Grand River Transit
Encyclopedia
Grand River Transit, or GRT, is the public transport
operator for the Region of Waterloo, Ontario
, Canada
. It operates daily bus
services in the region, primarily in the cities of Kitchener
, Waterloo
, and Cambridge
.
It was named for the Grand River
, which flows through the Region; the naming also echoes the Grand River Railway
, a former electric railway which served the area in the early twentieth century. GRT is a member of the Canadian Urban Transit Association
.
In recent years, many new low-floor, wheelchair
-accessible bus
es have been purchased, principally from Nova Bus
, Orion
, and New Flyer, and these now constitute the majority of the fleet. Most operating buses are less than twenty years old, though a few older buses are used primarily for high-school special runs. GRT has also in recent years installed bicycle rack
s on the front of its buses in order to encourage the use of sustainable transport; all standard and express buses now have these racks.
Service to less dense areas is provided by the busPLUS system, large van
s which take regular fares on scheduled routes to new neighbourhoods and more remote facilities; if ridership is sufficiently high, these services can later be replaced with regular buses, as happened with the 71 Melran route in Cambridge.
GRT also operates MobilityPLUS, which provides specialised transit for disabled patrons using minibuses equipped with wheelchair
lifts.
The GRT fleet consists entirely of motor-buses; although the former Kitchener Transit operated trolleybus
es earlier in their history, these had all been withdrawn during the 1970s, well before the systems were merged. They have continued operating 23 compressed natural gas
-driven buses inherited from Kitchener Transit but have not expanded this fleet; these buses are to be retired before the end of 2009. Until the 1950s, the area was served by electric passenger and freight train
s run by the Grand River Railway
, who even earlier in the 20th century had run streetcar
s on city streets before the separated railway lines were built.
Effective September 1, 2007, all undergraduate students at the University of Waterloo are required to purchase a 4-month UPass for less than a quarter of the equivalent adult monthly pass.
On February 14, 2008, the members of CAW4304
, which represents GRT employees, planned to go on strike. However a tentative agreement was reached before the deadline of 12:01 AM and the strike was averted.
operated by GRT, consisting of two routes along main corridors in Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge. The older route, Route 200 (then known solely as the iXpress without a route number), launched in September 2005, and runs from Conestoga Mall
in Waterloo and Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge primarily along King Street in Kitchener and Waterloo and Hespeler Road in Cambridge. The second route, route 201, runs from Forest Glen Terminal in Kitchener to Wilfrid Laurier University
in Waterloo, primarily along Fischer-Hallman Road in both cities.
in the area, which would boost more compact urban growth along the main corridor. A light rail
line is expected to run from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo to Fairview Park in Kitchener, and a bus rapid transit
line from Fairview Park in Kitchener to Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge.
-accessible buses; other routes sometimes use new buses, but do not do so reliably.
Many routes in the Kitchener-Waterloo area had their numbering split in the early 2000s as interlining was handled differently, to allow more flexibility. The separated sections usually had major route or schedule changes at the time. Routes split were:
Many Cambridge-area routes are based on their former Cambridge Transit numbers, with 50 added to the number. Thus, the 51 is the former Cambridge Route 1, and the 52 is the former Route 2 Coronation which was extended from Preston Parkway into south Kitchener by merging it with the former Kitchener Transit Route 20 Sportsworld/Gateway Park (The Route Number 20 has since been reused in Victoria Hills); Cambridge Route 14 became 56, 17 became 60, and since 2000, additional routes have been numbered in the 60s.
Numbers above 100 are reserved for express-level service. Those in the 100s operate under standard branding (and, currently, all serve Conestoga College); the 200s operate under the iXpress branding.
