Grand River Transit Explained

Grand River Transit
Image3:Ion Flexity Freedom 514 service livery.jpg
Caption3:GRT's fleet consists of low-floor buses such as this Nova LFS, and Flexity Freedom light rail vehicles
Owner:Waterloo Region
Area Served:Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, St. Jacobs, Elmira, New Hamburg, Breslau
Lines:57 bus routes (48 local, 8 express); 1 light rail[1]
Vehicles:259 buses, 15 light rail vehicles
Annual Ridership:26,400,000 (2023)[2]
Key People:-->
Headquarters:250 Strasburg Road
Kitchener, Ontario
N2E 3M6
Began Operation:2000
Operator:Waterloo Region (buses), GrandLinq (light rail)

Grand River Transit (GRT) is the public transport operator for the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It operates daily bus services in the region, primarily in the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge, alongside the ION rapid transit light rail system which began service on June 21, 2019.[3]

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.

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. By the end of that year, operations had been fully synchronized 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.

Grand River Transit has consistently purchased low floor, wheelchair-accessible buses, principally from Nova Bus, Orion, and New Flyer, and these now form the entirety of the standard 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 installed bicycle racks on the front of its buses in order to encourage the use of sustainable transport; all buses now have these racks. Bicycles are also allowed on-board Ion trains.

Service to less dense areas is provided by the busPLUS system, large vans 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 specialized transit for disabled patrons using minibuses equipped with wheelchair lifts.

The GRT fleet consists entirely of motor buses. Kitchener Transit operated trolleybuses earlier in its history, but they were withdrawn from service during the 1970s, well before the systems were merged. GRT continued operating 23 compressed natural gas-driven buses inherited from Kitchener Transit but did not expand this fleet; these buses were retired before the end of 2009. Until the 1950s, the area was served by electric passenger and freight trains run by the Grand River Railway, which even earlier in the 20th century had run streetcars on city streets before the separated railway lines were built.

Since September 1, 2007, all undergraduate students at the University of Waterloo have purchased a non-refundable four-month U-Pass as part of their tuition fees for less than a quarter of the equivalent adult monthly pass.[4]

Grand River Transit has six diesel-hybrid buses which began service in late August 2008.[5] To get the best use of their powertrain, these buses run on routes like Route 7 King, which have frequent stops and heavy usage.

With the launch of Ion rapid transit in June 2019, GRT's bus services were substantially reorganized. The greatest effect was in decentralizing the network in Kitchener–Waterloo by no longer using the Charles Street terminal as a service hub; the affected routes now connect with Ion trains at their stations, forming a centralized spine.

History

Public transit in the Grand River area began with private operators and slowly gave way to municipal run service. Interurban and streetcar service were the earlier modes and by the mid-20th century, bus transit became the norm.

Kitchener–Waterloo

Cambridge

Public transit was provided to Galt and Preston before Cambridge was formed.

Elmira

Elmira had bus service to Kitchener that ended in 1997. Route 21 now travels to Elmira from Conestoga Mall in north Waterloo. Riders can then transfer to another bus to get to Kitchener.

New Hamburg

On April 25, 2016, Grand River Transit began operating route 77 which connects The Boardwalk and the Wilmot Township (Petersburg, Baden and New Hamburg) during the AM and PM peak periods. This route is a BusPlus route and because of the length of the route, route 77 operates every 75 minutes. GRT is using Voyago (formerly Voyageur Transportation Services) to operate the new route.

The Grand River area also had interurban railway service from 1894 to 1955 by various operators.

Breslau

As of June 11, 2022, Grand River Transit operates BusPlus service for Breslau, which provides locations in Breslau, including Region of Waterloo International Airport. Connections with route 34 and 204 are also available for those needing a trip to Kitchener, Waterloo or Cambridge.

Ion rapid transit

See main article: Ion rapid transit.

