London Transit
Encyclopedia
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In 2010, annual ridership totalled 21.45 million. The LTC has 37 regular bus routes, plus 3 community bus routes.
History
London Street Railway Company (LSR) brought public transit to the city with the start of horse drawn streetcar operations in 1875, with electric power being introduced about twenty years later and the conversion to buses being completed in late November 1940 (planned for the end of 1940, but forced by a blizzard that damaged trolley wires). In 1951 the City of London bought LSR and formed the LTC to operate the system. Services have progressed throughout the years, with the introduction of community bus routes, paratransit services and accessible low floor buses.Active fleet
As of 2010, the LTC has 191 transit buses in its fleet. At one time, London Transit had one of the oldest transit fleets in Ontario, with some buses older than 20 years old. However, with new buses being purchased in recent years, this has changed. All older model high-floor buses are being phased out by 2012 to be replaced by low-floor accessible buses.During the week there are over 100 buses on the road, and on Sundays only 40 buses are on the road.
| Model & year | Fleet # | Length (in feet) | Engine/transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 New Flyer "Low Floor" model D40LF | 161-170 | 40 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison B400R |
| 2010 New Flyer "Low Floor" hybrid model DE40LF | 171-174 | 40 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison EP40 hybrid system |
| 2009 New Flyer "Low Floor" model D40LF | 146-160 | 40 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison B400R |
| 2009 ElDorado National EZ Rider II MAX | 15-18 | 29 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison B400R |
| 2008 New Flyer "Articulated Low Floor" model D60LF | 21-23 | 60 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allisan B400R |
| 2008 New Flyer "Low Floor" model D40LF | 133-145 | 40 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison B400R |
| 2007 New Flyer "Low Floor" model D40LF | 119-132 | 40 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison B400R |
| 2006 New Flyer "Low Floor" model D40LF | 101-114 | 40 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison B400R |
| 2005-06 New Flyer "Low Floor" model D40LF | 465-487 | 40 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison World B400R |
| 2004 New Flyer "Low Floor" model D40LF | 450-464 | 40 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison World B400R |
| 2003 New Flyer "Articulated Low Floor" model D60LF | 601-603 | 60 | Cummins ISL diesel engine/ Allison World B400R |
| 2003-04 New Flyer "Invero - Low Floor" model D40i | 401-449 | 40 | Cummins ISL/Allison B400R (originally equipped with Detroit Diesel Series 50, re-powered in 2008) |
| 1990 MCI "Classic" model TC-40102N | 222-250 | 40 | Detroit Diesel 6V92TA/Allison VR731 |
Ridership
After the public transit boom of the 1960s and 1970s, ridership began to slip. At that time almost every transit route was passing through London's downtown area. An attempted building of two downtown malls and the economic recession of the 1990s combined to force the downtown area into serious decline. An economic slump echoed in a parallel drop in ridership, made even worse by the traditional responses of service cuts and fare increases. Between 1987 and 1996, LTC ridership declined by almost 40 percent.In 1994, the LTC began developing a comprehensive business plan to turn these trends around. Innovations included an overhauling of fare structure, re-thinking routes, bringing buses into mall areas (which would later become true terminal areas), and making standard public transit buses increasingly wheelchair-accessible. Post-secondary students attending the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
and Fanshawe College
Fanshawe College
Fanshawe College is one of the largest colleges in Ontario, Canada. The main campus is in London, Ontario, with additional campuses in Simcoe, St. Thomas, Woodstock, and Tillsonburg. There are about 15,000 full-time students and 40,000 part-time students. Fanshawe College has more than 112,000 alumni...
now receive a subsidised bus pass incorporated into their tuition: a program which has become a great success.
Due in large part to these measures, the LTC is currently experiencing a massive increase in ridership, straining current transit resources.
Plans
With the recent announcement of federal and provincial gas tax money for municipalities, the LTC has decided to spend funds on improving service, creating bus depots at major shopping centres, and purchasing new buses.All LTC buses are equipped with GPS technology which automates stop announcements. There is also a proposal to allow LTC buses to lengthen the timing of traffic signals at key intersections to improve service.
Beginning in 2009, a second transit garage will be built in the west end of the city to improve efficiency and create room for a larger transit fleet. Also in 2009, new digital message signs will be placed at strategic transit stops to tell passengers when the bus is expected to arrive. The LTC website will also allow customers to check when a particular bus will arrive in real-time.
