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105-481: The armoury was built in 1933 with private funds and boasts the largest lattice wood arched roof in Canada. It was designed by Toronto architects Marani, Lawson and Morris. Fort York Armoury has been designated a recognized Federal Heritage building since 1991. Toronto Transit Commission service is provided by the 509 Harbourfront and the 511 Bathurst streetcar lines. There are three small regimental museums within

210-619: A 90% shareholding, commenced operating the InterCity East Coast franchise; the franchise was terminated early three years later as it was unable to fulfil the agreed payments. During April 2019, private equity house Variant acquired Stagecoach's US division in exchange for $ 271 million. In April 2019, Stagecoach was disqualified from participating in three rail franchise competitions by the Department for Transport after it submitted non-compliant bids. During September 2021, it

315-569: A Presto reader as they enter a TTC station or vehicle. Either their fare is automatically paid through stored value, verifies if the Presto user has a valid TTC transit pass on it, or validates the TTC's two-hour Presto transfer. Their card or ticket then acts as proof-of-payment (POP) to present to TTC staff such as fare inspectors, who carry hand-held devices to verify Presto fare payments, upon request. As of June 2018 , Presto readers are available at

420-545: A competition enquiry instructed Stagecoach to sell some of its Scottish coach services. Stagecoach was also active in the passenger rail market, having a 49% stake in Virgin Rail Group . During 2007, the group were successful in their bid for the new East Midlands franchise, which had been created by amalgamating the previous Midland Mainline franchise with the eastern part of the former Central Trains franchise. During July 2007, Stagecoach commenced operating

525-591: A deal was agreed between the boards of the two companies: however, it was subject to both shareholder approval and regulatory scrutiny. To satisfy the Competition & Markets Authority , Stagecoach had planned to sell Megabus, its 35% shareholding in Scottish Citylink and the Falcon Coaches part of Stagecoach South West to ComfortDelGro . Having originally recommended shareholders accept

630-722: A decade of service reductions and only minor improvements. In addition to buses, streetcars, and subways, the TTC also operated the Toronto Island ferry service from 1927 to 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department (now Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation ). The TTC also operated a suburban and regional intercity bus operator, Gray Coach Lines, from 1927 to 1990. Gray Coach used interurban coaches to link Toronto to points throughout southern Ontario. In addition, Gray Coach operated tour buses in association with Gray Line Tours . The main terminal

735-528: A dedicated right-of-way lane from Finch West station on Line 1 Yonge–University to the Humber College's North Campus in Etobicoke. The line is forecast to provide approximately 14.6   million rides a year, or 40,000 a day, by 2031. It is scheduled for completion at the end of 2024, with an estimated cost of $ 1.2   billion. The Ontario Line , which is a rapid transit line and successor to

840-620: A large carved coat-of-arms. This is the coat-of-arms of the Dominion of Canada . It appears above the flat keyed arch of the entrance. The cap badges of each original regiment are carved in stone set in the parapet over doorways opening to ornamental iron balconies. In the Canadian Forces, an armoury is a place where a reserve unit trains, meets, and parades. The Armoury is currently home to: Former units: Toronto Transit Commission The Toronto Transit Commission ( TTC )

945-538: A later tram-train service to Rotherham . Future plans included schemes to Dore , Fulwood and Maltby ; following consultations, a reduced scheme with an extension to Broomhill was being considered as of 2017. The concession expired in March 2024, with the operation of Supertram returning to the public sector. Stagecoach ran the South West Trains franchise from February 1996 to August 2017. It retained

1050-528: A number of so-called " no-frills " services across the United Kingdom and the United States. Applying the business model of the low-cost carrier air lines, these services aim to offer cheaper alternatives to the established operators in the bus, coach and rail markets, by reducing costs, and offering extremely low fares for the earliest bookings, rising nearer the journey time: Magic Bus was

1155-651: A scheduled British Rail InterCity sleeper service. Virgin Rail Group operated the CrossCountry franchise as Virgin CrossCountry from January 1997 until November 2007 when it passed to Arriva . Virgin Trains East Coast , in which Stagecoach held a 90% shareholding, operated the InterCity East Coast franchise from March 2015 to June 2018. The group has held a 49% stake in Virgin Rail Group since October 1998. Virgin Rail Group operated

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1260-951: A total of 2,031 buses, the TTC is the third-largest transit bus operator in North America, behind the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City (more than 5,600) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (2,911). The TTC also runs Wheel-Trans , a paratransit service for the physically disabled with special low-floor buses designed to accommodate wheelchairs and to make boarding easier for ambulatory customers with limited mobility. The TTC ordered 153 articulated buses with all newly ordered buses in service by January 2015. At 18 metres (60 ft) long,

1365-412: Is a 7.8-kilometre (4.8 mi) subway extension, which will continue Line 2 east towards McCowan Road and north towards Scarborough City Centre and to a new terminal at the intersection of McCowan Road and Sheppard Avenue . The $ 5.5-billion extension will replace the defunct Line 3 Scarborough and is expected to be complete in 2030 at the earliest. The Eglinton Crosstown West extension will extend

