Calgary Transit
Encyclopedia
Calgary Transit is the public transit
service which is owned and operated by the city of Calgary, Alberta. In 2008, an estimated 95.3 million passengers boarded approximately 960 Calgary Transit vehicles (Service Population: 1,042,892), which thus provided 2.31 million hours of service (2.22 hours of service per capita).
What would eventually become Calgary Transit began as the Calgary Municipal Railway in 1909, with twelve electric streetcar
s serving what was at the time a city of 30,000. This streetcar service expanded throughout the next thirty years (including the Depression
) until 1946, when the company was renamed to Calgary Transit System as gasoline-powered vehicles began replacing the local streetcars (as was common at the time). Eventually the electric trolley lines were phased out together — to be replaced by diesel buses. In 1972, CTS assumed its current name of Calgary Transit.
Between the early 1970s and 2000, Calgary Transit had a three tier bus service. Standard bus routes were identified with white bus stop signs. Blue Arrow bus routes, marked by blue signs, provided limited stop, and all day service to suburban neighborhoods from the city centre. Express service was indicated with red signs and provided extremely limited bus service to the far reaches of the city during peak hours only. These tiers have been slowly phased out, since Calgary Transit began expanding C-Train
lines and capacity and implementing BRT
service.
(behind Edmonton LRT which opened in 1978) to operate a light rail
system — the C-Train
, on which construction had begun in 1978. The original line (referred to internally as the A Line, and externally as Route 201) ran from Anderson Station (just north of Anderson Road in the south end of the city) to Downtown Calgary
.
In 1985, a northeastern-bound line (B-Line / Route 202) was opened, running from downtown to Whitehorn Station (just south of the intersection of McKnight Boulevard and 36th Street in the northeastern quadrant of the city), and in 1987, a northwestern-bound line (C-Line / part of Route 201) was opened in time for the 1988 Winter Olympics
, running from downtown to University Station (directly east of the University of Calgary
campus, between 24th and 32nd Avenue on Crowchild Trail).
In 1990, a 1 km extension of the northwest line to Brentwood Station (south of Brisebois Drive on Crowchild Trail) was opened; in 2001 two new stations — Canyon Meadows Station (north of Canyon Meadows Drive and west of Macleod Trail) and Fish Creek-Lacombe Station (south of Bannister Road and west of Macleod Trail) were added to the south line; on December 15, 2003, Dalhousie Station (south of 53rd Street in the median of Crowchild Trail) was added to the northwestern line.
On June 28, 2004, two new stations for the south line opened: Shawnessy Station (south of a brand new interchange at Macleod Trail and Shawnessy Boulevard) and Somerset-Bridlewood Station (south of 162nd Avenue and just north of Shawville Gate).
On December 17, 2007, an extension was made to the Route 202 northeast line (first extension ever on the history of the line) from Whitehorn to the new McKnight-Westwinds Station.;
On June 15, 2009, Crowfoot Station was added on the northwest line located directly west of Crowfoot Town Centre in the median of Crowchild Trail.
Future extensions include Saddle Ridge and Martindale on the Northeast line (Completion 2012); Tuscany on the Northwest line in the median of Crowchild Trail at Rocky Ridge Road (Completion 2012); a new west line running west from downtown
to 69th Street West (which would presumably be known as D-Line and an extension to Route 202) (Completion 2012-2013); and a new southeast line running from downtown into the communities of Douglasdale and McKenzie in the southeastern portion of the city (E-Line / possibly Route 203).
On July 18, 2007, with little fanfare, Calgary Transit officially unveiled a new red and white livery for its C-Train and Bus Rapid Transit fleets.
On August 27, 2008, a train en route to the Somerset station collided with a construction crane in between the Dalhousie and Brentwood stations. Six were injured in the accident, including one child.