During the turbulent times surrounding the Kitchener Transit - Cambridge Transit merger, many short-lived, experimental, or interim routes existed. One was the route 20 Sportsworld/Gateway Park, which was later merged with Cambridge Transit route 2 Coronation to form the route 52. At one point, a very short-lived route 61 existed as a satellite route operating from Highland Hills Mall. Soon after, this route was changed to a long-since forgotten route: route 41 Laurentian West - Highland West BusPLUS. This route did not last long, and its service area was later covered by routes 19, 20, and 22. Route 21 St. Jacobs started by running to St. Jacobs Market from Conestoga Mall via Northfield Drive and Weber Street.
trips. The main function of many of the specials is to provide services between schools and neighbourhoods where limited or no regular service is available, or where multiple time-consuming transfers would be required. These specials usually operate on completely or partially different routings than regular GRT Routes. Any other school bus services are yellow school bus
services.
Grand River Transit has a fleet of 248 buses. These include:
Denotes wheelchair
-accessible
vehicles.
at Galt City Centre in Cambridge - (Routes 51,52,53,54,55,57,58,59,62,63,111,200).
Unstaffed off-road satellite terminals are also in place at Waterloo’s Conestoga Mall (Routes 7C,9,12,14,21,31,32,35,200), Kitchener’s Fairview Park Mall (Routes 7A,7B,7F,8,10,12,17,23,27,52,110,200), Forest Glen Plaza (Routes 3,11,12,16,22,33,116,201), Stanley Park Mall (Routes 1,17,23), Highland Hills Mall (Routes 2,19,20,22,24,25,201), Sportsworld (Routes 52,72busPLUS) and Cambridge Centre (Routes 51,56,60,61,64,67,75busPLUS,200).
Other significant transfer points include King Street/University Avenue (Routes 7C,7D,7E,8,9,12,200), the University of Waterloo
(Routes 7D,7E,8,9,12,13,29,31,200,201), Uptown Waterloo (Routes 5,7C,7D,7E,35,200), Holiday Inn Drive/Hespeler (Routes 51,53,65,66,71), Conestoga College-Doon Campus (Routes 10,16,61,110,111,116) and the Preston Towne Centre (Routes 52,56,61,64).
The Kitchener-Waterloo fleet, and all central operations, are run from the agency’s headquarters on Strasburg Road in Kitchener (across from the Laurentian Power Centre); the Cambridge fleet has its base on Conestoga Boulevard, behind the Cambridge Centre.
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 for the Region of Waterloo, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, 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...
. It operates daily bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
services in the region, primarily in the cities of 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....
, and Cambridge
Cambridge, Ontario
Cambridge is a city located in Southern Ontario at the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It is an amalgamation of the City of Galt, the towns of Preston and Hespeler, and the hamlet of Blair.Galt covers the largest portion of...
.
It was named for the Grand River
Grand River (Ontario)
The Grand River is a large river in southwestern Ontario, Canada. From its source, it flows south through Grand Valley, Fergus, Elora, Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Paris, Brantford, Caledonia, and Cayuga before emptying into the north shore of Lake Erie south of Dunnville at Port Maitland...
, which flows through the Region; the naming also echoes the Grand River Railway
Grand River Railway
The Grand River Railway was an electric railway in what is now the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, in Southwestern Ontario. It was an example of a radial railway.-History:...
, a former electric railway which served the area in the early twentieth century. GRT is a member of the Canadian Urban Transit Association
Canadian Urban Transit Association
Canadian Urban Transit Association is a trade association for the urban transit industry in Canada.-History:It was originally established in 1904 as the "Canadian Street Railway Association"...
.
Overview
On January 1, 2000, the Region of Waterloo created GRT by assuming the operations of the former Kitchener Transit (which also served Waterloo) and Cambridge Transit from these cities. By the end of that year, operations had been fully synchronised and buses began running between Cambridge and Kitchener; as a result, ridership in Cambridge improved dramatically, and there have been increases in service, including Sundays and late evenings Monday-Saturday.In recent years, many new low-floor, wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
-accessible bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es have been purchased, principally from Nova Bus
Nova Bus
Nova Bus is a Canadian bus manufacturer in North America, owned by Volvo Buses, and headquartered in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada.- History :The factory was originally a General Motors plant for building city transit buses intended for the Canadian market...
, Orion
Orion Bus Industries
Orion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, is a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975...