1470-502: Is a low cost, " no-frills " intercity coach service launched in the United Kingdom by Stagecoach in 2003, on 10 April 2006 in the United States, and in 2009 within Canada. Its main rival in the UK is National Express , who have had to lower their prices to compete with Megabus. In the US, Megabus/Eastern Shuttle's main rival is BoltBus , which is 50% owned by Stagecoach rival FirstGroup . In the UK,

1575-595: Is a transport group based in Perth, Scotland . It operates buses and express coaches in the United Kingdom . Stagecoach was originally founded in 1976 as Gloagtrotter , a recreational vehicle and minibus hire business. During the early 1980s, it took advantage of the deregulation of the British express coach market , launching services from Dundee to London using second-hand Neoplan coaches, competing against

1680-450: Is available to customers of Rogers and Freedom Mobile ; however, customers of other carriers (such as Bell and Telus) can make 911 calls. 5G wireless service is available between Bloor–Yonge and Dupont stations on Line 1, and between Castle Frank and Keele stations on Line 2. The stations and tunnels between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station and Sheppard West station on Line 1 have a non-5G service. The TTC offers Wi-Fi to connect to

1785-464: Is circulated by "What's On" and "Rocket Rider / TTC Customer News" pamphlets on some vehicles. Information can be accessed in person at the TTC head office ( Davisville station at 1900 Yonge Street), as well as at a TTC Info Centre, which opened in 2018, at Union station . Twitter users can communicate with TTCHelps for inquiries. Most subway stations are equipped with OneStop media screens that display

1890-436: Is leased to various train operators. Porterbrook was privatised via a management buyout before being purchased by Stagecoach for £825 million during August 1996. The acquisition garnered some public controversy and political criticism for the low value returned to the taxpayer. In April 2000, Stagecoach sold Porterbrook to the British banking group Abbey National in exchange for £1.44 billion. In 1997, Stagecoach

1995-721: Is the primary public transport agency in Toronto , Ontario, Canada, operating the majority of the city's bus and rail services. It is the oldest and largest of the urban transit service providers in the Greater Toronto Area , with numerous connections to systems serving its surrounding municipalities . Established as the Toronto Transportation Commission in 1921, the TTC owns and operates three rapid transit lines with 70 stations , over 150 bus routes , and 9 streetcar lines . In 2023,

2100-537: Is the use of London Victoria Coach Station . On 14 November 2005, the Megabus concept was extended to certain rail services, with the introduction of Megatrain between London and Southampton , and London and Portsmouth , using a dedicated carriage on selected South West Trains services. It was later extended to some Virgin Trains services (since withdrawn) and to selected East Midlands Trains services. In 2009,

2205-684: The Great Depression and World War II , it accumulated reserves that allowed it to expand considerably after the war, both with subways and major steady growth of its bus services into the suburbs. It was not until 1971 that the Metro Toronto government and the province started to provide operational funding, required primarily due to rising costs of delivering transit to low-density suburbs in Metro Toronto and large wage increases. Deficits and government funding soared throughout

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2310-769: The InterCity West Coast franchise as Virgin Trains West Coast from March 1997 until December 2019. In 1999, Stagecoach purchased the school bus operations of Sunbus in the Cairns , Ipswich and Sunshine Coast regions of Queensland . These were sold in 2002 to: In 1994, Stagecoach created a bus-operating subsidiary in Hong Kong which operated residential bus services. It ceased operation in April 1996. During 1999, Stagecoach planned to become

2415-772: The Manchester Metrolink tram network. In January 2009, Stagecoach purchased Preston Bus , a former rival in the Lancashire area. In November 2009, the Competition Commission intervened, ordering Stagecoach to sell Preston Bus after it had adversely affected competition in the area. In October 2010, Stagecoach expanded further by re-acquiring East London and Selkent , Stagecoach's former London bus operations. During August 2011, Stagecoach sold its Manchester Metrolink concession to RATP Group halfway through its ten-year contract to operate

2520-831: The Manchester Piccadilly to East Didsbury Wilmslow Road bus corridor route in Manchester , but also in Newcastle upon Tyne and East Scotland (as Magic Mini). In 2008 Stagecoach Merseyside introduced a Magic Bus service competing with themselves and Arriva North West on the busy route 14 corridor, Magic Bus 14C runs every 7/8 minutes between City Centre and Broadway. By 2012, only the Manchester Magic Bus remained, these being upgraded from Volvo Olympians and Dennis Dragons to Alexander ALX400 and East Lancs bodied Dennis Trident 2s . Megabus

2625-526: The Relief Line , is expected to be completed by 2030. The Ontario government estimates the line's cost at $ 10.9   billion for the 15-kilometre (9.3 mi) stretch from Ontario Place to Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East at Science Centre station (part of the under-construction Line 5). It is the largest single expansion in Toronto subway history. The Line 2 Bloor–Danforth extension

2730-593: The University of Toronto Scarborough campus, though this has since been replaced with plans for a separate Eglinton East LRT . Metrolinx is studying an extension of Line 4 Sheppard , to replace the former Sheppard East LRT project, which would likely connect with the Line 2 Bloor–Danforth extension at McCowan Road and Sheppard Avenue. Toronto's streetcar system is one of the few in North America still operating along street-running tracks. It has been operating since

