Guelph Transit

History

The City of Guelph is located approximately 55 miles (89 km) west of Toronto. Nicknamed the Royal City (reflecting the House of Hanover, known in its native Germany as the House of Welf), Guelph's street railway operated from 1895 until 1939 along five routes. It was also the western terminus of the Guelph line of the Toronto Suburban Railway.

Street railway

By the late 19th century, Guelph had become such a size that public transportation had pretty much become a necessity. Serious discussion concerning a street railway began in 1875, and the Guelph Street Railway Company was formed in 1877. The company failed to get a franchise for its proposed horse-car line, and the idea was abandoned.

The Sleeman line

In 1894, Guelph City Council granted a street railway franchise to local businessman George Sleeman for a term of twenty years, for which the Guelph Railway Company was incorporated in April 1895. Construction began immediately thereafter, using 56 pound rail. The initial route of the GRC was south along Woolwich Street, through the downtown and along Dundas Road, with a second line running from the Sleeman owned Silvercreek Brewery on Waterloo Avenue, to the Canadian Pacific and Grand Trunk (later Canadian National) Railway stations. Total distance of these two lines was approximately 4 ¹⁄₂ miles (7.2 km). Electrical equipment for 600 volt operation, three closed and two open cars were supplied by the Canadian General Electric Company. A stone car-barn and powerhouse were also built. The carbarn later served as the garage for the Guelph Transportation Commission buses until the 1970s, and still stands today at 371 Waterloo Avenue.

Sleeman operated a brewery on Waterloo Avenue and expected that his employees would travel back and forth to work on his system. He also built a skating rink and park behind his brewery.

Operation began on September 17, 1895, with 20 minute service being provided between 5 am and 11 pm, Monday to Saturday. New lines were soon built including Suffolk, added in 1896, O.A.C (Ontario Agricultural College) in 1902 and York Road in 1911.

The Company's charter was extended in 1901 to provide for a line to be constructed to Hespeler, forming a loop line with Puslinch Lake.

Guelph Radial Railway

George Sleeman continued to own the line until late 1902 when control passed to the Bank of Montreal and the Traders Bank of Canada. The name of the company was also changed to the Guelph Radial Railway Company, with authority to build lines to Mount Forest, Erin, Galt and Preston, but none of these lines were ever built. The City of Guelph was also authorized to acquire the company, which it subsequently did, with related legislation being passed in 1905.

Ridership doubled between 1902 and 1906 resulting in more rolling stock being purchased in 1906 and again in 1911. In 1903, the city of Guelph purchased the street railway for $78,000, which included eight miles of track, eight closed and three open cars.

Freight service had been introduced in 1900 using a small four-wheel locomotive, with traffic being interchanged with the Grand Trunk Railway. This business increased to a point where in 1911 a new 27-short ton locomotive, #26, was purchased from Preston Car & Coach, along with two 2-truck 'Prairie' type streetcars, #60 and #70. In 1913, another 'Prairie' car, #80, was added with two more, #90 and #100, being acquired in 1914. The Prairie cars were 45 feet 10 inches (13.97 m) in length and were double ended. All five 'Prairie' cars were transferred to the Toronto and York Radial Railway in 1925 and renumbered 151 to 155. A second freight interchange was added on Suffolk Street in 1915 and a connection was made with the new Toronto Suburban Railway line in 1917.

Ontario Hydro

Both the Canadian Pacific Railway and Ontario Hydro made offers to buy the Guelph system. Ontario Hydro won out and took title to the Railway, under the name Ontario Hydro Electric Railways–Guelph District, on May 21, 1921. Some lines were rebuilt and some extended, and Sunday service began July 25, 1921. Seven single-truck Birney cars numbered 219 to 225 were acquired in 1922. These were built by Canadian Brill at the former Preston Car & Coach plant in nearby Preston, Ontario.

The first bus, a 29-seat Gotfredson, was placed in service in 1926 on Eramosa Road. This service was discontinued on October 31, 1927, due to significant losses, however, the service was reinstated the following year with a smaller bus. A second bus was used when streetcar tracks were under repair.

Operating losses began to climb beginning in 1927. The Suffolk line was removed in 1929 due to its poor condition and the cost of rebuilding, being replaced by bus service.

In 1926, Ontario Hydro tried to sell the system back to the City of Guelph, but were refused. Finally, in June 1937, City Council recommended the discontinuance of the streetcars, September 30, 1937, being the final day of operation, buses replacing them the next day. In 1939, the Ontario Legislature passed an Act transferring the system to the newly created Guelph Transportation Commission (now called Guelph Transit). Electric freight service continued to operate until May 26, 1939.

Bus service to the present day

Guelph Transit has bus routes that cover the entire city. Sunday service was added in 2001, new routes were added over the last five years. Guelph Transit's garage and other city works moved from Waterloo Avenue to 12 Municipal Street in the 1970s . In the late 1990s, a new transit facility was constructed on Watson Road.

On June 20, 2007, Guelph Transit launched a web-based system known as Next Bus. Global positioning satellites (GPS) technology and advanced computer modeling provide riders via the Internet, handheld devices (including Palms, Blackberries, and Web-capable cellular phones), or their telephones to receive accurate, real-time arrival and departure information. This system has proven frustrating to some Guelphites, as Guelph Transit has removed posted information on bus arrival times and a user standing at a bus stop without a cell phone has no way of determining when the next bus will arrive. Additionally, the system's predictions have been known to be wildly inaccurate.

The new system features web-based map displays with local streets and routes, and real-time information available on the web. It will also incorporate dynamic transit display signs at key locations around the city. One such sign is already in place at Stone Road Mall. However, the service is limited in that the time displayed is linked to the scheduled arrival on the applicable timetable, not the anticipated arrival based upon the current location of the bus.

Guelph Transit added holiday service in 2007 as well as additional routes serving the south end of the city. Services on these routes (56, 57, and 58) were suspended in April 2008, and the 54 Arkell route was extended to St Georges Square in July 2008.

As identified in the 2010 budget, Guelph Transit is modifying frequency and service hours in order to achieve targeted savings. These savings will be realized by shifting from a 20-minute service frequency to a 30-minute frequency in June, July, and August, making the weekday service schedules the same as Saturdays. Holiday service has also been cancelled for 2010.

On January 1, 2012, Guelph Transit launched a complete new system of routes and schedules to accommodate a growing demand for change within the transit system. The system includes new transfer points at Guelph Central Station and the University of Guelph. During peak service times, buses run on a 20-minute schedule. During non-peak service times, including Saturday and Sunday, service will continue to run on a 30-minute schedule.

Future

Work is underway to convert the Guelph railway station and current Greyhound Bus Terminal into a Regional Transit Facility by 2014. The terminal opened up to Guelph Transit Buses in May 2012.

In 2009 and 2010 Guelph Transit and Dillon Consulting developed a new Transit Growth Strategy and Plan for transit and mobility services. In developing a long term vision for transit in Guelph, the system was analyzed from customer, staff, technical and policy perspectives.

Special routes

Fare

Fares effective September 1, 2011:

Cash

Tickets

Passes

Monday-Friday the Day Pass is valid for one person after 9:15 a.m. and Saturday-Sunday valid all day. On Saturday-Sunday the Day Pass is also valid for a family/group pass consisting of the following:

GO Transit Integrated Fare