History

In June 2011, Waterloo Region council approved a plan for a light rail transit line, powered by electricity, between Conestoga Mall in north Waterloo and Fairview Park Mall in south Kitchener. At first, rapid buses would run from the south end of Kitchener to the "downtown Galt" area of Cambridge but eventually, the LRT would be expanded to that city.[6] (At least one journalist pointed out the similarity between this plan and the electric Grand River Railway system of the early 1900s.)[7] In Stage 1, the Ion rapid transit train runs between Fairview Park Mall and Conestoga Mall by way of the central districts of Kitchener and Waterloo.

Construction on the light rail system, now named Ion, began in August 2014 and the Stage 1 service was expected to begin in 2017. Most of the rails had been installed by the end of 2016; the maintenance facility and all underground utility work had been completed.[8] The start date of service was postponed to early 2018, and then to December 2018, however, because of delays in the manufacture and delivery of the vehicles by Bombardier Transportation. Bombardier was to deliver all 14 vehicles by December 14; that was postponed to December 2017 and then to June 2018. In April 2018, the planned start of Ion service was postponed to December, and was finally accomplished on June 21, 2019.[9]

In late February 2017, plans for the Stage 2 (Cambridge section) of the Ion rail service were still in the very early stage but a proposed route with map had been published.[10] [11] [12] The public consultation process for Cambridge was postponed to 2018.[10]

In early July 2017, Cambridge City Council expressed an objection to parts of the route planned for that city and requested the Region to consider alternatives.[13] [14] At that time, a report indicated that construction of Stage 2 would not begin until 2025.[13] Until LRT service arrives in Cambridge, GRT will offer rapid transit with adapted iXpress buses to Fairview Park Mall using bus-only lanes at Pinebush, Munch and Coronation to minimize slowdowns at times of heavy traffic. In 2017, the route also continued to Conestoga Mall in Waterloo (though not as rapid transit) with many stops along the way.[15] Following Ion launch in Kitchener–Waterloo, GRT is continuing the remainder of the iXpress 200 service to the terminal at Fairview Park, renumbered as 302.[16] [17]

iXpress

Grand River Transit should not be confused with IExpress.

The iXpress express bus service is operated by GRT consisting of six routes[18] along main corridors in Kitchener–Waterloo and Cambridge, serving major roads in all 3 cities.

In order to increase ridership across the region and facilitate the expected growing population, the Region of Waterloo unveiled the Regional Transportation Master Plan in 2010, which consisted of seven iXpress-style routes that criss-cross the important secondary corridors along the region (with the proposed light rail serving the Central Transit Corridor), and where they are expecting the most growth to occur. These corridors include Fischer-Hallman, University, Highland/Victoria North, Ottawa, Homer Watson/Maple Grove, Coronation, and the Cambridge stubs centered around Cambridge Centre and Ainslie Street Terminal. The routes were to be phased in, with the last route being introduced in 2015. The plan was eventually scaled down in order to put more emphasis on the LRT proposal with the Cambridge stubs largely eliminated, and the timeline was also spread out, with all routes expected to be implemented by 2018.[19]

There were different naming proposals for the new iXpress routes. During the public consultations in March 2011, the proposal was to name each iXpress route after a colour, with the letter X at the back. For example, Fischer-Hallman iXpress would be named Blue X, and the shelter would have blue stickers in order to identify each route. However, the plan was eventually dropped, and GRT decided to stick with the iXpress trademark, with route numbers being added to signify between the different iXpress routes.

Fischer-Hallman was chosen as the first corridor to have the new iXpress service, as the current route 12 serving this corridor is full during most times of the day, and residents wanted a faster service to Forest Glen, Highland Hills Mall, and the university area. During the public consultations, there were different routing proposals at the north end. Proposals ranged from having the route go all the way east on Columbia to King, south on King, west on University, and north on Phillip, to having the route go only as east as Phillip, then head south on Phillip, west on University, north on Seagram, and east on Ring Road to serve the current UW Davis Centre bus stop. Eventually, the suggested proposal was to have the route go east on Columbia, south on Phillip, east on University, and north on Hazel. This allows equal access to the north end of the University of Waterloo campus, the RIM offices along Columbia, and Wilfrid Laurier University.

