Markham Transit was a transit system for the town of Markham, Ontario, Canada. It was created in 1973 and operated by Travelways and Miller Transit Limited after 1984 on behalf of the then Town of Markham. The service was merged into York Region Transit in 2001.
1 North Trunk - ran along Highway 7
2A - ran along 14th Avenue
2 South Trunk - ran along John Street, Denison Street
3 Thornhill Local (Merged with Vaughan Transit route 8 to form existing YRT route 3 in 2002)
4 Unionville/Markham Local (now YRT route 40 & 41)
5 Buttonville North (merged with route 4 in 1998)
7 16th Avenue (1998–1999, merged with Richmond Hill Transit Route 5 (now YRT route 16)
8 Kennedy (since 1998)
9 Markham Road (1998–2002, merged with TTC route 102)
6 Brimley (rush hour service from Steeles Avenue East to 14th Avenue was cancelled circa 1997; this service was provided by TTC route 128A in the early 1990s)
Unionville Express
Markham Express
Sunday and Holiday Express - ran along Yonge Street, John St, Leslie St. and Highway 7
There were a number or north-south routes operated for Markham Transit by other operators:
Bayview GO Transit
Yonge C GO Transit
17A Birchmount Toronto Transit Commission
129A McCowan Road North Toronto Transit Commission
43C Kennedy Road Toronto Transit Commission
25D Don Mills Toronto Transit Commission
68B Warden Toronto Transit Commission
24C Victoria Park Toronto Transit Commission
Unionville GO Transit Shuttle
Toronto Transit Commission's 53 Steeles East was never operated on behalf of Markham Transit and did not require additional fares when the bus ran within Markham. (53B/E used Middlefield Road, Elson Street and Markham Road from 1994-1999; after 1999 the route turned at McCowan Road north of Steeles, along Elson Street to Markham Road.)
This service allowed patrons to park cars at select locations and board buses without paying for parking.
Park 'N Ride Locations included:
Markham Village Community Centre
Knob Hill Farms- Woodbine and Highway 7
Former Fortinos store - Denison Street and Kennedy Road
Denison Square - Highway 48 and Denison Street
Thornhill Community Centre
First Markham Place
Mobility Bus Service
Transit for the disabled was similar to the TTC WheelTrans. Separate wheelchair accessible vehicles were operated for this service. It also included Taxi Scrip, service for unplanned trips using contracted taxi operators.
Request Stop Program
Similar services offered by the TTC for female patrons at night. This excluded routes from contractors, who dictated their own Request Stop program.
Faster to Finch
Offered express connection between Markham Transit and GO Transit and 407 ETR to Finch Station.
Transcab
Introduced in 1991s when Markham Transit did not operate night services. The hours of operations was after 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday. By the late 1990s, Markham Transit offered evening and weekend services; this has been continued under YRT. Transcab was replaced by school bus shuttles in 1997.
Many of Markham Transit's vehicles were second-hand, but more recent buses were new purchases. They were maintained by the contractor.
Current YRT status (2005):
1977, 1979, 1981 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-4523N (#2001-#2006, #2014) - Retired in 2009.
1979-1984 Ontario Bus Industries Orion I 01.501 (#2007-#2013, #2015-#2020) - Retired.
1985-1988 Ontario Bus Industries Orion I 01.508 (#2021-#2025, #2027-#2030, #2033-#2036) - Retired.
1966 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5303 (#2025) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #3758, retired
1966 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5303 (#2026) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #3746, retired
1971 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-4523N (#2031) - Loaned Brampton Transit #9724, acquired in 1988
1974 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-4523N (#2032) - Loaned Brampton Transit #9741, acquired in 1988
1967 General Motors Diesel Division Buses TDH-5303 (#2037) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #7113, acquired in 1989, retired
1963 General Motors Diesel Division Buses TDH-4519 (#2038) - Ex-London Transit Commission #81-3, acquired in 1989, retired
1969 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5305 (#2039) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #7371, acquired in 1989, retired
1969 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5305 (#2040) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #7338, acquired in 1989, retired
1969 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5305 (#2041-2042) - Ex-Toronto Transit Commission #7372-7373, acquired in 1989, retired
1970 General Motors Diesel Division Buses T8H-5305A (#2043) - Ex-GO Transit #1015, acquired in 1989, retired
1989 Motor Coach Industries TC-40102N Classic (#2044-#2047) - Retired in 2009.
1990 Motor Coach Industries TC-40102A Classic (#2048-#2052) - Retired in 2009.
OBI Orion V 05.501
1998 OBI Orion VI 06.501 (#2061-#2067) - Retired in 2011.
Champion Bus Incorporated Solo - sold to BusAdvertising (DPI Transit Media) of Ajax ON (#2055-#2060) - All retired
1991 New Flyer Industries D40S (#2068-#2072) - Ex-GO Transit, all retired
General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-XXXX - NG demonstrator from FIBA Canning, Scarborough
GMC Flexette (#505)
Denotes wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
Markham Transit buses were stored at Miller Transit yard on Miller Avenue (Woodbine Avenue and Highway 407). The buses were stored in an outside area on the east side of Woodbine.
Middlefield Road and Denison Street - shared with the TTC
McCowan Road and Steeles Avenue (at Calvary Manor and shared with the TTC)
Thornhill Town Centre
Brimley Road north of Steeles Avenue East