2835-582: The 1970s and 1980s, followed by service cuts and a period of ridership decline in the 1990s, partly attributable to recession. In 1997, the Progressive Conservative government under Premier Mike Harris implemented the " Common Sense Revolution " which, among other things, cut CA$ 42   million in provincial financing support for the Eglinton West subway line , and cut $ 718   million in municipal transit support, placing

2940-515: The 1990s by purchasing ex NBC and SBG bus companies that had been purchased via management buyouts and employee-owned corporations when privatised. In 1988, Stagecoach withdrew from the long-distance express coach market, selling its operations to National Express. During the privatisation of British Rail , Porterbrook was formed as one of three rolling stock companies owning around a third of passenger railway locomotives, multiple units and coaching stock running on Network Rail 's system which

3045-485: The 512 St. Clair streetcar route, and another on Lake Shore Boulevard (the western portion of 501 Queen), which runs through the Etobicoke district nearly to the city limits with Mississauga at Etobicoke Creek . Up until 1995, the TTC operated a fleet of 765 PCC-type streetcars , 540 of which it purchased new. The rest were purchased as other cities sold their PCC streetcar fleets. From 1987 until September 2019,

3150-494: The Barraqueiro bus company, but another part, serving the area to the west of Lisbon, became Stagecoach Portugal in 1995. A further portion still operates as Vimeca – Viação Mecânica de Carnaxide. During June 2001, Stagecoach announced the sale of their Portuguese operations to ScottURB for £14 million. In October 1996, during Stagecoach's International buying spree, it made its most important international acquisition at

3255-492: The City of Toronto. Therefore, YRT, DRT and MiWay buses can only drop off passengers inbound and pick up passengers outbound while within the boundaries of Toronto. Originally, there were no free or discounted transfers between suburban agencies (which still have separate fare structures) and the TTC. But on February 26, 2024, Ontario's One Fare Program, a GTA-wide fare integration program allowing free or discounted transfers between

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3360-706: The Internet at all stations but not in tunnels; this service is ad-supported. However, the Wi-Fi service will be discontinued at the end of 2024. The Wheel-Trans door-to-door service has been available since the mid-1970s. Since the 1990s, the TTC has focused on providing accessible services on conventional bus routes, the RT and subway. 56 of the 75 stations on Lines 1, 2, and 3 are wheel-chair accessible are equipped with elevators, and all stations on Line 4 are fully accessible. In December 2011, all bus routes became accessible with

3465-736: The Lea Interchange Bus Company Limited license. Later in August, Stagecoach acquired the London operations of the HCT Group after the company had fallen into administration , with Stagecoach acquiring a further 160 buses, 17 TfL route contracts and two bus garages from the acquisition. Stagecoach Group plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange . Founder Brian Souter and his sister Ann Gloag were

3570-605: The Megabus network covers most of the island of Great Britain, although some routes offer only one journey per day. Originally operated using high capacity, but older coach-seated vehicles, most services are now operated with new modern single or double deck coaches. In the United States, services radiate from Chicago and New York City, but the networks are not connected. In both the UK and the US, to cut costs, most services use on-street bus stops, rather than pay for access to coach stations (except in cases where pre-existing routes were converted to Megabus lines). A notable exception to this

3675-598: The Megabusplus concept was introduced, under which certain trips are begun on a train and are then completed on a bus. Unlike the original Megatrain concept, this service is available seven days a week. In September 2005, Stagecoach and ComfortDelGro announced a joint venture in the provision of express coach services in Scotland, ending intense competition between ComfortDelGro's subsidiary Scottish Citylink and Stagecoach subsidiaries Megabus and Motorvator . Under

3780-638: The National Express offer, in March 2022 the board of directors withdrew the recommendation in favour of a takeover offer from a DWS managed investment fund. Following this, Stagecoach instead sold Megabus and Falcon Coaches to Scottish Citylink and increased its shareholding in the joint venture to 37.5% in return. In June 2022, Stagecoach purchased London bus operator Tower Transit 's Lea Interchange garage, with Stagecoach London taking on 150 buses and 11 Transport for London bus route contracts; operations from Lea Interchange are managed under

3885-578: The Nova LFS Artics hold about 112 passengers, compared with 65 on a standard 12-metre (40 ft) bus. The Toronto subway system consists of three lines: From 1985 until 2023 Line 3 Scarborough , a partly elevated light metro line served the district of Scarborough . The three subway lines are served by 678 cars grouped in trains of four cars on Line 4 Sheppard, and six cars on Line 1 Yonge–University and Line 2 Bloor–Danforth. The three subway lines share non-revenue track connections and use

3990-516: The Province of Ontario promised $ 404   million for TTC operations to compensate for reduced ridership and revenue loss during the COVID-19 pandemic , with more funding to come later. The TTC projected a shortfall of $ 700   million in 2020. Buses are a large part of TTC operations today. However, before about 1960, they played a minor role compared to streetcars. Buses began to operate in

