

Notes

  • All of the buses are 12 metres (40 feet) long, with exception to the Eldorado National E-Z Rider IIs, which are 9 metres (30 feet) long
  • The oldest vehicle in the fleet, 566 is 29 years old
  • The average age of the fleet as of December 2013 is 11 years
  • 20% of the fleet is over 20 years of age
  • 80% of the fleet is accessible
  • Transit Windsor is still using GM Classic buses.[8]

Operating profiles

2008 Annual Fuel Usage: 3.2 million litres
Annual Distance: 5.6 million km
Hours of Service: 254,000
Passengers Carried: 6.3 million

2010[9] Annual Fuel Usage: 3 million litres
Annual Distance: 5.5 million km
Hours of Service: 287,322
Passengers Carried: 6.2 million

Note: Passengers carried are single one way trips and do not include transfers.


References

External links


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