On February 18, 2009 Calgary Transit celebrated the 1,000,000,000th rider, randomly selecting a passenger, Shelly Xiao during a ceremony at the 1 Street SW CTrain Station.
line to operate future C-Train routes (the D-Line and an as-yet unplanned northbound line), using conventional buses until articulated bus
es entered service on 25 June 2007. The BRT system consisted of a single route, Route 301, serving the northern and western parts of the city. A subsequent route, Route 305, was added in 2008, serving the Bowness and 17th Avenue East
corridors. A third route, Route 302, entered service on August 31, 2009, along a proposed southeast LRT corridor.
The BRT is considered to be the successor to the Blue Arrow service introduced to the 1970s: both were a series of limited-stop routes that were to be intended to be replaced by LRT service in the future — however, the Blue Arrow service was never a true BRT (limited stop service, stopping at designated blue bus stop signs, was its only distinctive feature), the modern BRT includes priority at traffic signals, enhanced passenger waiting areas and offers a shorter travel time to the downtown with greater capacity articulated buses. The Blue Arrow name all but disappeared in 2000 in order to unify all bus stops under one common scheme, but certain Blue Arrow routes are still in service to this day. In fact, Route 305 replaces a Blue Arrow route (Route 105).
As of July 27th, 2011, the BRT route 300 provides a direct link to the Calgary International Airport
. This line was introduced after Calgary's Mayor promised to make the airport more accessible via public transit.
Calgary Transit currently operates about 160 bus routes with about 830 buses, of which 488 are low floor, and 156 light rail vehicles, 84 of which are Siemens-Duewag U2
model cars, 72 of which are more recent Siemens SD-160
s. In 2006-2008, a total of 40 new Siemens SD-160 LRV's (Unit #2233-2272) were delivered and are all in service as of March 2008. In 2010, 38 SD-160 LRV's (Unit #2301-2338) will be restyled. As of June 2010 around 68 of 72 SD160's have been retrofitted with Air Conditioning. In June 2010 an additional 38 restyled AC equipped Siemens SD160 LRV's began to arrive (units 2301-2338).
The current bus fleet includes:
New Flyer D60LFR (2007 - 2008), 63 units. Fleet# 6001-6063 in service running from Victoria Park Garage.
In 2006, an order for ElDorado National
EZ Rider II buses was placed to supplement the fleet for use on medium ridership routes; 12 of these vehicles are also now in service supplementing the community shuttles on some routes.
In addition, there are about 100 shuttle buses used on routes with lower ridership. Most of these vehicles are based on the Ford Econoline E-450 platform with various bodies from Crestline (GCII, Aerotech) with an exception of four units having Corbeil bus bodies. There are currently 12 Arboc Spirit of Mobility buses mounted on a Chevrolet
Express 4500 Chassis. 12 total vehicles from an order of 20.
In late July 2008, a tender for 28 new 30' Community Shuttles was issued by Calgary Transit. It is unknown what the additional Community Shuttle buses will be. (20 Arbocs are due by early 2010, 8 additional units).
The well developed C-Train system along with several mainline bus routes provide the backbone of the system while many feeder bus routes and express services act to complement this backbone service. Service frequency and service hours on the C-Train and busier bus routes is typically from 5–30 minutes with operating hours of about 4AM-3AM. Most feeder bus routes run at 15-45 minute intervals with similar operating hours on most routes and reduced on others. In addition there are many rush hour only services, some are feeder routes and some are express routes, these usually run 10–30 minutes apart.
and the CTrain. As of January 2011, a single adult fare is $2.75, or $1.75 for youth. Monthly passes are also available, with youth passes for $54.25, and adult passes for $90.00. Seniors (65 and over) pay $35.00 for a yearly pass which is valid from July 1 to June 30 of the following year and which entitles them to travel at any time. All service after 6pm on New Year's Eve
is free of charge. In order to transfer from one transit vehicle to another, proof of fare from the CTrain, or a transfer from a bus is required. A transfer or proof of fare is valid for 90 minutes from the time of issue, for any transit service (including stopovers).