In June 2009, London Transit began equipping some buses with bicycle racks
Bicycle carrier
A bicycle carrier, also commonly called a bike rack, is a device attached to an automobile or bus for transporting bicycles.- By vehicle type :Bus mounted bike carriers are usually attached to the front of the bus...
. This allows for cyclists to ride the bus while transporting their bike as well. The program is initially being tested on four routes. If successful, there is the potential for expansion of this initiative on additional routes.
Within the next decade, London Transit may have express bus routes on high volume corridors. There has been talk from LTC that the express routes would run along Wellington/Richmond, Commissioners Road, Highbury, Oxford, Wonderland, and Dundas to aid current bus routes along these roads. This would implement the Express-Local system in London for bus routes. This system uses express buses to take people from one place to another of a greater distance by skipping stations at less popular areas (Example- A bus that starts at White Oaks Mall and stops at Wellington-Commissioners). The local buses would run on the same route, however they would stop at each and every station.
The City and LTC have begun to plan for the future Transportation Master Plan. The research program will be called "Smart Moves: What Moves You?" and will take transportation goals in London to 2030. For LTC, the study will examine rapid transit corridors while considering Bus Rapid Transit and other Rapid Transit options.
2009 transit strike
On November 16, 2009, Amalgamated Transit UnionAmalgamated Transit Union
The Amalgamated Transit Union is a labor union in the United States and The Amalgamated Transit Union Canadian Council in Canada, representing workers in the transit system and other industries...
(ATU) Local 741 representing bus drivers and support workers went on strike, the first transit strike for London Transit since 1980. The strike affected all public routes, however specialized transit services for the disabled continued to operate.
To lessen the inconvenience on university students, the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
(UWO) increased its shuttle bus service. As well, the University Student's Council (USC) secured rental vans driven by volunteers looping around the city picking up students at key areas and dropping them off at the university. A community-based approach was taken by the USC including a flag-a-ride program and a shuttle service for groceries.
On December 7, 2009, ATU turned down the LTC's "Final Offer" of 9.3% wage hike over three years. This offer was rejected by 78.5% (322 of 410) of the ATU membership.
The strike ended on December 14, 2009.
Fares
Effective December 1, 2008 the new fare is as follows:| Age group | Individual Fare | 5 Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| Children (5 yrs to Grade 6) | $1.35 | $5.50 |
| Student Student A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English... s (Grade 7 to Grade 12) |
$2.75 | $7.70 |
| Adult Adult An adult is a human being or living organism that is of relatively mature age, typically associated with sexual maturity and the attainment of reproductive age.... s |
$2.75 | $9.50 |
| Seniors Old age Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle... (65 years of age and older) |
$2.75 | $7.15 |
There are also a number of passes available:
- Citipass: $ 81.00 monthly.
- Weekday Pass: $ 69.00 monthly.
- Seniors Pass: $ 57.50 monthly.
- Post Secondary: $ 70.00 monthly.
- Summer Student: $ 81.00 for July and August for Grade 7 to 12.
- Tuition Passes: added to student fees.
- Sight Impaired—CNIB Pass: $ 10.00 yearly.
Routes
| No. | Route Name | Notes | Major Destinations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kipps Lane / Thompson Road | Commissioners at Deveron Pond Mills Road (A) King Edward Avenue (B) South Street Hospital Downtown St. Joseph's Hospital Kipps Lane at Briarhill |
||
| 2 | Dundas | Extended service to Masonville Place Masonville Place Masonville Place is a major shopping mall in North London, Ontario. It is located at the Southeast corner of Fanshawe Park Road and Richmond Street.... on Sundays only |
University of Western Ontario University of Western Ontario The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and... Downtown Argyle Mall Trafalgar Heights (A) Bonaventure (B) |
|
| 3 | Hamilton Road | Downtown Gore at Firestone |
||
| 4 | Oxford East | Operates between the Cleardale/Ernest (4A) and Lockwood/Jalna (4B) subdivisions to Fanshawe College via White Oaks Mall. The first four trips during weekday mornings and all trips after 6pm service both A and B routes. Trips following this route will sign 4 Oxford East. | White Oaks Mall White Oaks Mall White Oaks Mall is a major shopping centre in London, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the southwest corner of Wellington Road and Bradley Avenue, just north of Highway 401.-History:... Cleardale/Ernest (A) Lockwood/Jalna (B) Downtown Fanshawe College Fanshawe College Fanshawe College is one of the largest colleges in Ontario, Canada. The main campus is in London, Ontario, with additional campuses in Simcoe, St. Thomas, Woodstock, and Tillsonburg. There are about 15,000 full-time students and 40,000 part-time students. Fanshawe College has more than 112,000 alumni... |
