York Region Transit

Ridership

Average daily ridership is between 150,000 and 200,000 riders on buses and 1,000 on MobilityPlus, a service for people with disabilities. 22 million riders used YRT in 2012, an 11.6% increase over 2011. YRT is projecting more than 23.5 million riders for 2013.

History

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, created 1973 and merged in 1999 with Newmarket Transit

Newmarket Transit, c. 1973 and acquired Aurora Transit in 1999

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

Before 1973, several private transit operators provided services around York Region:

Toronto and York Radial Railway - radial railway along Yonge Street in Vaughan and Markham

Maple Leaf - Markham Coach Lines - routes taken over by Gray Coach in 1929

Travelways - operated briefly in Markham in 1973

Newmarket Bus Lines 1948-1958

Newmarket Town Bus 1958-1960s

Aurora Bus Lines - operated until 1972

Operations

All transit services in York Region are provided by private operators under contract.

Division 1

Area served: Markham and Stouffville Operator: Miller Transit Limited Facility: 8050 Woodbine Ave., Markham - outdoor yard home to 183 buses stored on Miller Avenue or Burncrest Road Web site: Miller Transit

This garage operates the most YRT routes in York Region. It was opened in 1984.

Division 2

Area served: Newmarket, Aurora, King Township, East Gwillimbury and Georgina Operator: Tok Transit Facility: 18106 Yonge Street, Newmarket (leased by York Region to TOK Transit) and next to GO Transit bus garage home to 81 buses.

Tok Transit Limited, a subsidiary of Tokmakjian Incorporated of Concord, won the contract for serving Division 2 after First Student Canada's (formerly Laidlaw Transit Limited) 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 at Mulock Drive in Newmarket.

Division 3

Area served: Richmond Hill Operator: Miller (same information as Division 1)

Division 4

Area served: Vaughan Operator: Transdev Facility: 8300 Keele Street, Vaughan home to 130 buses. Web site: Veolia Transport - Bus rapid transit in York region

Service in Division 4 was provided by Tokmakjian Incorporated from 2003 to 2010 (former operators for Vaughan Transit and current operator for Division 2). It was opened in 1986.

Division 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. It was operated by Student Express Limited from 2000 to 2004.

Division 7

Services: Viva Rapid Transit Operator: TOK Transit Facility: 55 Orlando Avenue, Richmond Hill

BRT division was operated by Transdev (York BRT Services) from 2005. TOK Transit took over the BRT division's responsibility on June 28, 2015, and uses the new facility at 55 Orlando Avenue, an indoor garage that houses 196 buses. It opened on March 23, 2015.

All but Transdev are Canadian-based transit operators. All contractors maintain and store the YRT fleet within York Region. It was opened in 1986.

Subsidiaries

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

Bus rapid transit

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.

Fares

Fares for riding both York Region Transit and Viva may be paid by cash, tickets, or passes (including Presto cards); the latter two offering substantial savings over cash.

As of 1 July 2016, YRT and Viva's fares are as follows (both systems operate under a common fare system):

Three separate methods of payments are used by transit routes serving York Region:

1. a "pay as you board" on conventional YRT routes, Züm Queen, and TTC-operated routes heading towards Toronto
2. a "pay as you leave" on TTC routes heading away from Toronto
3. a "proof of payment" basis on all Viva routes.

Conventional YRT vehicles are equipped with fareboxes and, since July 2011, Presto readers at the front doors for on-board payment. Viva vehicles are not equipped with these devices due to its proof-of-payment fare system and so fares must be paid at the ticket vending machines at each Vivastation prior to boarding, or Presto cards must be tapped on one of the readers at the station. Fares allow for unlimited travel within York region for two hours, though a transfer may be required for connecting services. Pass holders and passengers paying by Presto card will not be issued transfers.

Fare zones

The YRT/Viva service area is divided into three fare zones. Zone 3 is defined as the portion of York Region north of Ravenshoe Road, while Zones 1 and 2 are divided by the Oak Ridges Moraine, where Bloomington Road acts as the zone change boundary from Zone 1 to Zone 2 (northbound passengers), and a line just south of King Road acts as the zone change boundary from Zone 2 to Zone 1 (southbound passengers). Passengers crossing a zone boundary must pay a zone fare supplement in addition to the regular fares.