In cooperation with many of the post-secondary schools located in the city, a Universal Pass
(U-Pass) program is offered to all students, paid as part of their tuition.
(then the terminus of the South Line), where commuters could transfer to the C-Train network. Running every 20 minutes during the morning and evening rush hours, the free service carried an average of just over 800 people per day. The city didn't lay any new track, but ran the trains on the CPR freight line running alongside the South Line's tracks. Siemens RegioSprinter
diesel multiple units were used as the rolling stock. With a top speed of 120 kilometres per hour, the train could cover the roughly 7 kilometres in a matter of minutes. The city ultimately decided not to implement permanent commuter rail. The C-Train system was later extended along the same corridor, with more stations and regular service.
In recent years, transit planners and some politicians have discussed adding commuter service to Airdrie
, Cochrane
, Okotoks
, Strathmore
and other nearby cities and towns, but no firm plans have been made.
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
service which is owned and operated by the city of Calgary, Alberta. In 2008, an estimated 95.3 million passengers boarded approximately 960 Calgary Transit vehicles (Service Population: 1,042,892), which thus provided 2.31 million hours of service (2.22 hours of service per capita).
History
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s serving what was at the time a city of 30,000. This streetcar service expanded throughout the next thirty years (including the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
) until 1946, when the company was renamed to Calgary Transit System as gasoline-powered vehicles began replacing the local streetcars (as was common at the time). Eventually the electric trolley lines were phased out together — to be replaced by diesel buses. In 1972, CTS assumed its current name of Calgary Transit.
Between the early 1970s and 2000, Calgary Transit had a three tier bus service. Standard bus routes were identified with white bus stop signs. Blue Arrow bus routes, marked by blue signs, provided limited stop, and all day service to suburban neighborhoods from the city centre. Express service was indicated with red signs and provided extremely limited bus service to the far reaches of the city during peak hours only. These tiers have been slowly phased out, since Calgary Transit began expanding C-Train
C-Train
C-Train is the light rail transit system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has been in operation since May 25, 1981. The system is operated by Calgary Transit, a department of the Calgary municipal government.-Operations:...
lines and capacity and implementing BRT
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
service.
The C-Train
On May 25, 1981, Calgary Transit became one of the first transit systems in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(behind Edmonton LRT which opened in 1978) to operate a light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system — the C-Train
C-Train
C-Train is the light rail transit system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has been in operation since May 25, 1981. The system is operated by Calgary Transit, a department of the Calgary municipal government.-Operations:...
, on which construction had begun in 1978. The original line (referred to internally as the A Line, and externally as Route 201) ran from Anderson Station (just north of Anderson Road in the south end of the city) to Downtown Calgary
Downtown Calgary
Downtown Calgary is a region of central Calgary, Alberta. It is not a single neighbourhood per se, but is actually a larger community containing three neighbourhoods and a number of districts....
.
In 1985, a northeastern-bound line (B-Line / Route 202) was opened, running from downtown to Whitehorn Station (just south of the intersection of McKnight Boulevard and 36th Street in the northeastern quadrant of the city), and in 1987, a northwestern-bound line (C-Line / part of Route 201) was opened in time for the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
, running from downtown to University Station (directly east of the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
campus, between 24th and 32nd Avenue on Crowchild Trail).
In 1990, a 1 km extension of the northwest line to Brentwood Station (south of Brisebois Drive on Crowchild Trail) was opened; in 2001 two new stations — Canyon Meadows Station (north of Canyon Meadows Drive and west of Macleod Trail) and Fish Creek-Lacombe Station (south of Bannister Road and west of Macleod Trail) were added to the south line; on December 15, 2003, Dalhousie Station (south of 53rd Street in the median of Crowchild Trail) was added to the northwestern line.
On June 28, 2004, two new stations for the south line opened: Shawnessy Station (south of a brand new interchange at Macleod Trail and Shawnessy Boulevard) and Somerset-Bridlewood Station (south of 162nd Avenue and just north of Shawville Gate).
