York Region Transit: Difference between revisions

York Region Transit

File:York Region Transit (logo).png
Founded	2001
Headquarters	50 High Tech Road, Richmond Hill, ON
Locale	York Region
Service area	Urban/semirural areas
Service type	bus service, bus rapid transit
Alliance	Toronto Transit Commission Brampton Transit
Routes	94 YRT, 5 Viva, 14 TTC-contracted
Fleet	[1] 335 YRT buses 116 Viva bus rapid transit 27 Mobility Plus vehicles
Annual ridership	22,156,781[1]
Fuel type	Diesel
Operator	see Operations
General Manager	Richard Leary[2]
Website	yrt.ca

York Region Transit (YRT) is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road.

YRT operates 65 full-time, rush hour and limited routes, 35 school services, 5 Viva Rapid Transit routes and utilizes 14 Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) routes that run within York Region's boundaries. TTC passengers who cross Steeles Avenue (the Toronto-York boundary) must pay an additional fare (the YRT fare) to continue on that route (in practical sense, the TTC bus becomes a YRT bus when it crosses Steeles Avenue).

Some YRT routes operate within the City of Toronto; these buses are generally running to and from TTC subway stations. YRT northbound buses are allowed to pick up passengers south of Steeles Avenue if they are heading into York Region (but passengers must flag the bus from a designated TTC or YRT stop). YRT buses heading to a TTC subway station can similarly drop off passengers at designated stops south of Steeles Avenue, but are usually not permitted to pick up passengers from these stops (with the exception of York University).

Average daily ridership is between 150,000 to 200,000 riders on buses and 1,000 on MobilityPlus. 22 million riders used YRT in 2012, an 11.6% increase over 2011. YRT is projecting more than 23.5 million riders for 2013.^[3]

YRT was created by the regional government in 2001 to combine the five municipally-managed transit authorities in the region:

• Vaughan Transit, since 1973
• Markham Transit, since 1973
• Richmond Hill Transit, since 1960
• Aurora Transit, merged in 1999 with Newmarket Transit
• Newmarket Transit

In mid-2006, the York Region Transit (YRT) logo was modified to bear closer resemblance to the Viva logo and, by most of the YRT fleet and bus stop signs had their looks changed to bear the new colours.

All transit services in York Region are provided by private operators under contract.^[4]

Area served: Markham and Stouffville

Operator: Miller Transit Limited

Facility: 8050 Woodbine Ave., Markham - outdoor yard home to 135 buses stored on Miller Avenue or Burncrest Road

Web site: Miller Transit

Area served: Newmarket, Aurora, King Township, East Gwillimbury and Georgina

Operator: Tok Transit Limited

Facility: 18106 Yonge Street, Newmarket (leased by York Region to TOK Transit). Sub-division at 536 Pefferlaw Road in Georgina for some route 50 Queensway vehicles and operators.

Tok Transit Limited, a subsidiary of Tokmakjian Incorporated of Concord, won the contract for serving Division 2 after First Student Canada (formerly Laidlaw Transit Limited)'s services were terminated effective January 16, 2012, by YRT due to the transit strike. First Canada were stored in an outdoor facility at 534 Kent Drive in Newmarket

Area served: Richmond Hill

Operator: Miller (same information as Division 1)

Area served: Vaughan

Operator: Veolia Transportation

Facility: 8300 Keele Street, Vaughan

Web site: Veolia Transport - Bus rapid transit in York region

Division 4 was provided by Tokmakjian Incorporated from 2003 to 2010 (former operators for Vaughan Transit)^[5]

Services: Discontinued in Fall 2011

Former Operator: Stock Transportation

Facility: 550 Edward Avenue, Richmond Hill

These two routes were operated by Stock using three mini (18 seat) school buses bearing YRT logos and route signage. The original operator was Student Express Limited (2001–2004).^[6]

Services: Viva Rapid Transit

Operator: Veolia Transportation (operated by subsidiary company York BRT Services L.P)

Facility: 8301 Keele St., Vaughan - Temporary storage for VIVA Purple, Orange, Green, Pink and Blue.^[7]

Web site: Veolia BRT

All but Veolia are Canadian based transit operators. All contractors maintain and store the YRT fleet within York Region.

