Greater Sudbury Transit

Greater Sudbury Transit
Founded 2000
Headquarters 200 Brady Street
Locale City of Greater Sudbury
Service area Azilda, Blezard Valley, Capreol, Chelmsford, Coniston, Copper Cliff, Downtown Sudbury, Elmview, Falconbridge, Garson, Hanmer, Laurentian University, Lively, Minnow Lake, New Sudbury, Val Caron, Val Thérèse.
Service type Bus service, Paratransit
Stations Transit Centre, 9 Elm Street
Operator Growth & Development Dept.[1]
Website Greater Sudbury Transit

Greater Sudbury Transit is a public transport authority that is responsible for severing bus routes in the City of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada and area. The network is the largest in Northern Ontario, comprising 41 routes operating between the hours of 5:00am to 10:00pm for regular service and from 10:00pm to 2:00am for night service. Due to the increase in ridership the service has been approved for articulating buses primarily used for the largest routes and during rush-hour times. The annual ridership for the year of 2014 was recorded at 5 million passengers at an estimate of 16,000 daily.[2]

Overview

Greater Sudbury Transit features over 90 buses on 41 routes servicing the city centre and outlying neighbourhoods such as Capreol, Chelmsford, Lively and Falconbridge. Greater Sudbury Transit also provides door-to-door services for persons with physical disabilities known as Handi-Transit.

The bus fleet consists of 40' low floor buses from Orion with the Orion VI, NovaBus LFS and New Flyer D40LF buses that are in active service. 60' articulating buses will soon arrive in the Greater Sudbury Transit fleet soon after the new larger bus garage is constructed. The articulated buses would be primarily used during rush hour periods only and help ease congestion on the city's busiest routes. Routes 301, 401, 500 & 703 are the routes that would see the use of these buses. they may even be used for Shuttle service between the Transit Terminal and Science North for the Canada Day and New Year's Eve celebrations.

As of August 2010, the Greater Sudbury Transit bus fleet is compromised entirely of low floor "wheelchair accessible" buses - making Greater Sudbury Transit the first Transit Authority in all of Ontario to have an "Easier Access" bus fleet.

In 2006 Greater Sudbury Transit introduced five 40' coach-style buses from Nova Bus into its fleet. These buses service the city's longest routes, such as routes 701-Lively, 702-Azilda/Chelmsford, and 703-Val Caron/Hanmer/Capreol, providing increased comfort for those riders travelling long distances. These buses, which are described as having a "suburban-style interior", luggage racks, LED reading lights above each seat, and comfortable bucket seats with added cushioning.

Most routes meet at the Transit Centre in downtown Sudbury (the 103-Coniston and 303-Garson/Falconbridge depart from the New Sudbury Centre Monday to Saturday), and service is provided from 6:15 am to 12:30 am 7 days a week 363 days a year. Bus service is limited to 6:15 pm on Christmas Eve. There is no bus service on Christmas Day. Private charters can also be arranged.

Greater Sudbury Transit also operates a Trans-Cab service for any outlying area which does not receive bus service (including Long Lake, Richard Lake, Radar Base, Skead, Wahnapitae, Whitefish & Dowling which provides a taxi from the individual's home to a transit bus stop.

As of December 1, 2009, Greater Sudbury Transit buses feature a fully operational Audio/Visual Stop Announcement System for passengers who are Hearing and or Visually impaired. The Stop Announcement System also helps nondisabled passengers who are not familiar with a bus route of the transit system if they are not sure where it is they need to get off at to reach their destination.

As of April 12, 2012, Great Sudbury Transit has guaranteed seven bus routes (101, 182, 301, 501, 701, 702, 703) that will always be equipped with bike racks. Cyclists wishing to bring their bikes on other routes are permitted to bring their bike on-board according to the driver's discretion (e.g. not during rush-hour etc.). City staff have indicated that following the construction to the new transit garage there will theoretically be sufficient space within to equip the whole fleet with bike racks. There is not enough space within the current garage to accommodate the additional 0.8 m required per bus with a bike rack.

History

Transit services in Sudbury began with the Sudbury & Copper Cliff Suburban Electric Railway (11 November 1915 - Fall 1951). The SCCSER acquired a secondary system, City Bus Lines (1947–1950), in 1950. In the fall of 1951, the company reorganized as Sudbury Bus Lines Limited (1951–1966). This later became an umbrella corporation, Laurentian Transit (Sudbury) Limited (1966–1972), for the joint operation of transit in Sudbury by Nickel Belt Coach Lines, Local Lines Limited, and DeLongchamp Cartage Company. Until 1972 the system was privately operated, but in that year it was taken over by the City of Sudbury Community Services Department under the name of Sudbury Transit (1972–2000). Sudbury Transit served an area population of 92,000 with a vehicle fleet of 33 buses and employed 103 workers (1991).

The transit system in and around Sudbury today was formed in 2000 during the amalgamation of the cities and towns of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury by combining the existing Sudbury bus service with the surrounding commuter bus lines of Rayside-Balfour, Valley East, and Walden. Thus, Greater Sudbury Transit has an enormous service area for its fleet.

Past names

Fares

Buy a 5 or 10 ride card and each time you board the bus, place your card into the slot on top of the farebox. The farebox will deduct your balance of rides and print the information on the back of the card. Remember, if you require a transfer, please request one when using your card.

5 Rides

Adults: $12.25

Student: $12.25

Children (Age 5 or older - under 60" (1.52 metres): $9.25

Seniors 65+ (with photo I.D. Card): $9.25

Special (with photo I.D. card): $9.25

Children age 4 and under ride free of charge.

10 Rides

Adults: $24.50

Student: $24.50

Children (Age 5 or older - under 60" (1.52 metres): $18.50

Seniors 65+ (with photo I.D. Card): $18.50

Special (with photo I.D. card): $18.50

Children age 4 and under ride free of charge.

31 Day Passes

Adult: $84.00

Student: $78.00

Children (Age 5 or older - under 60" (1.52 metres): $50.00

Seniors 65+: $50.00

Special : $50.00

31 Day Passes are good for unlimited rides on Greater Sudbury Transit. The 31 day pass may be activated on any day of the month. It expires 31 consecutive days after activation.

Photo Identification Cards:

A $6.00 photo identification card is required prior to purchasing a 31-day bus pass. Photo I.D. pictures are taken at the Transit Centre Kiosk. The photo i.d. is part of your 31 day bus pass and MUST always be shown to the driver when boarding the bus. Bus passes are the property of Greater Sudbury Transit. Passes that are found to be misused will be cancelled.

Current routes

Regular Routes (Monday-Saturday service)

Night Routes (10PM-2AM) and Sunday / Holiday Routes

New Years Eve service

On December 31, service is extended until 4:30 am with buses departing the downtown transit centre every hour, on the half-hour. Service is free after 10:00 pm on this date.

References

  1. ↑ Growth & Development Department, Business Plans 2007-2008
  2. ↑ City of Greater Sudbury, ridership note

External links

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