4095-475: The TTC and other GTA transit systems (within either a two-hour or three-hour window), was implemented. However, the policy only applies to fare payments made via Presto, credit, or debit card; customers ineligible to receive free or discounted transfers are still required to pay a double fare. Via Rail and Amtrak connect with the TTC at Union Station , while Ontario Northland , Megabus , TOK Coachlines and US-bound Greyhound intercity coaches connect with

4200-535: The TTC at the Union Station , Scarborough Centre , Highway 407 , and Yorkdale bus terminals. The communication system used by surface vehicles is called the Communications and Information System. It was piloted in the 1970s, implemented in 1991, and is now deployed on all TTC surface vehicles. In August 2023, Rogers implemented 5G wireless service at all the TTC's downtown stations and within

4305-544: The TTC for free year-round. As of August 15, 2023, the TTC's fare payment system consists of cash fares, Presto cards and Presto tickets. Customers also have the option to pay the equailvent of the adult single-ride TTC Presto card fare prices by tapping a contactless credit or debit card on TTC Presto fare readers. Although legacy fare media products, such as concession tickets (for youths ages 13 to 19 and seniors 65 or older), tokens, and physical day passes (including weekend family and group day passes) are no longer available for

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4410-576: The TTC operated two-car Articulated Light Rail Vehicle (ALRV) streetcars, a longer version of the Canadian Light Rail Vehicle (CLRV) streetcars. Following the retirement of the TTC's CLRV streetcars on December 29, 2019, the entire TTC streetcar fleet consists of the low-floor Flexity Outlook vehicles from Bombardier Transportation , the first of which entered service on the 510 Spadina route on August 31, 2014. Since March 1, 2015, children 12 and under have been able to ride

4515-619: The TTC transit network, along with several other transit service providers throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) including the Metrolinx-owned GO Transit , Union Pearson Express services and on OC Transpo in Ottawa . The TTC also provides limited-use paper Presto tickets, mainly for occasional riders, which come in 1-ride, 2-ride and day pass varieties. Users tap their Presto card or ticket on

4620-866: The TTC via some of Toronto's subway stations, GO Transit's commuter rail stations, and other hubs like Toronto Pearson International Airport . In addition to Union Station, there are 6 other stations where the TTC subway network and GO Transit commuter rail lines intersect. Some bus routes of the surrounding local transit agencies run on Toronto streets along with TTC buses, mainly to reach TTC subway stations. Examples of this include YRT buses travelling on Yonge Street en route to Finch Bus Terminal , MiWay buses travelling on various streets in Etobicoke en route to Kipling Bus Terminal and DRT buses travelling on various streets in Scarborough en route to Scarborough Centre station . However, by law, other local transit agencies are prohibited from carrying passengers wholly within

4725-533: The TTC. As a result, since 2011, the TTC became the largest transit operator in Anglo-America not to receive provincial or state funding. The TTC has received federal funding for capital projects from as early as 2009. The TTC is also considered one of the costliest transit systems per fare price in North America. For the 2011 operating year, the TTC had a projected operating budget of $ 1.45   billion. Revenue from fares covered approximately 70 percent of

4830-482: The Traffic Commissioner, brought new opportunities for the company and services were launched from Dundee to London using second-hand Neoplan coaches. For a while, the company offered a very personal service with Brian Souter doing the driving and Ann Gloag preparing sandwiches and other snacks for the passengers. Between 1981 and 1985, the company grew significantly, successfully competing against

4935-588: The UK capital. During 2007, Stagecoach was awarded the East Midlands franchise . In July 2007, it commenced operating the Manchester Metrolink tram network. During January 2009, Stagecoach purchased Preston Bus , a former rival in the Lancashire area, but was promptly compelled to sell it by the Competition Commission . In October 2010, it expanded further by re-acquiring East London and Selkent , Stagecoach's former London bus operations. During March 2015, Virgin Trains East Coast , in which Stagecoach held

5040-419: The UK via the acquisition of the recently-privatised leasing company Porterbrook ; it sold the company on four years later. In 1997, Stagecoach was awarded the franchise to operate the recently privatised Sheffield Supertram system. In 1998, it purchased Prestwick Airport . Following the sale of its London bus operations to Macquarie Bank in 2006, Stagecoach UK Bus concentrated on the bus market outside

5145-575: The adult cash fare and single-ride Presto tickets has been $ 3.35 for a single trip. Since April 3, 2023, the cost of adult single fares using a Presto card has been $ 3.30. The Fair Pass program allows those eligible for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or Ontario Works to receive a discount when using a Presto card. The Presto card is an electronic unified contactless smart card –based fare payment system, owned and managed by Metrolinx , for use across

5250-430: The armoury. Overlooking Lake Ontario there are a series of regimental officers' messes. These are excellent examples of the traditional British form. The exceptional architectural feature of Fort York Armoury is a Lamella roof . It provides an uninterrupted span of nearly 125 feet, roofing for parades, military vehicles and the training of soldiers. The main entrance to the armoury has pilasters of rusticated masonry with

5355-628: The budget, whereas the remaining 30 percent originated from the City. From 2009 through 2011, provincial and federal funding amounted to 0 percent of the budget. In contrast to this, the Société de transport de Montréal receives approximately 10 percent of its operating budget from the Quebec provincial government, and OC Transpo receives 9 percent of its funding from the province. The fairness of preferentially funding transit in specific Canadian cities has been questioned by citizens. On August 12, 2020,