On December 17, 2007, an extension was made to the Route 202 northeast line (first extension ever on the history of the line) from Whitehorn to the new McKnight-Westwinds Station.;
On June 15, 2009, Crowfoot Station was added on the northwest line located directly west of Crowfoot Town Centre in the median of Crowchild Trail.
Future extensions include Saddle Ridge and Martindale on the Northeast line (Completion 2012); Tuscany on the Northwest line in the median of Crowchild Trail at Rocky Ridge Road (Completion 2012); a new west line running west from downtown
Downtown Calgary
Downtown Calgary is a region of central Calgary, Alberta. It is not a single neighbourhood per se, but is actually a larger community containing three neighbourhoods and a number of districts....
to 69th Street West (which would presumably be known as D-Line and an extension to Route 202) (Completion 2012-2013); and a new southeast line running from downtown into the communities of Douglasdale and McKenzie in the southeastern portion of the city (E-Line / possibly Route 203).
On July 18, 2007, with little fanfare, Calgary Transit officially unveiled a new red and white livery for its C-Train and Bus Rapid Transit fleets.
On August 27, 2008, a train en route to the Somerset station collided with a construction crane in between the Dalhousie and Brentwood stations. Six were injured in the accident, including one child.
On February 18, 2009 Calgary Transit celebrated the 1,000,000,000th rider, randomly selecting a passenger, Shelly Xiao during a ceremony at the 1 Street SW CTrain Station.
BRT
On August 30, 2004, Calgary Transit opened a bus rapid transitBus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
line to operate future C-Train routes (the D-Line and an as-yet unplanned northbound line), using conventional buses until articulated bus
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
es entered service on 25 June 2007. The BRT system consisted of a single route, Route 301, serving the northern and western parts of the city. A subsequent route, Route 305, was added in 2008, serving the Bowness and 17th Avenue East
International Avenue, Calgary
International Avenue is a Business Revitalization Zone in Calgary, Alberta. The district is centered on 17th Avenue S.E. in the neighbourhood of Forest Lawn in the east of the city. The district was created in 1993 to celebrate the rich cultural diversity that exists in east central Calgary...
corridors. A third route, Route 302, entered service on August 31, 2009, along a proposed southeast LRT corridor.
The BRT is considered to be the successor to the Blue Arrow service introduced to the 1970s: both were a series of limited-stop routes that were to be intended to be replaced by LRT service in the future — however, the Blue Arrow service was never a true BRT (limited stop service, stopping at designated blue bus stop signs, was its only distinctive feature), the modern BRT includes priority at traffic signals, enhanced passenger waiting areas and offers a shorter travel time to the downtown with greater capacity articulated buses. The Blue Arrow name all but disappeared in 2000 in order to unify all bus stops under one common scheme, but certain Blue Arrow routes are still in service to this day. In fact, Route 305 replaces a Blue Arrow route (Route 105).
As of July 27th, 2011, the BRT route 300 provides a direct link to the Calgary International Airport
Calgary International Airport
Calgary International Airport, , is the international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately northeast of downtown Calgary...
. This line was introduced after Calgary's Mayor promised to make the airport more accessible via public transit.