, and New Flyer, and these now constitute the majority of the fleet. Most operating buses are less than twenty years old, though a few older buses are used primarily for high-school special runs. GRT has also in recent years installed bicycle rack
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...
s on the front of its buses in order to encourage the use of sustainable transport; all standard and express buses now have these racks.
Service to less dense areas is provided by the busPLUS system, large van
Van
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
s which take regular fares on scheduled routes to new neighbourhoods and more remote facilities; if ridership is sufficiently high, these services can later be replaced with regular buses, as happened with the 71 Melran route in Cambridge.
GRT also operates MobilityPLUS, which provides specialised transit for disabled patrons using minibuses equipped with wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
lifts.
The GRT fleet consists entirely of motor-buses; although the former Kitchener Transit operated trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es earlier in their history, these had all been withdrawn during the 1970s, well before the systems were merged. They have continued operating 23 compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
-driven buses inherited from Kitchener Transit but have not expanded this fleet; these buses are to be retired before the end of 2009. Until the 1950s, the area was served by electric passenger and freight train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s run by the Grand River Railway
Grand River Railway
The Grand River Railway was an electric railway in what is now the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, in Southwestern Ontario. It was an example of a radial railway.-History:...
, who even earlier in the 20th century had run streetcar
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 on city streets before the separated railway lines were built.
Effective September 1, 2007, all undergraduate students at the University of Waterloo are required to purchase a 4-month UPass for less than a quarter of the equivalent adult monthly pass.
On February 14, 2008, the members of CAW4304
Canadian Auto Workers
The Canadian Auto Workers is one of Canada's largest and highest profile social unions. While rooted in Ontario's large auto plants of Windsor, Brampton, Oakville, St...
, which represents GRT employees, planned to go on strike. However a tentative agreement was reached before the deadline of 12:01 AM and the strike was averted.
Kitchener
- Berlin Gas Company 1888-1894 horsecar
- Berlin Street Railway 1894-1906 - electric car
- Berlin and Bridgeport Railway Company 1904-1906
- Berlin Public Utilities Commission 1906-1916
- Kitchener Public Utilities CommissionKitchener Public Utilities CommissionKitchener Public Utilities Commission 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....
1916-1973; operated streetcars, buses and trolley cars - Kitchener Transit 1973-2000
- Grand River Transit 2000-present
iXpress
The iXpress is 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...
operated by GRT, consisting of two routes along main corridors in Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge. The older route, Route 200 (then known solely as the iXpress without a route number), launched in September 2005, and runs from Conestoga Mall
Conestoga Mall
Conestoga Mall is a major shopping mall situated at 550 King Street North in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Located at King Street's interchange with Highway 85 , it is the largest shopping centre in Waterloo, and third-largest in Waterloo Region...
in Waterloo and Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge primarily along King Street in Kitchener and Waterloo and Hespeler Road in Cambridge. The second route, route 201, runs from Forest Glen Terminal in Kitchener to Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
in Waterloo, primarily along Fischer-Hallman Road in both cities.
Future expansion
Grand River Transit has purchased six Diesel-Hybrid buses which began service in late August 2008. To get the best use of their powertrain, these buses run on routes like Route 7 Mainline, which have frequent stops and heavy usage.Rapid transit
The Region of Waterloo is currently conducting an Environmental Assessment for the implementation of rapid transitRapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
in the area, which would boost more compact urban growth along the main corridor. 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...
line is expected to run from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo to Fairview Park in Kitchener, and a bus rapid transit
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...
line from Fairview Park in Kitchener to Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge.