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5460-455: The bulk of the service. In 1954, the TTC adopted its present name, opened the first subway line, and greatly expanded its service area to cover the newly formed municipality of Metropolitan Toronto (which eventually amalgamated into the present City of Toronto ). The system has evolved to feature a wide network of surface routes with the subway lines as the backbone. On February 17, 2008, the TTC made many service improvements, reversing more than

5565-431: The business was sold to Infratil and rebranded as NZ Bus . Stagecoach carried out bus operations in the northeastern and midwestern United States and in eastern Canada. Businesses were focused on commuter services, and included tour and charter, sightseeing, local, and school bus operations: In December 2018, Stagecoach announced it had agreed to sell all of its North American operations to Variant Equity Advisors with

5670-506: The central part of the line from west of Keele Street to Laird Drive, with most of the remainder of the route travelling at grade, though Science Centre station will be underground. The full first phase of the route will span 19 kilometres (12 mi) across the city, from Mount Dennis in York to Kennedy station in Scarborough. Line 6 Finch West is an 11-kilometre (6.8 mi), 18-stop light rail line under construction, extending west in

5775-401: The city in 1921, and became necessary for areas without streetcar service. After an earlier experiment in the 1920s, trolley buses were used on a number of routes starting in 1947, but all trolley bus routes were converted to bus operation between 1991 and 1993. The TTC always used the term "trolley coach" to refer to its trackless electric vehicles. Hundreds of old buses have been replaced with

5880-469: The company announced that it would legally challenge the disqualification. The group rebranded again in February 2020, with a new set of liveries introduced for the group's British bus operations. Three colour schemes were to be used to reduce customer confusion: During September 2021, it was reported that rival company National Express entered into talks to acquire Stagecoach Group. In December 2021,

5985-472: The deal concluded in April 2019. Stagecoach Portugal had its origins in the re-privatisation of Portuguese bus and coach operation, which had been nationalised after the 1974 Revolution . In 1990, the nationalised Rodoviária Nacional was split into ten components. In the capital, Lisbon , Rodoviária de Lisboa was the chief operator outside the city itself, where Carris provided city bus and tram services. The name of Rodoviária de Lisboa survived as part of

6090-406: The earliest. All subway lines provide service seven days a week from approximately 5:45 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. the following day (last train runs at approximately 1:45 a.m. in each direction) except for Sundays, when start of service is delayed until approximately 8:00 a.m. During the overnight periods, the subway and its stations are closed to enable maintenance at track level and in

6195-436: The entire burden of financing the system on municipalities and leaving the TTC with a $ 95.8   million/year funding shortfall. The TTC cut back service with a significant curtailment put into effect on February 18, 1996. Since then, the TTC has consistently been in financial difficulties. Service cuts were averted in 2007, though, when Toronto City Council voted to introduce new taxes to help pay for city services, including

6300-420: The entrances of all subway stations and on all buses and streetcars. Unlike the Presto card, Presto tickets can only be used on TTC services (subway and surface vehicles within the City of Toronto). They are not reloadable and cannot be used on any other transit service providers that use Presto. On December 15, 2008, the TTC launched a new Next Vehicle Arrival System (NVAS) to indicate the time of arrival of

6405-541: The firm and expanded the business into bus hire. In 1982, following the collapse of his marriage to Ann, Robin Gloag sold his ownership stake in the business and ceased any involvement. Around this time, the company would benefit greatly from the deregulation of the British express coach market in the early 1980s ; specifically, the Transport Act 1980 , which freed express services of 35 miles and over from regulation by

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6510-521: The first no-frills brand of Stagecoach. It was first used in red lettering on ex London Regional Transport AEC Routemasters , otherwise painted in Stagecoach stripes, in competition in Glasgow. Later, an allover blue with yellow lettering was adopted, on older service buses with simple fares and no travel passes, usually operated on routes with strong competition from other operators, most notably on

6615-463: The following brands that extend across operating divisions. The Stagecoach Group number their buses using a system that applies for the life of the bus or until it is sold, as follows: Stagecoach commenced operating the new East Midlands Trains franchise in November 2007 that took over all of Midland Mainline 's and some of Central Trains services. During August 2019, it ceased operating when

6720-437: The franchise for three years from February 2004 and for a further 10 years from February 2007. The franchise passed to First MTR South Western Railway on 20 August 2017 In 1992, shortly before the privatisation of British Rail , Stagecoach Rail briefly operated a modest InterCity operation between Aberdeen and London. Two British Railways Mark 2 passenger carriages were re-branded in Stagecoach colours and attached to

6825-505: The franchise was taken over by Abellio East Midlands Railway . In July 2007, Stagecoach took over the operation of Manchester Metrolink on a 10-year fixed-term management contract, beating competition from Keolis , Serco and Transdev , to make it the biggest tram operator in the UK. This system was the first modern tram system in the United Kingdom, opening just before the Sheffield system in 1992. Nearly 18 million people ride on