Routes
| Route | Route Name | Route Termini | Stops/Stations | Service Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | BRT Airport / City Centre | City Centre - Calgary International Airport Calgary International Airport Calgary International Airport, , is the international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately northeast of downtown Calgary... |
Stops at all Route 301 stops from downtown to 64 Avenue NE, then continues non-stop to Calgary International Airport Calgary International Airport Calgary International Airport, , is the international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately northeast of downtown Calgary... |
Local service is provided by Route 3 (Centre Street - 64 Avenue) and Route 100 (Airport). |
| 301 | BRT North / West | North Pointe Terminal — Westside Recreation Centre | Harvest Hills Blvd @ Country Village Way (NB only), Country Village Road @ Tri-services Centre (NB only), North Pointe Terminal, Harvest Hills Blvd @ Country Hills Blvd, Harest Hills Crossing, Beddington (Town Centre/Co-op Centre), 78 Avenue Terminal, Centre St @ 64 Ave, Centre St @ Northmount, Centre St @ 40 Ave, Centre St @ 16 Ave, Downtown Calgary (multiple stops), Westbrook-Bow Trail, Westbrook-13 Avenue, 45 St SW Station, Sirocco Station, Westside Recreation Centre (69 St SW Station) | Local service is provided by Route 3 (City Centre - Beddington), 17 (Westbrook), and 2 (45 Street - Sirocco). West portion to be replaced by the West LRT line upon the latter's opening. |
| 302 | BRT Southeast / Downtown | City Centre - McKenzie Towne | Downtown Calgary (multiple stops), Inglewood, Crossroads Market, Highfield, Ogden, Glenmore, Quarry Park, 24 Street SE, Douglas Glen, 130 Avenue SE, Prestwick, McKenzie Towne | Local service is provided by Route 24 (Downtown - Douglas Glen). Entire line to be replaced by future Southeast LRT line. |
| 305 | BRT Bowness/17 Ave SE | Bowness High School Bowness High School Bowness High School is a public school in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, which teaches grades 10 through 12. It is operated by the Calgary Board of Education.... - Applewood Park |
Bowness Mall, 85 St NW @ 46 Ave (WB only), Bowness High School, Bowness Road @ 63 St, Home Road, Montgomery, Point Mackay, Parkdale, Kensington @ Crowchild, Kensington @ 19 St, 14 St @ Kensington Road, Downtown Calgary (multiple stops), Inglewood, 33 St SE, 36 St SE, 44 St SE, 52 St SE, 60 St SE, 68 St SE, Applewood Park | Local service is provided by Route 1, with the exception at the ends of each route. |
Current Service
See also: List of Calgary Transit bus routesCalgary Transit currently operates about 160 bus routes with about 830 buses, of which 488 are low floor, and 156 light rail vehicles, 84 of which are Siemens-Duewag U2
Siemens-Duewag U2
The Siemens-Duewag U2 is a type of light-rail vehicle . The cars were built by consortium of Siemens, Wegmann & Co. and Duewag. The U2 design was built on the Siemens U1 prototype tram built in 1965 ....
model cars, 72 of which are more recent Siemens SD-160
Siemens SD-160
The SD-100 and SD-160 are light-rail vehicles manufactured by Siemens. The SD-100 uses motors that run on direct-current electricity while the SD-160 model features newer motors that run using alternating current. Both models are suited for loading at street level and high-platform level...
s. In 2006-2008, a total of 40 new Siemens SD-160 LRV's (Unit #2233-2272) were delivered and are all in service as of March 2008. In 2010, 38 SD-160 LRV's (Unit #2301-2338) will be restyled. As of June 2010 around 68 of 72 SD160's have been retrofitted with Air Conditioning. In June 2010 an additional 38 restyled AC equipped Siemens SD160 LRV's began to arrive (units 2301-2338).
The current bus fleet includes:
- General Motors Diesel Division Buses T6H-5307N (New Look) (1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982) 90 remain, and are slowly being phased out
- MCIMotor Coach IndustriesMotor Coach Industries International Inc. is an American bus manufacturer based in Schaumburg, Illinois, and is a leading participant in the North American coach bus industry. It has various operating subsidiaries:...
TC40-102N (Classic) (1991, 1992) 104 units - MCI TC40-102A (Classic) (1990 - 1991; ex-Connecticut TransitConnecticut TransitConnecticut Transit is a bus system serving much of the U.S. state of Connecticut and is a division of that state's Department of Transportation. CT Transit provides bus service via contract providers for seven different metropolitan areas in the state, mostly concentrated in Hartford and New...