YRT Capital Assets and York Region Rapid Transit Corporation are responsible for procurement of vehicles for YRT.

In response to escalating congestion on the region's roads, York Region's transit plan included a provision for a bus rapid transit (BRT) system along the Yonge Street and Highway 7 arterial corridors. This service, known as Viva, was launched in September 2005.

YRT bus fares are the most expensive in all of Canada.^{[8][dead link]}

The Presto card has been available for use since July 18, 2011,^{[9][dead link]} and fares are equivalent to one ticket. The Presto card cannot be used on TTC routes serving York Region even if travelling entirely within York Region, as the TTC has not integrated with the Presto card system.

Paper tickets and passes are to be phased out after July 2014.^[10]

As of January 1, 2014, YRT and Viva's fares are as follows:^{[11][dead link]}

The GO Transit fare supplement is not added to the existing YRT fare, but instead is a new fare considering that the rider boards a GO Train before or after the rider boards a YRT/Viva bus.

YRT is divided into three fare zones (Zone 1, 2, and 3) with the boundaries being the Oak Ridges Moraine (between the King Road Vivastation and the Bloomington Road Vivastation) and Ravenshoe Road; the zone rule is that a one-zone fare is needed for a trip that starts or ends within the boundaries, and a two-zone fare is needed for a trip that passes completely through the boundary. Because there is no route that exists that passes through all three zones, all trips are two-zone, unless a transfer is made. Also, there is only one route which passes and Zone 2-3 boundary, which is Route 50 - Queensway.

Tickets purchased at certain stores are unvalidated, and are validated for boarding a bus or Viva by inserting the ticket into a slot at the side of Viva stations.

Customers starting their trip on a TTC bus in Toronto are required to pay a YRT fare when leaving the bus in York Region (North of Steeles) through the front door. TTC buses will issue a TTC transfer punched zone 3 on request, which can be used to transfer to YRT services. Similarly, customers starting their trip in York Region must pay a YRT and TTC fare when boarding the bus if they are travelling into Toronto. Customers starting and ending their trip in York Region do not have to pay any kind of TTC fare.

Paper transfers are issued on YRT buses, but not on Viva buses. A transfer is a proof of payment issued when a fare is paid; the transfers allows riders to switch between YRT, Viva and contracted routes (Brampton Transit and the TTC) within York Region and without paying additional fares.^[12] Transfers are valid where routes intersect. They are valid for up to 2 hours after the time issued. Pass and Presto holders are not entitled to transfers.

YRT has 116 Viva bus rapid transit, 335 YRT buses and 27 Mobility Plus vehicles;^[1] operated by private contractors as shown above in Operations. The initial fleet consisted of buses from previous York Region operators, but has since been expanded with YRT-bought vehicles.

For Viva bus fleet, see Viva Rapid Transit for details.

Make/Model	Description	Fleet #	Notes
New Flyer Industries D40LF	40' Diesel bus	311-335, 401-412, 571-585, 601-609, 610- 618, 701-730, 801-819, 901-945, 1001–1019	300s,[13] 400s, 500s, 600s repainted in new livery 700s, 800s, 900s,1000s delivered in new YRT livery.
New Flyer Industries D40LFR	40' Diesel bus	1020–1038, 1101-1120[14]	All buses delivered in new YRT livery.
Orion Bus Industries 05.501	40' Diesel bus	001-014, 225-233, 301-310,	006, 007 retired.[15] 224 retired as a result of an accident, 300s in new paint scheme
Orion Bus Industries 06.501	40' Diesel bus	1045–1046, 2061–2067, 9701-9704, 9801-9802, 9931-9933	9701 and 9703 in recently refurbished and in new scheme. 1045-1046, 2061–2067, 9702, 9704, & 9801-9802 retired
Van Hool newA330	40' Diesel bus	501-520	Converted from Viva
ElDorado National EZ Rider II	30' Diesel bus	541-570 619-621, 623	622 retired due to fire.
ElDorado National EZ Rider II MAX	30' Diesel bus	850-868, 980-990, 991-996	850-859, 864-868 980-990, 991 to Newmarket, 860-863, 992-994 to Miller, 995-996 to Can-Ar
ElDorado National EZ Rider II BRT	30' Diesel bus	1060-1072 1160-1162	1060-1064 to Newmarket, 1065–1067, 1160-1162 Markham, 1068-1072 Richmond Hill
Overland Custom Coach Ford ELF	Wheelchair Accessible Bus	381-385, 481-483, 591-598
Arboc Spirit of Mobility 20D Accessible bus	10 passenger wheelchair accessible bus	1180-1187