The first (and now defunct) route, designated route 200 after the expansion of iXpress service, was launched in September 2005 and ran from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo and Ainslie St. Transit Terminal in Cambridge primarily along King Street in Kitchener and Waterloo and Hespeler Road in Cambridge, utilizing a short section of Highway 401. The second route, route 201, runs from Conestoga College Doon Campus Door 6 in Kitchener to Conestoga Mall in Waterloo, primarily along Fischer-Hallman Road in both cities. The third, route 202, runs in a crosstown fashion through Waterloo, primarily along University Avenue, between the Boardwalk shopping centre and Conestoga Mall. The fourth iXpress route, route 203, opened on April 28, 2014. It runs from Cambridge Centre to Sportsworld Terminal. An extension of the 203 to Conestoga College is made during the AM and PM peak periods when classes are in session. The fifth iXpress route, route 204, began service in September 2015. The 204 iXpress runs from Ottawa and Lackner to the Boardwalk via Victoria Street, Highland Road, Ira Needles Boulevard and Downtown Kitchener.[20] The 205 Ottawa iXpress opened on April 30, 2018, which primarily served northern Ottawa Street.[21] and the 206 Coronation iXpress launched September 2, 2019, partially replacing route 52.[22] The 200 was discontinued upon the launch of Ion service; the bus portion not converted to light rail now runs on route 302, branded as Ion Bus.

In April 2017, it was announced that the Ion and iXpress services would be closely integrated into a single system.[23] In March 2018, nine new Ion buses were unveiled; initially they were used on local routes in Cambridge. They now operate from Fairway Station in Kitchener to the Ainslie Street terminal in Cambridge. These vehicles offer new features, such as more comfortable, high-back seats, free Wi-Fi and USB charging ports.[24] [25]

Fares

Buses and Ion fare machines accept cash and the EasyGo smart card; unlimited transfers are available for 120 minutes of travel following payment of a single-use fare. Monthly passes or a stored fare balance are loaded on the EasyGo card; this can be done online, at customer service desks, or at ticket machines. Specialized passes for corporate or school purposes are loaded on specialized smart cards.[26]

The new EasyGO system on electronic fare cards was first made available on March 1, 2019, in anticipation of the Ion light rail launch.[27] At Ion launch, this fully replaced an old system of paper passes (and accompanying photo ID) and paper tickets.

Connect-to-GO

Beginning March 31, 2023, riders can enrol in Connect-to-GO, which gives riders a rebate to their GRT fare when travelling to or from Kitchener station, using an EasyGo fare card.[28]

System routes

Routes are listed effective September 5, 2022. The following is a general summary of route services; for details, consult the official website. Routes numbered below 100 are local services, numbers in the 100s are express services (the only remaining of which is 110) in the 200s are iXpress service with the iXpress brand, and in the 300s are fully integrated rapid transit. Routes marked + use smaller BusPLUS vehicles. All routes, excluding 79 make connections to major transit hubs.

Frequency on routes will vary. Routes like the 7, 201, & 301 provide more frequent service all day, while routes like the 34 have service levels limited to peak hours.