Although no route passes through all three zones, three routes pass between Zone 1 and Zone 2 (22A King City, 98 Yonge North, and Viva Blue), and one route passes between the Zone 2 and Zone 3 boundary (50 Queensway). Accidental crossings of the zone fare boundary cannot be reconciled; the full fare must be paid on the first leg of the journey, otherwise a second full fare will be required.

GO Transit co-fares

As with many other transit agencies within the GTA, YRT offers a reduced fare for passengers transferring to YRT or Viva buses from GO Transit. Passengers may transfer at a GO train station from a GO Transit route to a YRT/Viva route and pay the reduced fare with the GO Transit proof of payment.

Though Viva Purple and Viva Green do not directly serve Unionville GO Station, GO Transit co-fares are accepted when boarding either route at Enterprise Vivastation.

Due to the proximity of Richmond Hill Centre Terminal and Langstaff GO Station, GO Transit co-fares are accepted when transferring between GO services at Langstaff GO station and YRT services at Richmond Hill Centre.

The GO Transit co-fare is expanded for passengers with the Presto card: passengers will automatically be assessed the co-fare (and any YRT fare supplements, if necessary) when transferring from GO Transit to YRT/Viva regardless of where the passenger boards the YRT bus. Similarly, passengers transferring from YRT/Viva to GO Transit will also be reimbursed the difference between the YRT fare and the co-fare upon disembarking from GO Transit (effectively, the YRT portion of the journey is paid with a co-fare).

TTC fares in York Region

YRT routes operated by the TTC on behalf of York Region allow passengers to board a TTC bus in York Region and disembark in Toronto and vice versa. Though considered a single route by both agencies, passengers crossing Steeles Avenue on a TTC bus must pay separate fares for the portion north of Steeles Avenue (where the bus is operated as a YRT route) and south of Steeles Avenue (where the bus operates as a TTC route). This means that passengers effectively transfer between a TTC route and a YRT route of the same name and number at Steeles Avenue.

All passengers boarding in Toronto must pay the regular TTC fare upon boarding. Upon crossing into York Region, TTC buses operate on a "pay as you leave" policy, where the YRT fare must be paid on disembarking from the vehicle, even if passengers board within York Region. This essentially prevents the use of the rear door for disembarking. However, passengers disembarking at Steeles Avenue do not have to pay YRT fares, even if disembarking on the north side of Steeles Avenue.

Passengers boarding in York Region and disembarking in Toronto must pay both YRT and TTC fares upon boarding and receive a transfer as proof-of-payment. The transfer is not issued to passengers who pay only a YRT fare for travel within York Region only. Buses will stop on the north side of Steeles Avenue to ensure that all passengers have TTC proof of payment before proceeding into Toronto. However, passengers boarding at Steeles Avenue on either side do not have to pay YRT fares.

Passengers may pay for YRT fares using a combination of TTC tickets/tokens and a cash supplement on these routes only; the cash supplement is the difference in fare value between the TTC fare media and its YRT counterpart.

YRT paper transfers issued by the TTC are good for use in Zone 1 only, as no TTC routes cross a YRT zone boundary. A full fare is required for travel beyond the zone boundaries.

As the TTC has not yet integrated the YRT fare system with the Presto card readers on some of its buses, the Presto card is not accepted for the YRT co-fare on YRT routes operated by the TTC, although the TTC fare may be paid using Presto. Due to the "pay as you leave" policy in effect travelling northbound in York Region, passengers may not use Presto readers on the Viva ticket vending machines to pay for the YRT fare at Downsview Station or Don Mills Station (both stations connect to TTC routes serving York Region).

Exception: Passengers transferring to a TTC route in York Region from a GO train station may use the Presto Card as GO Transit proof of payment and pay the co-fare in cash.

YRT does not issue transfers for passengers paying by Presto card; a separate fare is required for passengers wishing to transfer to routes operated by the TTC.

Exception: Passengers transferring from GO Transit to a YRT-operated route and then to a TTC route in York Region may request a special transfer upon boarding the YRT service. This transfer acts as proof of payment only when boarding the TTC service.

As the portions of TTC routes north of Steeles Avenue are operated on behalf of YRT, the "TTC Times Two" program, allowing a single TTC fare to be paid for transfers between two TTC routes separated by an intermediate leg on GO Transit, is not offered for portions of TTC routes north of Steeles Avenue.