Conventional Transit Fares
| Item | Cost (CAD) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Fares | $2.50 | Children under 5 (alternately: 4 and under) ride FREE to a maximum of 3 children per paying adult customer |
| Adult Tickets | $9.75 ($1.95 x5) | Sold in strips of 5, valid for Adults, College Students and University Students |
| Reduced Tickets | $8.25 ($1.65 x5) | Sold in strips of 5, valid for Seniors, Elementary and High School Students; GRT Bus Operators may request customers show a GRT Student or Senior Photo ID at the time the fare is paid to prove elgibility for the use of reduced tickets |
| Adult Monthly Pass | $63.00 | Valid for Adults, College Students and University Students ONLY; GRT Photo ID Required |
| Reduced Monthly Pass | $52.00 | Valid for Seniors, Elementary and High School Students ONLY; GRT Photo ID Required |
| College Pass | $209.00 | Valid for 4-month term |
| UPASS (Universal Pass) | $52.94 (Effective Sept. 1/10) | Cost deducted for each semester directly through tuition paid by University Students Full-Time Wilfrid Laurier University Wilfrid Laurier University Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada.... and University of Waterloo University of Waterloo The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff... Undergraduate and Graduate Students may use their UPASS year-round. All other students including (but not limited to) UW ELI Students, Part Time Students etc. do not qualify for UPASS privileges and must purchase Adult fare media. Using the UPASS: Students show their University Student Card (Laurier OneCard/Waterloo WatCard) as their UPASS to the bus operator when boarding GRT buses. The card is only valid as a UPASS for the person shown/named on the card until the expiry date printed on the front of the card. Invalid, fraudulent, expired cards etc. may be confiscated by GRT (subject to the UPASS agreements with WLU and UW) and returned to the issuing University. It is the cardholder's (read student's) responsibility to ensure they maintain a valid UPASS. Student cards remain the property of the issuing university. |
| Day Pass/Sunday & Holiday Family Pass | $5.00 | Valid for 1 Customer for Regular Weekday and Saturday Service; valid for 2 Adults and up to 3 Children, or 1 Adult and up to 4 children on Sundays and Statutory Holidays |
| Student Summer Pass | $92.00 | Valid July and August for Elementary and High School Students; GRT Photo ID Required and included in the price |
| Corporate Pass | $51.05 | Payroll deduction for employees of participating major employers |
MobilityPLUS Urban Area Fares
| Item | Cost (CAD) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Fare & Ticket Price | 2.50 | Permanent registered MobilityPLUS users ride conventional transit for free |
MobilityPLUS Township (Rural) Area Fares
| Item | Cost (CAD) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Within Township | 2.50 | -- |
| First Boundary Crossed | 4.75 | -- |
| Secondary Boundary Crossed | 7.00 | -- |
Routes
Route listing effective September 2, 2008. Routes marked with are routinely operated with low-floor, wheelchairWheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
-accessible buses; other routes sometimes use new buses, but do not do so reliably.
Cross-service area routes
| Route | Service Limitations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52 Fairview Park Mall - Ainslie Street Terminal | (Service every day) | Runs from Kitchener service area to Cambridge service area | |
| 61 Conestoga College - Cambridge Centre | Weekday service only |
|
|
| 72 Cherry Blossom BusPLUS | Weekday rush hour service only |
|
|
| 200 iXpress Conestoga Mall - Ainslie Terminal | (Service every day) | Express route |
Kitchener-Waterloo service area
| Route | Service Limitations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Stanley Park | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 2 Forest Hill | No Sunday/holiday service |
|
|
| 3 Ottawa South | (Service every day) | ||
| 4 Glasgow | No Sunday/holiday service |
|
|
| 5 Erb West | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 6 Bridgeport | No Sunday/holiday service | ||
| 7A Fairview via Connaught | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 7B Fairview via Weber | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 7C Conestoga Mall | (Service every day) | ||
| 7D University of Waterloo via University | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 7E University of Waterloo via Columbia | No Evening, Sunday/Holiday service |
|
|
| 7F Fairview via Wilson | No Evening Sunday/Holiday service |
|
|
| 91 Late Night Loop | No Monday-Wednesday OR Sunday/holiday service |