RouteDivisionDestinationsOther major transit interchangesNotes
301 IONDuttonNConestogaSFairwayConestoga to Fairway (all Ion stations)Light rail transit
302ION BusConestogaNFairwaySAinslie, Sportsworld, Pinebush, Cambridge Centre, Can-Amera, Delta, AinslieVia Hespeler, Hwy 8, Hwy 401
201Fisher-HallmanStrasburgNConestogaSConestoga College,,, Conestoga CollegeiXpress route
202UniversityWaterlooEConestogaWThe Boardwalk StationThe Boardwalk station, Via University/Erb & NorthfieldiXpress route
203Maple GroveConestogaNSportsworldSCambridge CentreCambridge Centre, Hespeler, SportsworldiXpress route
204Highland-VictoriaStrasburgELacknerWThe Boardwalk StationThe Boardwalk station,,, iXpress route
205OttawaStrasburgELacknerWSunrise Centre,, Sunrise CentreiXpress route
206CoronationStrasburgConestogaNFairwaySSouthwood, Sportsworld, Delta, AinslieiXpress route
1Queen-RiverStrasburgNThe Boardwalk StationSFairwayThe Boardwalk Station,,,
3Ottawa SouthStrasburgEFrederickWSunrise Centre,,, Sunrise Centre
4 Glasgow-MargaretStrasburgEFrederickWThe Boardwalk Station,,, The Boardwalk Station
5ErbStrasburgEWThe Boardwalk StationThe Boardwalk station,, West via Bridgeport Road.Sundays Only
EDaniel/BloomingdaleWest via Bridgeport Road.Extension to Bridgeport East
6Bridge-CourtlandNorthfieldNConestogaSFairway,,,,, Via Lancaster
7KingNorthfieldNConestogaSFairway,,,,,,, Some peak trips to Conestoga short turn via
Willis Way (Peak hours)
8WeberNorthfieldNUniversity/KingSFairway,,
9LakeshoreNorthfieldEConestogaWUniversity of Waterloo,,,
10PioneerStrasburgNFairwaySConestoga College, Conestoga College
10AVia Old Carriage
110College ExpressExpress between Fairway and Conestoga College
12WestmountNorthfieldStrasburgNUniversity/KingSFairwayVia Bleams,
13LaurelwoodNorthfieldEUniversity of WaterlooWThe Boardwalk station, The Boardwalk stationVia Columbia, Erbsville/Ira needles
14BathurstNorthfieldNNorthland/RupertSConestoga
16Strasburg-BelmontStrasburgNWillis WaySConestoga CollegeConestoga College,,,
19HazelNorthfieldSUniversity of Waterloo, Via Weber, Parkside
19ANSt. JacobsUniversity of Waterloo, St. Jacobs Market
19BNNorthfield StationUniversity of Waterloo, Northfield StationVia Weber, Parkside, Randall/Kumpf
20Victoria-FrederickStrasburgEStanley Park MallWThe Boardwalk stationThe Boardwalk station,, Stanley Park Mall
21ElmiraNorthfieldNArthur/Church (Elmira)SConestoga, St. Jacobs Market
22 LaurentianWestStrasburgEBlock LineWSunrise Centre, Sunrise Centre
23IdlewoodStrasburgNStanley Park MallSFairway, Stanley Park Mall
26TrilliumStrasburgSTrillium/WashburnNBlock Line
27MorristonStrasburgConestogaNFairwaySChicopee Ski Club
28Franklin NorthStrasburgNStanley Park MallSFairway, Stanley Park Mall
29Keats-UniversityNorthfieldEConestogaWThe Boardwalk StationThe Boardwalk Station, Via Lincoln, Weber
30Ring RoadNorthfieldEU.W StationWU.W stationUniversity of Waterloo stationLoops Ring Road Clockwise to U.W station
31ColumbiaNorthfieldEConestoga StationWColumbia/Sundew, Via New Bedford
33HuronStrasburgNSunrise CentreSBlocklineSunrise Centre,
34BingemansStrasburgEVictoria/ShirleyWCentral Station
35GreenbrookStrasburgECentral StationWSunrise Centre station,, Sunrise CentreReplaced Route 2 "Stirling"
36Thomas SleeStrasburgEConestoga CollegeWRobert Ferrie/Forest CreekConestoga College
50Dundas-MyersConestogaNCambridge CentreSAinslie Cambridge Centre, Delta, Ainslie
51HespelerConestogaSAinslie Ainslie, Cambridge Centre, Pinebush, Hespeler
51ANEast HesplerVia Melran
51BSilver HeightsVia Winston
53FranklinConestogaNCambridge CentreSAinslieAinslie, Cambridge Centre
53ANCambridge CentreSAinslieAinslie, Cambridge CentreVia Dobbie
55Grand RidgeConestogaNAinslieSWest GaltAinslieLoop route
56LangsConestogaNCambridge CentreSWestminister/KingCambridge Centre
57BlairConestogaNConestoga CollegeSAinslieAinslie, Conestoga College
58ElginConestogaSAinslieNCambridge CentreAinslie, Cambridge Centre
60BurnettConestogaWCambridge CentreEBurnett/GlenvalleyCambridge CentreLoop route
61FountainConestogaNConestoga CollegeSCambridge CentreConestoga College, Cambridge Centrevia Preston, Bishop
63ChamplainConestogaWAinslieEMain/FranklinAinslieLoop route
65SaginawConestogaWCambridge CentreECan-Amera/BaintreeCambridge Centre
67Eagle-PinebushConestogaWSportsworldECambridge CentreCambridge Centre, Pinebush, Sportsworld
72+BoxwoodStrasburgWSportsworldEBoxwood/Maple GroveSportsworldMain route
Toyota CambridgeFlex route
Loblaws Distribution CentreFlex route
76+Doon MillsStrasburgWConestoga CollegeEPioneer/Homer WatsonConestoga College
77+ WilmotStrasburgWNew HamburgEThe BoardwalkThe Boardwalk StationEast to New Hamburg via Baden
79+ BreslauStrasburgLocations around Breslau.Victoria at LacknerEast to locations in and around Breslau