The TTC also offers the "GTA Weekly Pass", which acts as a pass for the TTC, YRT, MiWay, and Brampton Transit; the pass is good for single-zone travel in York Region. Passengers wishing to cross zone boundaries must pay any zone fare supplements in cash.

Though certain YRT/Viva routes enter Toronto city limits, due to City of Toronto regulations, passengers may not board inbound (towards Toronto) YRT routes while in Toronto, nor disembark on outbound (away from Toronto) YRT routes while in Toronto. The only exception to this is transferring to inbound Viva Orange at York University, implemented to relieve overcrowding on its 196 York University Rocket route. Similarly, as a result of additional fare integration with the TTC, passengers may travel between York University and the fare-paid area of Downsview Station on Viva Orange with TTC proof-of payment; passengers wishing to travel beyond York University are required to have YRT fares. This is expected to cease with the opening of the Spadina subway extension in 2017.

Brampton Transit fares in York Region

Due to an agreement between YRT and Brampton Transit, passengers boarding Züm Queen east of Highway 50 (which largely duplicates service with Viva Orange while in York Region) will be assessed YRT fares, even if intending to disembark in Brampton. As a Brampton Transit route, passengers may also use Brampton Transit fare media (including those loaded onto a Presto card) to board this route without any additional fares being assessed. Passengers boarding with YRT passes will not be issued transfers for connecting to Brampton Transit routes in Brampton, nor will passengers boarding with Brampton Transit passes be issued transfers for connecting to YRT routes in York Region.

Passengers connecting from Züm Queen to YRT services and then to TTC services in York Region and paying by Presto card may request a special transfer upon boarding Züm Queen; this transfer acts as proof of payment only when boarding the TTC service.

Brampton Transit and YRT have cooperated on routes connecting Brampton and Toronto via York Region, and for a time, certain YRT routes were jointly operated by YRT and Brampton Transit buses, where both agencies' fare media were accepted. The introduction of Züm Queen has largely ended joint operation of YRT routes, and the acceptance of YRT fares on Brampton Transit routes while in York Region are the last vestiges of such cooperation.

Vehicles and fleet rosters

YRT has 116 Viva bus rapid transit, 335 YRT buses and 27 Mobility Plus vehicles; 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.

Denotes wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

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. During the transition to the second colour theme some buses were all white with the old "YRT" label remaining.

Staff

YRT operating staff are employed by their respective contractors

Uniforms

Bus operating staff uniform consists of a light blue shirt with YRT/VIVA crest on the left chest and grey pants.

Transit enforcement

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.

CCTV cameras

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. CCTV cameras are also installed in some of the Vivastations, such as Bayview Vivastation in Richmond Hill.

Facilities

YRT owns very few facilities: many are shared with other transit agencies like the TTC, GO Transit and Brampton Transit.

Beside YRT Vivanext stations, there are a few facilities for YRT use only:

Richmond Hill Centre Terminal - only YRT-owned facility with terminal building; has bridge connecting to GO train station

Vaughan Mills Terminal - platforms only; no terminal building (shelters only)

Bernard Terminal - driveway and platforms only

Promenade Terminal - platforms only; no terminal building (shelters only)

Garages used to store buses are owned by contractors.

The YRT will gain more facilities by 2018 from the Toronto-York-Spadina Subway Extension. Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, which will have a bus terminal, and is located on Highway 7 at Milway Avenue, west of Jane Street. South of that will be a Highway 407 station at the intersection of 407 and Jane and a Steeles West station at Steeles and Jane which will be half TTC half YRT. Most north-south buses will operate from this station.

2011-2012 labour strike

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 February 4, 2012, and 98% of services were operational on Monday, February 6, 2012. Full YRT/Viva service resumed on 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.

Officers

In December 2014, the executive of YRT consisted of:

Chair: Wayne Emmerson (as York Region Chair)

Vice-Chair (Regional Councillor): Dave Barrow

Operational executives are:

Commissioner of Transportation Services: Daniel Kostopoulos

General Manager: Ann-Marie Carroll - became GM December 2014 and interim GM from early 2014 to December 2014

[Richard J. Leary served as GM from 2010 to 2014; he had been Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority chief operating officer and replaced YRT's first head Donald Gordon (2001–2009) and left in early 2014 for the Toronto Transit Commission)

Vice-President of York Region Rapid Transit Corporation: Mary-Frances Turner