|
| 5 | Springbank | Trips after 6:00 pm Monday to Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday at statutory holidays do not service Griffith between Boler and Byron Baseline. The bus routes along Boler Road to Commissioners to regular route. After 7:00 pm Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday, there is no service on Springbank Drive in both directions between Berkshire and Gardenwood. The bus routes eastbound via Berkshire, Gardenwood, Ridgewood, Greenwood to Springbank, and westbound the reverse. | Griffith at Byron Baseline Downtown |
|
| 6 | Richmond | After 7:00 pm Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday, interlines at Natural Science with route 9C Whitehills. | Parkwood Hospital Victoria Hospital Downtown St. Joseph's Hospital University of Western Ontario University Hospital |
|
| 7 | Wavell | Interlines with 11 Southcrest at Downtown Westbound | Downtown Argyle Mall |
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| 8 | Riverside | Operates during weekday peak hours only | Kains at Oxford Downtown |
|
| 9 | Whitehills | Operates Monday to Saturday until 7pm | Aldersbrook at Blackacres Downtown |
|
| 9C | Whitehills Night | Operates after 7pm Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday. | Aldersbrook at Blackacres University of Western Ontario |
|
| 10 | Wonderland | interlines with 14 Highbury at White Oaks Mall. Certain trips extended to Masonville Place Masonville Place Masonville Place is a major shopping mall in North London, Ontario. It is located at the Southeast corner of Fanshawe Park Road and Richmond Street.... Monday to Saturday. After 7:00 pm, Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday, this route operates in both directions via Berkshire and Teeple Terrace. |
White Oaks Mall Westmount Mall Westmount Mall Westmount Shopping Centre or also referred to as Westmount Mall is a shopping centre located in London, Ontario. It is located at the northwest corner of Wonderland Road and Viscount Road.-History:... University of Western Ontario |
|
| 11 | Southcrest | Interlines with 7 Wavell at Downtown Eastbound | Westmount Mall Downtown |
|
| 12 | Wharncliffe South | Wonderland Power Centre Downtown |
||
| 13 | Wellington Road | Certain weekday trips proceed from White Oaks Mall White Oaks Mall White Oaks Mall is a major shopping centre in London, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the southwest corner of Wellington Road and Bradley Avenue, just north of Highway 401.-History:... to Exeter Road, then directly north but do not return to the mall |
White Oaks Mall Westminister Park (A) Downtown St. Joseph's Hospital University of Western Ontario University Hospital Masonville Place Masonville Place Masonville Place is a major shopping mall in North London, Ontario. It is located at the Southeast corner of Fanshawe Park Road and Richmond Street.... Northridge Grenfell |
|
| 14 | Highbury | Interlines with 10 Wonderland at White Oaks Mall | White Oaks Mall Barker at Huron |
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| 15 | Westmount | Interlines with 21 Huron Heights at Downtown Northbound. After 7:00 pm Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday, this route is extended south of Westmount Mall Westmount Mall Westmount Shopping Centre or also referred to as Westmount Mall is a shopping centre located in London, Ontario. It is located at the northwest corner of Wonderland Road and Viscount Road.-History:... to service the Dalhousie area. |
Westmount Mall Downtown |
|
| 16 | Adelaide | Pond Mills (A) Summerside (B) Masonville Place |
||
| 17 | Oxford West | After 7:00 pm Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm Saturday and all day Sunday, buses route eastbound only via Riverside, Hyde Park, Oxford to regular route. | Byron Baseline at Griffith Cherryhill Village Mall Fanshawe College Argyle Mall Firestone at Gore |
|
| 19 | Oakridge | Interlines with the 31 Orchard Park at the Hyde Park Power Centre. No Sunday service | Hyde Park Power Centre Downtown |
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| 20 | Cherryhill | Beaverbrook at Wonderland Forest Hills Cherryhill Village Mall Downtown Fanshawe College |
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| 21 | Huron Heights | Interlines with 15 Westmount at Downtown Southbound | Downtown St. Joseph's Hospital Oakville at Huron |
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| 22 | Trafalgar | Interlines with 23 Berkshire at Downtown Westbound. No Sunday service. | Downtown Argyle Mall |
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| 23 | Berkshire | Interlines with 22 Trafalgar Eastbound at Downtown Eastbound. No Sunday service. Routes 5, 10, 15 cover the 23 route from Dalhousie Drive to downtown | Dalhousie at Brixham Westmount Mall Downtown |