) 10 units, lifts and Air Conditioning disabled - New Flyer D40 (1992) 1 active unit - #7001, 7002-7010 retired
- New Flyer D40LF 555 units
- 1993 Fleet #7501 -7550
- The 1993 Fleet are spilted between Anderson Garage 22 and Spring Gardens Garage 27
- 1995 Fleet # 7551-7591
- 1995 Fleet are spilted between Anderson Garage 7 and Spring Gardens Garage 33
- 1996 Fleet #7601-7644
- 1996 Fleet are spilted between Anderson Garage 25 and Spring Gardens Garage 18
- 1999 Fleet# 7651-7694
- 1999 Fleet are spilted between Anderson Garage 25 and Spring Gardens Garage 19
- 2001 Fleet #7701-7782 -All 81 are all at the Victoria Park Garage
- 2002 Fleet # 7783 -7817 All 34 are at the Victoria Park Garage with the exception of 7785, 7787, 7791 and 7795 which are at Anderson Garage
- 2003 Fleet # 7818-7858 All 41 are the Spring Gardens Garage
- 2004 Fleet # 7859-7890 All 32 are the Spring Gardens Garage
- 2005 Fleet # 7891-7920 All 30 are the Spring Gardens Garage
- 2005 Fleet # 7921-7962 All 42 are at the Victoria Park Garage
- 2006 Fleet #7963-7980 All 18 are at the Anderson Garage
- 2007 Fleet # 7981-8015 All are stored at Spring Gardens Garage
- 2008 Fleet #8016-8065 All 50 are at the Spring Gardens Garage
- 2008 Fleet New Flyer D40LFR #8066-8095- All 30 based out at Springs Gardens Garage
- 2010 Nova Bus Low Floor 40 ft #8101-8180 - All 80 are at Spring Gardens Garage
New Flyer D60LFR (2007 - 2008), 63 units. Fleet# 6001-6063 in service running from Victoria Park Garage.
- ElDorado National EZ Rider II 30' (2008), 12 units
- 2009 Fleet #1612-1624 being delivered
- Calgary Transit orders 80 Nova LFS buses for 2010-2011 delivery
In 2006, an order for ElDorado National
ElDorado National
ElDorado National is a bus manufacturer owned by Thor Industries. Heavy-duty buses are built in Riverside, California, and cutaway buses and mobility vans are built in Salina, Kansas.-Products:* Aerotech and similar lines of cutaway buses...
EZ Rider II buses was placed to supplement the fleet for use on medium ridership routes; 12 of these vehicles are also now in service supplementing the community shuttles on some routes.
In addition, there are about 100 shuttle buses used on routes with lower ridership. Most of these vehicles are based on the Ford Econoline E-450 platform with various bodies from Crestline (GCII, Aerotech) with an exception of four units having Corbeil bus bodies. There are currently 12 Arboc Spirit of Mobility buses mounted on a Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Express 4500 Chassis. 12 total vehicles from an order of 20.
In late July 2008, a tender for 28 new 30' Community Shuttles was issued by Calgary Transit. It is unknown what the additional Community Shuttle buses will be. (20 Arbocs are due by early 2010, 8 additional units).
The well developed C-Train system along with several mainline bus routes provide the backbone of the system while many feeder bus routes and express services act to complement this backbone service. Service frequency and service hours on the C-Train and busier bus routes is typically from 5–30 minutes with operating hours of about 4AM-3AM. Most feeder bus routes run at 15-45 minute intervals with similar operating hours on most routes and reduced on others. In addition there are many rush hour only services, some are feeder routes and some are express routes, these usually run 10–30 minutes apart.