University of Waterloo The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff... buses travel north through the Research and Technology Park to Parkside and Cedarbrae where they travel as Route 9 Lakeshore to King at University. At University and King buses then return to Downtown Kitchener again on Route 7. University of Waterloo The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff... and Wilfrid Laurier University Wilfrid Laurier University Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada.... campuses as well as the Lakeshore neighbourhood which contains much private off-campus student housing. |
|
| 8 University via Weber | (Service every day) | ||
| 8 University via Westmount | (Service every day) | ||
| 8 Fairview via Courtland | (Service every day) | ||
| 8 Fairview via Franklin | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 9 Lakeshore | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 10 Conestoga College | (Service every day) |
Conestoga College The Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a public college based in Kitchener, Ontario in Canada.-History:The College was founded in 1967 as the Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology, one of many such institutions established in that time by the Ontario... Residence extension |
|
| 11 Country Hills | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 12 Conestoga Mall - Fairview Park Mall | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 13 Laurelwood | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 14 Bathurst | Weekday rush hour service only | ||
| 15 Frederick | No Sunday/Holiday service |
|
|
| 16 Forest Glen | Weekday service only |
|
|
| 17 Heritage Park | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 18 Guelph Street | No Sunday/Holiday service | ||
| 19 Victoria South | Weekday rush hour service only | ||
| 20 Victoria Hills | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 21 Elmira | No Sunday/Holiday service |
Woolwich, Ontario The Township of Woolwich is a rural township in Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Region of Waterloo, immediately to the north and east of the City of Waterloo. Its 2006 census population was 19,658.-Communities:*Bloomingdale*Breslau*Conestogo*Elmira... communites of St. Jacobs St. Jacobs, Ontario The community of St. Jacobs is located in southwest Ontario, just north of Waterloo in Woolwich Township, Waterloo Region. It is a popular location for tourism, due to its Mennonite heritage and retail focus. The Conestogo River, which powered the village's original gristmill, runs through the... and Elmira Elmira, Ontario The town of Elmira in Ontario, Canada is the largest community within the Township of Woolwich in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and is located 15 km to the north of the city of Waterloo.-History:... |
|
| 22 Laurentian West | No Sunday/Holiday service | ||
| 23 Idlewood | No Sunday/Holiday service |
|
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| 24 Highland | No Sunday/Holiday service |
|
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| 25 Queen South | (Service every day) |
|
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| 27 Chicopee | (Service every day) | ||
| 29 Keats Way | Everyday service |
|
|
| 31 Lexington | Weekday service only | ||
| 32 Kumpf | Weekday rush hour service only | ||
| 33 Huron | Weekday rush-hour service only |
|
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| 35 Eastbridge | No Sunday/holiday service |
|
|
| 52 Fairview Park Mall - Ainslie Street Terminal | (Service every day) From 6am to 6pm runs every 15 minutes via Cherry Blossom and Preston Parkway |
|
|
| 61 Conestoga College - Cambridge Centre | Weekday service only |
|
|
| 72 Cherry Blossom BusPLUS | Weekday rush hour service only |
|
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| 73 Northlake BusPLUS | Weekday rush hour service only |
|
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| 110 Fairview Park Mall-Conestoga College Express | No Saturday, Sunday or holiday service |
|
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| 111 Ainslie Street-Conestoga College Express | Weekday rush-hour service only |
|
|
| 116 Forest Glen-Conestoga College Express | Weekday rush-hour service only |
|
|
| 200 iXpress Conestoga Mall - Ainslie Terminal | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 201 iXpress Laurier - Forest Glen | (Service every day) |
|
|
| Huron Industrial Special | Weekday rush hour service only | Selected trips on weekday rush hours only |
Cambridge service area
| Route | Service Limitations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 Hespeler Road | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 52 Fairview Park Mall - Ainslie Street Terminal | (Service every day) | Runs from Kitchener service area to Cambridge service area | |
| 53 Franklin Boulevard | Weekday service only | At the Hespeler Terminal, buses change to Route 66 Winston | |
| 54 Lisbon Pines | No Sunday/holiday service | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to Route 58 elmwood | |