Vehicle fleet

At launch, Grand River Transit's fleet was originally made of busses from Kitchener Transit and Cambridge Transit's fleet, with the later new Nova Bus LFS addition to the fleet. Most of these busses retired in or before 2010.

Today, GRT provides over 250 busses, 35 MobilityPlus vehicles, and 15 LRVS for the Region of Waterloo. GRT's fleet is a mix of 4th gen Nova Bus LFS series, New Flyer Industries (NFI) XD-40 busses, and brand new Vicinity Classic.

ION Light rail uses 15 Bombardier Flexity Freedom light rail vehicles, all of which are stored at the Dutton LRT Maintenance Storage Facility. ION Bus is provided with 9 designated buses, though sometimes ION Bus is provided with the traditional local buses and vice versa.

In 2022, Grand River Transit said that they would replace their old diesel fleet with newer electric and hybrid buses such as the electric and hybrid counterparts of the LFS series. As of May 9th, 2024, Grand River Transit operates

Facilities

One major transit terminal is operated and staffed, the Ainslie St. Transit Terminal at Galt City Centre in Cambridge. In downtown Kitchener, customer service functions come from an office at 105 King Street East, near Frederick station. No GRT services remain at the Charles Street Transit Terminal. [29]

All ION stations have customer help points and ticket machines; most are major transfer points, with Waterloo’s Conestoga Mall, Kitchener’s Fairview Park Mall, and the University of Waterloo station also having off-street bus terminals. Unstaffed off-road satellite terminals are also in place at The Boardwalk Station, Stanley Park Mall, Sportsworld, Sunrise Centre, and Cambridge Centre. An additional terminal at the Conestoga College Doon Campus is planned.[30] Other significant transfer points include King Street/University Avenue, Holiday Inn Drive/Hespeler, Conestoga College-Doon Campus, and the Preston Towne Centre.

Grand River Transit has 4 garages:

