Kitchener Public Utilities Commission
Encyclopedia
Kitchener Public Utilities Commission (KPUC) was a public utility
and transit
operator in the Kitchener
-Waterloo
area from 1927 to 1973.
Transit service began with horse cars in 1887 as a private company whose owner was from New York City.
The line was electrified for streetcars a few years later. The city did not renew the charter and the KPUC took over in 1927.
The KPUC operated streetcars until 1946, as bus and trolley bus operations took over.
The electric streetcars were scheduled to be retired on January 1, 1947. An ice storm on December 27, 1946 caused so much damage to the overhead that it was not repaired.
Cross-town gasoline buses started in the 1930s.
Trolley coach operation began on January 1, 1947, and ended by March 26, 1973.
Transit operations were passed on to the City of Kitchener in 1973 and was operated with all-new bus routes as Kitchener Transit. Utilities operations, for gas, water and sewer services within the City of Kitchener are now run by Kitchener Utilities, a subsidiary of the municipality.
Roster as of December 31, 1972. City of Kitchener took over January 1, 1973. Trolley buses replaced March 26, 1973. Kitchener Transit launched with all new routes on July 3, 1973.
Public utility
A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...
and transit
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...
operator in the Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
-Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
area from 1927 to 1973.
Transit service began with horse cars in 1887 as a private company whose owner was from New York City.
The line was electrified for streetcars a few years later. The city did not renew the charter and the KPUC took over in 1927.
The KPUC operated streetcars until 1946, as bus and trolley bus operations took over.
The electric streetcars were scheduled to be retired on January 1, 1947. An ice storm on December 27, 1946 caused so much damage to the overhead that it was not repaired.
Cross-town gasoline buses started in the 1930s.
Trolley coach operation began on January 1, 1947, and ended by March 26, 1973.
Transit operations were passed on to the City of Kitchener in 1973 and was operated with all-new bus routes as Kitchener Transit. Utilities operations, for gas, water and sewer services within the City of Kitchener are now run by Kitchener Utilities, a subsidiary of the municipality.
Roster
- 10 Yellow Coach model 733 bus
- 2 CCF-Brill model C-36 gas bus
- 2 Brills - ex-Wellesley Bus Lines
- 1 Ford - ex-Wellesley Bus Lines* 1 Aerocoach - ex-Wellesley Bus Lines
Roster as of December 31, 1972. City of Kitchener took over January 1, 1973. Trolley buses replaced March 26, 1973. Kitchener Transit launched with all new routes on July 3, 1973.
- 101 - 117 (odd numbers only). Nine, 1946 Canadian Car & Foundry T-44 electric trolley buses. #103, first production T-44, 119 burned in fire and scrapped Dec. 28, 1970.
- 121 - 129 (odd numbers only). Five, 1948 Canadian Car & Foundry T-44 electric trolley buses.
- 131 One, 1948 Canadian Car & Foundry T-44 electric trolley buses.
- 133 - 141 (odd numbers only). Five, 1951 CanCar ex-Ottawa Transportation Commission T-48 electric trolley buses. Purchased in 1959.
- 572 - 577 Six, 1957 General Motors TGH-3102 gasoline buses. 571 retired pre-1973.
- 591 - 595 Five, 1959 General Motors TGH-3102 gasoline buses.
- 601 - 605 Five, 1960 General Motors TGH-3102 gasoline buses.
- 606 One, 1960 ex. Oshawa Transportation Commission General Motors TGH-3102 gasoline bus. Purchased 1967
- 641 - 643 Three, 1964 General Motors TGH-3501 gasoline buses.
- 651 - 654 Four, 1965 General Motors TGH-3501 gasoline buses.
- 661 - 669 Nine, 1966 General Motors TGH-3501 gasoline buses.
- 671 - 678 Eight, 1967 General Motors TDH-3501 diesel buses.
- 680 - 689 Ten, 1968 General Motors TDH-3502 diesel buses.
- 690 - 691 Two, 1969 GMDD T6H-5305 diesel buses.
- 700 - 701 Two, 1971 GMDD T6H-5305 diesel buses. Ordered in 1970. Manufacturing started in 1970 and finished in 1971. First two T6H-5305 buses completed in 1971.
- 720 - 721 Two, 1972 GMDD T6H-5307N diesel buses.
Routes
Routes as of December 31, 1972:- Route 1 Queen South - Queen North & Frederick
- Route 2 North Ward - Highland Road
- Route 3 East & South Wards - Westmount
- Route 4 Fairfield — Rosemount
- Route 5 Waterloo Crosstown
- Route 6 Bridgeport
- Route 7 Mainline (Trolley Coach)
- Route 8 Forest Hill
- Route 9 Lakeshore
- Route 10 Kingsdale
- Route 11 Stanley Park
- Route 12 Industrial Park
- Route 13 University
- Route 14 Columbia
- Route 15 Amos Avenue
- Route 16 Ottawa South