| 55 St. Andrews | (Service every day) | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to Route 59 Christopher | |
| 56 Dunbar | (Service every day) | At Cambridge Centre, buses change to Route 60 Northview Acres (except for 11:26 PM arrival on weekdays: route 51 Hespeler Road to Hespeler) | |
| 57 Blair Road | No Sunday/holiday service | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to Route 54 Lisbon Pines | |
| 58 Elmwood | (Service every day) | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to route 62 Woodside | |
| 59 Christopher | (Service every day) |
|
|
| 60 Northview Acres | (Service every day) | At Cambridge Centre, buses change to route 64 Langs (except for Monday-Saturday arrivals at 6:30 PM and later: route 56 Dunbar) | |
| 61 Conestoga College - Cambridge Centre | Weekday service only |
|
|
| 62 Woodside | No Sunday/holiday service | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to route 58 Elmwood | |
| 63 Champlain | No Sunday/holiday service | At Ainslie Street Terminal, buses change to route 55 St. Andrews | |
| 64 Langs | No Sunday/holiday service | At Cambridge Centre, buses change to route 56 Dunbar (except for Monday-Saturday arrivals at 6:30 - 8:30 PM: route 60 Northview Acres) | |
| 65 Fisher Mills | (Service every day) | At the Hespeler Terminal, buses change to route 51 Hespeler Road | |
| 66 Winston | (Service every day) | At the Hespeler Terminal, buses change to route 53 Franklin Boulevard, Weekdays between 7:00 AM and 6:00 PM only | |
| 67 Lovell Industrial | Weekday rush hour service only | ||
| 71 Melran | No Sunday/holiday service | ||
| 72 Cherry Blossom BusPLUS | Weekday rush hour service only |
|
|
| 75 Saginaw BusPLUS | Weekday rush hour service only | BusPLUS route | |
| 111 Ainslie Street-Conestoga College Express | Weekday rush-hour service only |
|
|
| 200 iXpress Conestoga Mall - Ainslie Terminal | (Service every day) | Express route |
Numbering notes
Route 8 is so numbered because its travelled route forms a rough figure 8 through Kitchener and Waterloo, with the Charles Street terminal as the central point.Many routes in the Kitchener-Waterloo area had their numbering split in the early 2000s as interlining was handled differently, to allow more flexibility. The separated sections usually had major route or schedule changes at the time. Routes split were:
| Route before splitting | Year of split | Routes after splitting |
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Many Cambridge-area routes are based on their former Cambridge Transit numbers, with 50 added to the number. Thus, the 51 is the former Cambridge Route 1, and the 52 is the former Route 2 Coronation which was extended from Preston Parkway into south Kitchener by merging it with the former Kitchener Transit Route 20 Sportsworld/Gateway Park (The Route Number 20 has since been reused in Victoria Hills); Cambridge Route 14 became 56, 17 became 60, and since 2000, additional routes have been numbered in the 60s.
Numbers above 100 are reserved for express-level service. Those in the 100s operate under standard branding (and, currently, all serve Conestoga College); the 200s operate under the iXpress branding.
During the turbulent times surrounding the Kitchener Transit - Cambridge Transit merger, many short-lived, experimental, or interim routes existed. One was the route 20 Sportsworld/Gateway Park, which was later merged with Cambridge Transit route 2 Coronation to form the route 52. At one point, a very short-lived route 61 existed as a satellite route operating from Highland Hills Mall. Soon after, this route was changed to a long-since forgotten route: route 41 Laurentian West - Highland West BusPLUS. This route did not last long, and its service area was later covered by routes 19, 20, and 22. Route 21 St. Jacobs started by running to St. Jacobs Market from Conestoga Mall via Northfield Drive and Weber Street.
School specials
GRT also provides school specials to most Secondary Schools in the Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge areas. The purpose of these routes is to help alleviate overcrowding problems on regular GRT Routes, and supplement regular GRT routes by adding extra and/or short turnShort turn
In public transport, a short turn or turn-back is an earlier terminus on a bus or rail line that is used on some scheduled trips that do not operate along the full length of the route....
trips. The main function of many of the specials is to provide services between schools and neighbourhoods where limited or no regular service is available, or where multiple time-consuming transfers would be required. These specials usually operate on completely or partially different routings than regular GRT Routes. Any other school bus services are yellow school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
services.