Fares
Calgary Transit currently operates as a single fare zone, with a flat rate fare for all standard service including bus, BRTBRT
BRT may refer to:* "Be right there" in Internet slang.* Baltic Rubber Trade, Ltd., owner of the BRT trademark.* Bayrak Radyo Televizyon Kurumu is the national public broadcaster of Northern Cyprus....
and the CTrain. As of January 2011, a single adult fare is $2.75, or $1.75 for youth. Monthly passes are also available, with youth passes for $54.25, and adult passes for $90.00. Seniors (65 and over) pay $35.00 for a yearly pass which is valid from July 1 to June 30 of the following year and which entitles them to travel at any time. All service after 6pm on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
is free of charge. In order to transfer from one transit vehicle to another, proof of fare from the CTrain, or a transfer from a bus is required. A transfer or proof of fare is valid for 90 minutes from the time of issue, for any transit service (including stopovers).
In cooperation with many of the post-secondary schools located in the city, a Universal Pass
Universal Transit Pass
In North America,Universal Transit Pass is a program that gives students enrolled in participating post-secondary institutions unlimited access to local transit. Programs are typically funded through mandatory fees that eligible students pay in each term in which they are registered. Fees are...
(U-Pass) program is offered to all students, paid as part of their tuition.
Facilities
- Spring Gardens Administrative Centre and Garage
- training centre, bus repair
- Victoria Park Garage - buses and repair
- Anderson Garage - bus and LRV storage; LRV training and bus repair facility
- Haysboro LRV Storage Site
- Oliver Bowen Maintenance Centre
- LRV repair and shops
Calgary Transit Public Safety and Enforcement Section
Formed in the 80's, as Special Constables under the Police Act of Alberta, Special Constables had most authorities given to regular Police Constables. In 2008, the new Peace Officer Act replaced the old Police Act. Officers were then re-named as Peace Officers under this Act and given full Peace Officer powers in the Province of Alberta with certain exceptions.Commuter Rail
Calgary Transit briefly experimented with a commuter train in 1996. The service consisted of a single line, running from a platform at 162 Avenue SW (present-day Somerset-Bridlewood Station) to Anderson StationAnderson (C-Train)
Anderson is a station on the South Line of the C-Train light rail system in Calgary, Alberta.-History:The station was, until October 9, 2001, the southern terminus of the South Line, having served in this capacity since the LRT's original opening in 1981. It is located at the junction of Anderson...
(then the terminus of the South Line), where commuters could transfer to the C-Train network. Running every 20 minutes during the morning and evening rush hours, the free service carried an average of just over 800 people per day. The city didn't lay any new track, but ran the trains on the CPR freight line running alongside the South Line's tracks. Siemens RegioSprinter
RegioSprinter
The RegioSprinter is a German diesel railcar built by Siemens-Duewag for rapid regional railway services. Originally the RegioSprinter was designated as a Regional Combustion-engined Railbus by Duewag AG....
diesel multiple units were used as the rolling stock. With a top speed of 120 kilometres per hour, the train could cover the roughly 7 kilometres in a matter of minutes. The city ultimately decided not to implement permanent commuter rail. The C-Train system was later extended along the same corridor, with more stations and regular service.
In recent years, transit planners and some politicians have discussed adding commuter service to Airdrie
Airdrie, Alberta
Airdrie is a city in Alberta, Canada, located just north of Calgary within the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. The City of Airdrie is part of Calgary's Census Metropolitan Area and a member community of the Calgary Regional Partnership . Due to its proximity to Calgary, Airdrie's population has been...
, Cochrane
Cochrane, Alberta
Cochrane is a town in the Canadian province of Alberta. The town is located 18 km west of the Calgary city limits along Highway 1A. With a population of 15,424 , Cochrane is the second largest town in Alberta and one of the fastest growing communities in Canada...
, Okotoks
Okotoks, Alberta
Okotoks is a town situated on the Sheep River, south of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The town is a member of the Calgary Regional Partnership, a cooperative of communities within the Calgary Region. Okotoks has become a popular bedroom community for the City of Calgary...
, Strathmore
Strathmore, Alberta
Strathmore is a town located along the Trans-Canada Highway in southern Alberta, Canada, east of the city of Calgary, within the boundaries of Wheatland County.- History :...
and other nearby cities and towns, but no firm plans have been made.