Denotes wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

• 
  YRT old fleet colours 2001-2005
• 
  YRT current fleet colours

YRT's first fleet (2001–2005) was painted with a white base with blue and gold stripes. During the early years many buses still had their pre-2000 colours from the previous operators with "YRT" painted on the front and sides. The livery was changed after 2005 to a white and several tones of blue. Only the Viva fleet is all-blue, but one Orion I YRT (#2028) was painted all-blue for a colour demo.^[16] During the transition to the second colour theme some buses were all white with the old "YRT" label remaining.

YRT operating staff are employed by their respective contractors

Bus operating staff uniform consists of a white shirt with blue pin strips with YRT crest on the left chest and dark navy pants.

Fare Inspectors and Special Constables patrol the entire transit system for the safety and security of passengers and to ensure compliance with the proof-of-payment system. They make random checks onboard buses to ensure the proper use of tickets, transfers and passes. Customers without valid fares are subject to a warning, an instant fine or a criminal charge.

Starting in 2006, YRT began installing 150 cameras on YRT (including Mobility Plus) and Viva buses. By the end of 2008, there were to be 210 more cameras added to the two systems.^[17] CCTV cameras are also installed in some of the Vivastations. Such example will be Bayview Vivastation in Richmond Hill.

Effective June 30, 2013^[18]

• 1 to 99 — Regular bus routes
• 200 series — GO Transit Shuttle (excluding Route 224)
• 300 series — Express (50 cents extra fare required)
• 400 series — High School Specials
• 500 series — Community Bus Routes

Starting on October 24, 2011, bus drivers and workers contracted by Miller Transit, First Student and York BRT Services (Veolia) started striking, protesting over wages and benefits for three months. Over 60 percent of YRT bus routes in York region and all Viva routes did not operate. YRT and Viva workers started picketing on December 5, 2011, at Finch-GO Terminal, YRT headquarters, South-West Division Garage, and Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. 96% of all YRT/Viva routes returned to service on Saturday, February 4, 2012, with 98% of services operational on Monday, February 6, 2012. Full YRT/VIVA service resumed on Monday, February 27, 2012. To compensate riders for the three months of service disruptions, York Region Transit provided two months of free service, using the money saved by not having to pay striking workers.

In February 2011, the executive of YRT consisted of:

• Chair: Bill Fisch (as York Region Chair)
• Vice-Chair (Regional Councillor): Dave Barrow
• Commissioner of Transportation Services: Kathleen Llewellyn-Thomas
• General Manager Richard J. Leary 2010-2014 - former MBTA COO replaces YRT's first head Donald Gordon (2001–2009)^[2]
• Vice-President of York Region Rapid Transit Corporation: Mary-Frances Turner

Wikimedia Commons has media related to York Region Transit.

• York Regional Police
• York Region EMS
• MoveOntario 2020

• Markham Transit 1990 Rider's Guide, Town of Markham
• Markham Transit Fall 1994 Rider's Guide, Town of Markham
• Markham Transit Fall 1999 Rider's Guide, Town of Markham
• Markham Transit 2000 Rider's Guide, Town of Markham
• Transit History...Vaughan
• Transit History...Markham
• Transit History...Richmond Hill
• "vivatalk - York Region's Rapid Transit Update", Economist & Sun/Sun-Tribune: Community, June 11, 2005, p 7.

• York Region Transit
• Viva official site
• York Region Transit Fleet Roster
• YRT fleet roster on CPTDB Wiki
• York Region Transit (Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board)
• The Toronto LRT Information Page (Page has a rendering of what a VIVA LRV could look like)
• Drawings and photos of York Region Transit buses