Berlin/Kitchener
- horse drawn cars - Berlin Gas Company
- Preston Car & Coach Company cars - Berlin PUC
- ex-Cleveland Street Railway cars - Berlin PUC
- 10 Yellow Coach model 733 bus - Kitchener PUC
- 25 Canadian Car & Foundry T44 trolleybus - Kitchener PUC
- 2 CCF-Brill model C-36 gas bus - Kitchener PUC
- 5 ex-Ottawa Transportation Commission trolley buses - Kitchener PUC
- 8 General Motors TDH-3501 bus - Kitchener PUC
- 10 GMDD TDH-3502 bus - Kitchener PUC
- 1 Aerocoach - ex-Wellesley Bus Lines - Kitchener PUC
- 2 Brills - ex-Wellesley Bus Lines - Kitchener PUC
- 1 Ford - ex-Wellesley Bus Lines - Kitchener PUC
- 6 GMDD T6H-5305 - Kitchener PUC
Kitchener-Waterloo Division: Current Fleet
| Numbers and Model(s) | Special Features/Notes | Current status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8501 - 8508 General Motors TC40-102N 1985 Detroit Diesel 6V71 Allison V731 |
Last buses with orange cushion seats | FLEET RETIRED |
||
| 8509 - 8510 General Motors TC40-102N 1985 Detroit Diesel 6V71 Allison V731 |
First buses with all new seats and interior color scheme | FLEET RETIRED | ||
| 8801 - 8806 Motor Coach Industries TC40-102N 1988 Detroit Diesel 6V71 Allison V730 | 8805 Retired due to major structural failure | School specials and occasional revenue runs only | ||
| 8901 - 8906 Motor Coach Industries TC40-102N 1989 Detroit Diesel 6V92T Allison V731 | 8904 Retired due to Major Mechanical Failure | School specials and occasional revenue runs only | ||
| 8907 - 8910 Orion Bus Industries 5.501 1989 Detroit Diesel 6V92T Voith D863 |
In regular weekday service | |||
| 8911 - 8913 Orion Bus Industries 5.501 1989 Detroit Diesel 6V92T Allison HTB748 |
In regular weekday service | |||
| 8914 Orion Bus Industries 5.501 1989 Detroit Diesel 6V92T Allison B400 | School specials only | |||
| 9001 - 9013 Orion Bus Industries 5.501 1990 Detroit Diesel 6V92T Voith D863 |
In regular weekday service | |||
| 9200 - 9213 New Flyer Industries D40LF 1992 Detroit Diesel 6V92T Voith D863 |
First ever low floor buses in Ontario to be in service | In full service | Being retired later in 2011 | |
| 9400 - 9419, 9421 - 9424 New Flyer Industries D40LF 1994 Detroit Diesel Series 50 Allison B400 | 9409 was fully rebuilt due to engine fire | 9411 retired due to engine fire on Sept 22,2011
|
In full service | Being retired later in 2011 |
| 9600 - 9622 New Flyer Industries C40LF 1996 Detroit Diesel Series 50G Allison B400 |
|
FLEET RETIRED | ||
| 2200 - 2207 New Flyer Industries D40LF 2002 Cummins ISC
Allison B400 |
First order delivered to Grand River Transit
|
In full service | ||
| 2300 - 2329 Orion Bus Industries 7.501 2003 Cummins ISC
ZF HP592, Allison B400R |
In full service | |||
| 2400 - 2433 Nova Bus LFS 40102 2004/2005 Cummins ISL ZF Ecomat |
Largest order to date for Grand River Transit
|
In full service | ||
| 2601 - 2614 Nova Bus LFS 40102 2006 Cummins ISL |
|
In full service | ||
| 2701 - 2724 Nova Bus LFS 40102 2007 Cummins ISL
ZF Ecomat |
First order delivered with rear LED screens | In full service | ||
| 8007 - 8021 Nova Bus LFS 40102 2008 Cummins ISL ZF Ecomat |
|
In full service | ||
| 8022 - 8027 Nova Bus LFS HEV 40102 2008 Cummins ISL |
|
In full service | ||
| 20901 - 20913 Nova Bus LFS 40102 2009 Cummins ISL |
|
In full service | ||
| 21001 - 21009 Nova Bus LFS 40102 2010 Cummins ISL |
|
In full service | ||
| 21101 - 21115 Nova Bus LFS/LFS HEV 40102 2011 Cummins ISL9/Cummins ISB6.7 | In full service/being delivered, 6 HEV's on order |
Grand River Transit has a fleet of 248 buses. These include:
- 123 NOVA LFS
- 47 NFI D40LF
- 30 Orion VII
- 24 Orion V
- 4 GMC CLASSICS
- 10 MCI CLASSICS
- 6 NOVA LFS HEV
- 4 ORION VI
Cambridge Division (ordered before incorporation)
- Leased GM New Look fishbowl (returned)
- Motor Coach IndustriesMotor 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:...