6930-462: The general public to purchase from the TTC, they are still accepted as valid fare payments until December 31, 2024, after this date, they will no longer be accepted as valid fare on the TTC. As of January 1, 2019, TTC monthly passes and the 12-month pass are only available on Presto, following the phase-out of the TTC's own monthly Metropass and the Metropass discount plan (MDP). Since April 3, 2023,

7035-561: The group's Perth headquarters. The group was also rebranded in December 2000, with a new 'beachball' logo designed by Edinburgh design house McKinstrie Wilde Millhouse and a new fleet livery designed by Ray Stenning's Best Impressions design company for the group's buses. The new livery for regional operations consisted of 'swoops' on a grey base that retained the previous livery's red, orange, blue and white colours, while Stagecoach London buses maintained base red with blue and orange 'swoops' to

7140-505: The increasing difficulty of performing critical maintenance work on the S-series trains, the existing Line 3 Scarborough service was initially scheduled to be decommissioned permanently in November 2023; instead, the line closed four months ahead of schedule after a derailment on July 24, 2023. The line has been replaced by TTC bus service until the Line 2 Scarborough subway extension to Sheppard and McCowan opens for revenue service in 2030 at

7245-463: The largest bus company in China through joint ventures, equity stakes and partnerships, and confirmed the £181 million acquisition of Hong Kong's Citybus . Stagecoach acquired control of Citybus Group , which provided franchised bus services on Hong Kong Island and to and from Hong Kong International Airport as well as non-franchised services throughout Hong Kong, in March 1999 and then completed

7350-413: The largest shareholders with a combined 26% shareholding at April 2019. The following is a breakdown of the Stagecoach operating divisions. The centre of each operating region is shown in parentheses. Legal company names are listed alongside the trading names for that company. Bus division operations are as follows: Apart from the ordinary bus operations and no-frills services, the UK bus division has

7455-480: The low-floor Orion VII, and the TTC has acquired many hybrid electric buses . The TTC's hybrid buses were first put on the road in 2006; these were followed by the newer 500 Orion VII Next Generation Hybrids in 2008. A new order brought the total number of hybrids to over 500, second only to New York City . Older TTC Orion VIIs from 2001 to 2006 feature the standard "breadbox" style, whereas newer buses, from 2007 onwards, feature Orion's new, more stylish body. With

7560-463: The mid-19th century. Horsecar service started in 1861, and 600 V DC overhead electric service began in 1892. New TTC routes since the 1940s have generally been operated by other modes of transportation, and the less busy streetcar routes have also been converted. Streetcar routes are now focused on the downtown area, although two run farther from the core: one being on St. Clair Avenue , 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from Lake Ontario on average, served by

7665-648: The modern double decker buses back on Kenyan roads. During October 1998 a consortium of investors led by Karanja Kabage as chairman acquired Kenya Bus Services from Stagecoach Holdings which owned 95% of the business. Stagecoach New Zealand was a wholly owned part of the Stagecoach Group, which provided bus services in Auckland , Wellington and the Hutt Valley and nine ferry routes in Auckland. It

7770-401: The names of some express buses, and the new " Toronto Rocket " subway cars, which began revenue operation on July 21, 2011. Another common slogan is "The Better Way". The TTC recovered 69.6 percent of its operating costs from the fare box in 2017. From its creation in 1921 until 1971, the TTC was self-supporting both for capital and operations (it had to pay property taxes until 1967). Through

7875-434: The network. In December 2013, Stagecoach bought King's Lynn based Norfolk Green . During March 2015, Virgin Trains East Coast , in which Stagecoach held a 90% shareholding, commenced operating the InterCity East Coast franchise. The East Coast franchise was terminated on 23 June 2018 after it was revealed that Stagecoach had overbid and were thus unable to make the agreed franchise payments. During December 2018, it

7980-615: The next vehicle along a given route. All TTC streetcars have been upgraded with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and now operate with NVIS. Real-time route information can be accessed from the Next Vehicle Arrival System (NVAS) from the City of Toronto Open Data initiative via SMS by texting the stop number displayed on the bus/streetcar stop pole, or with an app that uses NVAS data. Route information can also be accessed by phone. Individual route schedules are available online. Additional TTC information

8085-497: The on-board Automatic Next Stop Announcement System since February 2008. It operates over speakers indicating the next stop. A digital orange LED destination sign on streetcars and buses as well as the Toronto Rocket subway trains display the name of the upcoming streets/stations as the vehicle progresses on its route. All TTC revenue service vehicles are equipped with external speakers that play automated announcements of

8190-496: The operation between Greyhound Canada and the government of Ontario three years later. The Gloucester subway cars , the first version of TTC subway cars, known as "red rockets" because of their bright red exterior, have been retired. The current T-series trains also have a red interior color scheme. The name lives on as the TTC uses the phrase to advertise the service, such as "Ride the Rocket" in advertising material, "Rocket" in

8295-546: The privatisation of Citybus on 17 July 1999. In June 2003, the operation was sold to Chow Tai Fook Enterprises , the parent company of the major rival operator New World First Bus . In November 1991, Stagecoach Holdings (as it was named then), bought United Transport's shareholding in Kenya Bus Services. During its tenure, Stagecoach rapidly expanded the fleet, introducing the Express Services and

