Transit Windsor
 | |
 Windsor International Transit Terminal | |
| 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 |
| Stations | Transit Terminal |
| Fleet | 112 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.
From 1901 to 1920, the SW&A was under ownership of the Detroit United Railway.[2]
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).[3] 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[4] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 (Fall 2014-Fall 2015)[5] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
# | 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[6]
Annual Fuel Usage: 3 million litres
Annual Distance: 5.5 million km
Hours of Service: 287,322
Passengers Carried: 6.2 million
2012 [7]
Annual Fuel Usage: 3 million litres
Annual Distance: 5.6 million km
Hours of Service: 228,379
Passengers Carried: 6.4 million
2014 [8]
Annual Fuel Usage: 3 million litres
Annual Distance: 5.7 million km
Hours of Service: 231,920
Passengers Carried: 6.3 million
Note: Passengers carried are single one way trips and do not include transfers.
References
- ^ "Tunnel Bus to Detroit". Retrieved 21 December 2012.
- ^ http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/2007/06/29/tecumseh-dur-station/
- ^ Canada NewsWire Group: Grand Opening Of New Downtown Windsor Bus Terminal
- ^ "Transit Windsor Fares". Retrieved 21 December 2012.
- ^ "Transit Windsor Routes". Retrieved 22 August 2014.
- ^ http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/transitwindsor/Corporate-and-Contact-Information/Pages/Stats.aspx
- ^ http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/transitwindsor/Corporate-and-Contact-Information/Pages/Stats.aspx.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/transitwindsor/Corporate-and-Contact-Information/Pages/Stats.aspx.
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External links
Media related to Transit Windsor at Wikimedia Commons- Transit Windsor homepage
- Unofficial Transit Windsor Bus Schedule