& GM TC40102N (Classic) - NovaBus LFS (ordered 1997-1999)
- Orion Bus IndustriesOrion Bus IndustriesOrion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, is a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975...
I 01.507 (retired in 2006) - Orion Bus Industries V 05.501
- Orion Bus Industries VI 06.501
Kitchener-Waterloo Division (ordered before incorporation)
- Flyer Industries D800-B (ordered 1977-1979)
- GM New Look fishbowls (Retired November 2005)
- Motor Coach IndustriesMotor 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:...
& GM TC40102N (Classic) (ordered 1985-1989) - Orion Bus Industries V 05.501 (ordered 1989-1990)
- New Flyer Industries D40LF (ordered 1992)
- New Flyer Industries D40LF (ordered 1994)
- New Flyer Industries C40LF (ordered 1996) (Retired summer 2008)
Both Divisions (ordered after incorporation)
- New Flyer Industries D40LF (ordered 2002)
- Orion Bus Industries VII 07.501 (ordered 2003)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2004)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2006)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2007)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2008)
- NovaBus LFS HEV (ordered 2008)
- FordFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
minibus – F450 chassis - NovaBus LFS (ordered 2009)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2010)
- NovaBus LFS (ordered 2011)
- FordFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
minibus – F450 chassis (Ordered 2009-2011)
Denotes wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
-accessible
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
vehicles.
Facilities
Major transit terminals are operated and staffed in both Downtown Kitchener (Charles Street Terminal) - (Routes 1,2,3,4,6,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,8,11,15,18,19,20,22,23,24,25,200) and the Ainslie St. Transit TerminalAinslie St. Transit Terminal
Ainslie St. Transit Terminal is the main hub for local Grand River Transit bus services in Cambridge, Ontario. It was built as a replacement for the Mill Street Terminal, in response to a 1988 report, commissioned by the city, which concluded that the existing facilities were totally inadequate and...
at Galt City Centre in Cambridge - (Routes 51,52,53,54,55,57,58,59,62,63,111,200).
Unstaffed off-road satellite terminals are also in place at Waterloo’s Conestoga Mall (Routes 7C,9,12,14,21,31,32,35,200), Kitchener’s Fairview Park Mall (Routes 7A,7B,7F,8,10,12,17,23,27,52,110,200), Forest Glen Plaza (Routes 3,11,12,16,22,33,116,201), Stanley Park Mall (Routes 1,17,23), Highland Hills Mall (Routes 2,19,20,22,24,25,201), Sportsworld (Routes 52,72busPLUS) and Cambridge Centre (Routes 51,56,60,61,64,67,75busPLUS,200).
Other significant transfer points include King Street/University Avenue (Routes 7C,7D,7E,8,9,12,200), the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
(Routes 7D,7E,8,9,12,13,29,31,200,201), Uptown Waterloo (Routes 5,7C,7D,7E,35,200), Holiday Inn Drive/Hespeler (Routes 51,53,65,66,71), Conestoga College-Doon Campus (Routes 10,16,61,110,111,116) and the Preston Towne Centre (Routes 52,56,61,64).
The Kitchener-Waterloo fleet, and all central operations, are run from the agency’s headquarters on Strasburg Road in Kitchener (across from the Laurentian Power Centre); the Cambridge fleet has its base on Conestoga Boulevard, behind the Cambridge Centre.