Transit Windsor

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.

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.

In 2014, Transit Windsor place 16 used vehicles into service that were second-hand units from London Transit Commission. Those units were numbered 670-685 and were New Flyer Industries D40i Invero model buses.

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

Routes

Current Transit Windsor bus routes (Fall 2014-Fall 2015)[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 10 minute peak weekday service
2 Crosstown College Avenue Community Centre to Tecumseh Mall Via Wyandotte Street 10 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 Evenings and Sundays only - 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 No longer serves 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 Twin Oaks Industrial Area (Southbound) or East Riverside (Northbound), including WFCU Centre and St. Joseph's High School No Sunday service. 35 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 2014-Fall 2015 schedule.
The Central 3 West runs Monday-Saturday nights and Sundays when the Central 3 does not run.
Service on the South Windsor 7 and 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

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

2012 [6] Annual Fuel Usage: 3 million litres
Annual Distance: 5.6 million km
Hours of Service: 228,379
Passengers Carried: 6.4 million

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

References

  1. ↑ "Tunnel Bus to Detroit". Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  2. ↑ Canada NewsWire Group: Grand Opening Of New Downtown Windsor Bus Terminal
  3. ↑ "Transit Windsor Fares". Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Transit Windsor Routes". Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  5. ↑ http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/transitwindsor/Corporate-and-Contact-Information/Pages/Stats.aspx
  6. ↑ http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/transitwindsor/Corporate-and-Contact-Information/Pages/Stats.aspx. Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links