8400-413: The purchase of Scotland's Prestwick Airport in exchange for £41 million. By the summer of 1999, the company was rumoured to have been offered some £80 million for Prestwick. In January 2001, Stagechoach opted to sell the airport for £33 million to concentrate on surface transport. In late 2000, Stagecoach UK's bus operations were rationalised into twelve subsidiary companies managed from

8505-754: The rear of the bus. A blue-based standard interior for new buses was also introduced, with the first UK buses featuring the group's new identity entering service in January 2001. On 21 November 2005, Stagecoach announced the sale of its New Zealand operations to Infratil . On 14 December 2005, Stagecoach purchased Barnsley based Traction Group ( Yorkshire Traction ) for £26 million, and also assume Traction's £11 million debt. Traction operated 840 buses in South and West Yorkshire (Yorkshire Traction, Barnsley & District, Yorkshire Terrier ), Lincolnshire ( RoadCar ) and Angus ( Strathtay Scottish ). Traction

8610-512: The retirement of the commission's last inaccessible buses. On August 31, 2014, the commission launched its new fleet of low-floor Bombardier's Flexity Outlook streetcars. With the decommissioning of the last of the commission's non-accessible high-floor CLRV vehicles on December 29, 2019, all TTC streetcar routes are now served by low-floor Flexity vehicles. As per Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) guidelines, all surface vehicles and subway trains have been equipped with

8715-520: The route and destination of vehicle travel. Most TTC surface routes terminate at loops, side streets, or subway stations. The TTC is one of the few mass transit systems in Canada where many surface routes can be accessed inside a paid-fare zone common to other routes or subway lines. This feature allows boarding via the back doors at terminals, reduces the usage of paper transfers, and the need of operators to check for proof-of-payment. However, if people are caught entering fare-paid terminals illegally from

8820-504: The same technology. The rolling stock in use consists of the Toronto Rocket trains on Lines 1 and 4 and the T-series trains on Line 2. Line 3 Scarborough had a fleet of 28 S-series cars grouped into trains of four cars each and was not compatible with other subway lines, given that the S-series cars used 1,435 mm ( 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ) standard gauge . It shared no track connections or equipment. Due to

8925-417: The stations themselves. Overnight service is provided by buses and streetcars operating above ground. These overnight routes are issued numbers in the 300-series and are referred to as Blue Night routes, indicated by a typical TTC bus stop sign with a blue band added. Line 5 Eglinton , which uses light rail vehicles, is under construction and scheduled to open for service in 2025. It will run underground in

9030-641: The street, they could be fined $ 500 for fare evasion. With the exception of Greenwood , High Park , Jane , Old Mill , and Runnymede , all subway stations' off-street terminals are within the fare-paid area. The shelters in the system are installed and maintained under contracts with Astral Media (later became a part of by Bell Media ) (with CBS Outdoor since 2006 and previously Viacom Media) and Toronto Transportation Services . Approximately 4,100 shelters are managed by Toronto Transportation. Some shelters are solar powered and include next vehicle arrival displays. Stagecoach Group Stagecoach Group

9135-662: The system a year. Stagecoach sold the Metrolink business to RATP Group in August 2011. Stagecoach operated the Sheffield Supertram under a concession from the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive between 1997 and 2024. Its average daily ridership is 33,700, equalling more than 12 million per year, well above expectations. At the time of the concession's expiry, there were three light rail transit lines and

9240-466: The system had a ridership of 736,712,000, or about 2,449,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. The TTC is the most heavily used urban mass transit system in Canada . Public transit in Toronto started in 1849 with a privately operated transit service. In later years, the city operated some routes, but in 1921 assumed control over all routes and formed the Toronto Transportation Commission to operate them. During this period, streetcars provided

9345-567: The system. The franchise, which expired in March 2024, was operated under the Stagecoach Supertram brand, the company having responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the tram system. When Stagecoach took over the system, it was struggling, both financially and in terms of attracting passengers; patronage subsequently rose from 7.8 million recorded passenger journeys in 1996/97, to 15.0 million during 2011/12. In 1998, Stagecoach diversified into another transport sector via

9450-564: The terms of the joint venture, the Stagecoach Group acquires a 35% stake in Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd, with Citylink assuming certain rights to the Megabus and Motorvator brands in Scotland. The Competition Commission ruled in October 2006 that the joint venture substantially reduced competition and that evidence suggested some routes were already experiencing higher fares as a result. Though no firm conclusion

9555-534: The then state-owned National Express Coaches and Scottish Citylink . Stagecoach entered local bus operation with the acquisition of McLennan of Spittalfield, near Perth. Its early success allowed Stagecoach to take advantage of the privatisation of the national bus groups. Several firms were purchased from London Regional Transport , the National Bus Company , Scottish Bus Group and various city councils. The company consolidated its operations during

9660-446: The then state-owned National Express Coaches and Scottish Citylink . Stagecoach purchased several recently-privatised national bus groups from London Regional Transport , the National Bus Company , Scottish Bus Group and various city councils, as well as pursuing those that had opted for management buyouts and employee-owned corporations . During August 1996, Stagecoach acquired roughly one-third of all passenger rolling stock in