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| 24 | Baseline | No Sunday service, now extended to serve Summerside Subdivision | Westmount Mall Victoria Hospital Chelton at Reardon |
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| 25 | Kilally | Weekdays only | Fanshawe College McLean at Fanshawe Park |
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| 26 | Jalna Blvd. West | White Oaks Mall Downtown |
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| 27 | Fanshawe College | Weekdays only | Kipps Lane at Adalaide Fanshawe College |
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| 28 | Lambeth | Weekdays only | Outer at Colonel Talbot Westmount Mall |
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| 30 | Newbold | Operates during weekday peak hours only. PM route is reverse of AM route. | Hubrey at Enterprise White Oaks Mall |
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| 31 | Orchard Park | No Sunday Service. Interlines with 32 Windermere at Alumni Hall and 19 Oakridge at Hyde Park Power Centre. | Hyde Park Power Centre University of Western Ontario |
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| 32 | Windermere | No Sunday Service. Interlines with 31 Orchard Park at Alumni Hall. | University of Western Ontario University Hospital Huron at Highbury |
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| 33 | Proudfoot | Weekdays only | Farrah at Proudfoot Cherryhill Village Mall University of Western Ontario |
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| 34 | Medway | Operates during weekday peak hours only | University of Western Ontario Masonville Place |
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| 35 | Argyle | No Sunday service | Weymouth at Portsmouth Argyle Mall |
|
| 36 | Airport/Industrial | Operates between Fanshawe College Fanshawe College Fanshawe College is one of the largest colleges in Ontario, Canada. The main campus is in London, Ontario, with additional campuses in Simcoe, St. Thomas, Woodstock, and Tillsonburg. There are about 15,000 full-time students and 40,000 part-time students. Fanshawe College has more than 112,000 alumni... and the London International Airport London International Airport London International Airport or London Airport is located northeast of the city of London, Ontario, Canada.In 2009, the airport handled 501,835 passengers, and, in 2010, was the 9th busiest in Canada in terms of aircraft movements, with 141,001. Air Canada, Air Canada Express, United Express ,... , and the airport industrial area on weekday peak hours and weekday late nights only. |
Fanshawe College London International Airport |
|
| 37 | Sovereign Road | Operates between Argyle Mall and the Sovereign Road industrial area on weekday peak hours only. | Argyle Mall Neptune at Sovereign |
|
| 38 | Stoney Creek | Operates between Masonville Place Masonville Place Masonville Place is a major shopping mall in North London, Ontario. It is located at the Southeast corner of Fanshawe Park Road and Richmond Street.... and the new Sunningdale subdivision except on Sundays and holidays. Interlines with 39 Fanshawe West at Masonville Place |
Masonville Place Stoney Creek |
|
| 39 | Fanshawe West | Weekdays only. Interlines with 38 Stoney Creek at Masonville Place | Hyde Park Power Centre Masonville Place |
|
| 51 | Community | Community bus operates different routes depending on the day (Tuesday & Thursday) | ||
| 53 | Community | Community bus operates different routes depending on the day (Monday & Wednesday) | ||
| 54 | Community | Community bus operates different routes depending on the day (Friday) | ||
| Denotes wheelchair-accessible routes | ||||
In addition to these routes, London Transit also operates the following routes that operate only during the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
school year during weekdays only:
- 2C Dundas (Downtown-University) follows the 2 Dundas route. Most trips to the university begin at Queens & Ridout, but all evening trips to the university begin at Dundas & Richmond. All trips from the university end at Dundas & Richmond.
- 6A Richmond (Downtown-University) follows the 6 Richmond route from Richmond & Dundas. All northbound trips end at Natural Science, while all southbound trips end at Richmond & Carling. Except weekends and Fridays, there are extra evening trips on this route that operate between the University and Downtown only.
- 10A Wonderland (Southdale-University) follows the 10 Wonderland route. All trips start/end at Wonderland & Southdale.
- 10B Wonderland (Capulet-University) follows the 10 Wonderland route, but ends at Wonderland & Oxford, routing via the Capulet Lane subdivision.
External links
- London Transit Commission Website
- Drawings and photos of London Transit buses
- NextStop - London Transit Guide (An unofficial, open data driven mobile application)
- List of London Transit Buses. also History of the buses