!Garage!Opened!Address!Description!Notes
Strasburg Road Transit Operations Centre1976250 Strasburg RoadStorage facility for up to 250 busesStores the Kitchener/Central bus fleet
Conestoga Boulevard Transit Operations Centre1967460 Conestoga BoulevardStorage facility for up to 50 busesStores the Cambridge/South bus fleet.
Northfield Drive Maintenance facility2022300 Northfield DriveStorage for 200 buses, 25 dedicated repair stations (22 repair bays, 3 inspection bays) and 2 bus wash stations[31] Stores the Waterloo/North bus fleet
ION LRT Operation Maintenance Storage Facility2017518 Dutton DriveMain yard for ION LRVs.Stores all ION LRVs. Operated by GrandLinq.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Schedules . Grand River Transit . January 9, 2021.
  2. Web site: 2024-03-05 . Grand River Transit – Ridership Update – 2023 Year End . 2024-07-17 . pub-regionofwaterloo.escribemeetings.com . en.
  3. Web site: Ready to ride ION . Grand River Transit . 9 June 2019 . en . 7 June 2019.
  4. University of Waterloo students get onboard with UPASS. Region of Waterloo. 2007-08-30. 2010-09-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20110603042311/http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/$All/00FF911E734CEF7D85257347004B100F?OpenDocument. 2011-06-03. dead.
  5. News: Green transportation initiatives can fast run out of gas. Waterloo Region Record. 2007-11-17. 2010-09-04.
  6. Web site: Rail plan passes . TheRecord . 2011-06-15 . 2012-02-20.
  7. Web site: Cambridge and its influence on Waterloo Region's light rail transit . . 19 January 2017 . Waterloo Region . Waterloo Region . 10 March 2017 . the first electric line running up Water and King Streets from Galt to the Mineral Springs Hotel across the Speed River in Preston ... Next, the train line extended north of Kitchener and a spur line ran into Hespeler. . March 12, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312053020/http://www.explorewaterlooregion.com/2017/01/railway-history/ . dead .
  8. News: Desmond. Paige. LRT construction 90 per cent complete. 25 March 2017. Waterloo Region Record. 23 December 2016.
  9. News: Mark your calendars! LRT officially launches June 21, region says . May 8, 2019 . CBC News . May 8, 2019.
  10. News: LRT Cambridge proposed route announced . February 10, 2017 . CBC News. January 9, 2021.
  11. Web site: There's still wiggle room in the Region of Waterloo's LRT plans for Cambridge . Sharkey . Jackie . February 8, 2017 . CBC . CBC . 10 March 2017.
  12. Web site: Stage 2 ION: Light Rail Transit (LRT) . Sharkey . Jackie . February 2017 . Region of Waterloo . Region of Waterloo . March 24, 2017.
  13. News: Cambridge council opposes proposed LRT route through Preston . Anam . Latif . July 5, 2017 . Waterloo Region Record . registration . January 10, 2021.
  14. News: Cambridge city council opposes proposed LRT route through part of city . July 6, 2017 . Muriel . Draaisma . . January 10, 2021.
  15. Web site: Grand River Transit - Customer Trip Planner . web.grt.ca.
  16. Web site: Rapid Transit Environmental Assessment Phase 2, Step 3b – Preferred Rapid Transit System Option and Staging Plan . April 9, 2015.
  17. Web site: ION Bus Rapid Transit - Frequently Asked Questions . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170325024953/http://www.grt.ca/en/travelwithus/FAQ-ION-Bus-Rapid-Transit.asp . March 25, 2017.
  18. Web site: Grand River Transit Schedules. grt.ca. 27 September 2019. en.
  19. Web site: IXpress - CPTDB Wiki . 2023-09-13 . cptdb.ca.
  20. News: Where's my bus? Big changes in GRT schedule include new iXpress. CBC News. 2017-04-19. en.
  21. Web site: 205 Ottawa iXpress . grt.ca . June 24, 2019 . en . 13 May 2019.
  22. Web site: 2019 service improvements . grt.ca . September 1, 2019 . en .
  23. News: ION and iXpress map, circa 2018, released. CBC News. 2017-04-19. en.
  24. News: No LRT service until December . Johanna . Weidner . Waterloo Region Record . April 13, 2018 . registration. January 9, 2021.
  25. Web site: Region launches ION buses in Cambridge.
  26. Web site: Fares . Grand River Transit . 24 April 2018.
  27. Web site: EasyGO fare card available March 1 . Grand River Transit . Region of Waterloo . 21 February 2019.
  28. Web site: GO Train Riders . GRT.ca . 14 May 2023 . 31 March 2023.
  29. Web site: Charles Street Terminal . Grand River Transit . June 12, 2019 . June 10, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190610141807/https://www.grt.ca/en/about-grt/charles-street-terminal.aspx . dead .
  30. Web site: Big changes coming to Conestoga College . Grand River Transit . Region of Waterloo . 27 August 2018.
  31. News: Desmond . Paige . Jul 2, 2014 . Region to spend $73M for new Grand River Transit garage . Waterloo Region Record . 7 July 2014.