9765-424: The time until the next train, and other information. The next vehicle feature is available on LCD screens in all stations. Since mid-2011, all buses and streetcars have had the tracking feature enabled, accessible free online and by SMS for commuters. On February 3, 2010, the TTC launched an online trip planner, which allows commuters to plan their routes and transfers on the TTC's website. However, since its launch,

9870-948: The time, buying Swebus AB , the bus-company arm of the Swedish State Railways (SJ), for 1.2 billion kronor ($ 164 million), which also included operations in Denmark, Finland and Norway. The operations in Norway included only city and regional traffic in three minor cities around lake Mjøsa , but several unsuccessful bids on operators in the Oslo area led to Stagecoach selling out to Norgesbuss during April 1997. The Danish operations never proved profitable, and were sold to Combus in autumn of 1997. The operations in Finland were more successful, and were in April 1998 renamed Stagecoach Finland. In spring of 1997, Swebus Express

9975-676: The trip planner has remained in beta mode with many bugs remaining to be fixed. In October 2010, the TTC integrated its trip planner with Google Maps . Transit information in Toronto has been available in Apple Maps since the release of iOS 9 in September 2015, when Apple Inc. first launched support for public transit data. The TTC connects with other transit systems of the Greater Toronto Area . GO Transit , Union Pearson Express , MiWay , York Region Transit (YRT), Brampton Transit , and Durham Region Transit (DRT) are connected to

10080-460: The tunnels between them. In September 2023, the federal government imposed new licence conditions requiring that cellphone and data services be available on the entire subway network by the end of 2026 and that all mobile wireless carriers, including Telus and Bell, have access to it. As of September 2023 , all downtown subway stations and some west-end stations, as well as the tunnels connecting them, have Rogers 5G wireless service. The service

10185-406: The under-construction Line 5 Eglinton west to Renforth station and Pearson International Airport by 2030 or 2031 and will be mostly underground. The line will travel through all six of Toronto's districts that were amalgamated in 1998 and bring the subway to Mississauga . There is currently one priority TTC expansion plan: Previous plans called for a second, eastward extension of Line 5 to

10290-436: Was announced that private equity house Variant would acquire Stagecoach Group's US division in exchange for $ 271 million; the sale was completed in April 2019. In April 2019, Stagecoach was disqualified from participating in three rail franchise competitions by the Department for Transport after it submitted non-compliant bids for the East Midlands , South Eastern and West Coast Partnership franchises. One month later,

10395-419: Was awarded the franchise to operate the recently privatised Sheffield Supertram system, from the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive , who owned the system. Stagecoach bought the remaining 27 years of a 30-year franchise in exchange for £1.15 million, which was substantially below the anticipated £80 million that the councils had hoped to raise to help pay off the accumulated debts to build

10500-459: Was drawn, regulators are to consult the two companies about what they need to do to comply with competition regulations and they have indicated that this will likely lead to the forced divestment of some services to an independent operator. The ruling was criticised by Stagecoach as leaving vital services in limbo and jeopardising Scotland's intercity coach network, making it unable to compete effectively with rail and private car journeys. To satisfy

10605-475: Was reported that rival company National Express entered into talks to acquire Stagecoach. In May 2022, a rival takeover offer from a DWS managed investment fund bought Stagecoach. The origins of Stagecoach Group can be traced back to 1976, at which point Ann Gloag and her husband Robin Gloag established a small recreational vehicle and minibus hire business called Gloagtrotter based in Perth, Scotland . Ann's brother, Brian Souter , an accountant, joined

10710-471: Was started as an intercity coach service between several cities in southern parts of Sweden, sporting the Stagecoach livery of the time. Stagecoach in 1998 announced that it had bid for several rail franchises in Sweden. On 27 October 1999, Stagecoach revealed that it was going to sell Swebus to Concordia Bus for £100 million, to refocus its bus operation on the United States and Asia. Stagecoach operate

10815-562: Was the Metropolitan Toronto Bus Terminal on Elizabeth Street north of Dundas Street, downtown. In 1954, Gray Coach expanded further when it acquired suburban routes from independent bus operators not merged with the TTC as it expanded to cover Metro Toronto. By the 1980s, Gray Coach faced fierce competition in the interurban service in the GTA. The TTC sold Gray Coach Lines in 1990 to Stagecoach Holdings , which split

10920-722: Was the largest bus company in New Zealand when sold. Stagecoach NZ started operations when the firm acquired Wellington City Transport, including the Hutt Valley suburban bus operations of the New Zealand Railways Road Services , branded CityLine , in the 1990s. Following this initial acquisition Stagecoach also purchased Eastbourne Buses, The Yellow Bus Company in Auckland and a controlling interest in Fullers Auckland. In November 2005,

11025-463: Was the largest remaining privately owned independent bus operator in the UK. Following the sale of its London bus operations to Macquarie Bank in 2006, Stagecoach UK Bus concentrated on the bus market outside the UK capital, focusing on organic growth and exploring acquisition options. In September 2005, following competition with its Megabus coach operation, Stagecoach launched a joint venture with Scottish Citylink coaches. During October 2006,

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