Milton Transit is the public transit system in the town of Milton , Ontario , Canada . Milton is in Halton Regional Municipality , part of the Greater Toronto Area .
116-473: Milton Transit was inaugurated in 1972, and greatly expanded from 3 fixed routes to 5 fixed routes in September 2005. It replaced the former dial-a-bus and GO Transit local connector, which used school buses. The fixed route service was operated in partnership with Oakville Transit , which, however, never provided services connecting the municipalities. Oakville Transit also originally stored and maintained
232-454: A guideway . This is an uncommon mode of transportation (excluding elevators ) due to the complexity of automation. A fully implemented system might provide most of the convenience of individual automobiles with the efficiency of public transit. The crucial innovation is that the automated vehicles carry just a few passengers, turn off the guideway to pick up passengers (permitting other PRT vehicles to continue at full speed), and drop them off to
348-405: A 24-hour Transit Safety Communications centre operated by Communications Operators. They are mainly responsible for taking calls from the public with regards to actionable complaints, dispatching special constables or relevant emergency services to all areas serviced by Metrolinx. On December 12, 1975, a westbound GO train collided with a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus that was stalled on
464-543: A body of water. A foot-passenger ferry with many stops is sometimes called a water bus . Ferries form a part of the public transport systems of many waterside cities and islands, allowing direct transit between points at a capital cost much lower than bridges or tunnels, though at a lower speed. Ship connections of much larger distances (such as over long distances in water bodies like the Mediterranean Sea ) may also be called ferry services. A report published by
580-482: A connection with Miway and Brampton Transit – the system's first connections to other municipal transit agencies since the connection with Oakville Transit ended. Since the inauguration of the service, there have been major adjustments in order to connect with the growing population of the town, and to the Milton line commuter train and bus routes operated by GO Transit . Milton Transit connects with
696-474: A crossing at St. Clair and Midland Avenue. Nine passengers on the bus were killed and 20 others were injured. This was the worst accident in terms of loss of life in the history of the TTC and GO Transit systems. The level crossing was replaced by an overpass a few years later. Public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation , public transit , mass transit , or simply transit )
812-420: A decline in public transport usage. A number of sources attribute this trend to the rise in popularity of remote work, ride-sharing services, and car loans being relatively cheap across many countries. Major cities such as Toronto, Paris, Chicago, and London have seen this decline and have attempted to intervene by cutting fares and encouraging new modes of transportation, such as e-scooters and e-bikes. Because of
928-661: A detailed fleet summary, see Milton Transit on the CPTDB Wiki . GO Transit [REDACTED] GO Transit is a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario , Canada. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto , GO Transit's green-and-white trains and buses serve a population of more than seven million across an area over 11,000 square kilometres (4,200 sq mi) stretching from Kitchener in
1044-571: A division named ONxpress Operations Inc. which consists of Deutsche Bahn International Operations and Aecon Concessions. GO Transit primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area–the cities of Toronto and Hamilton and the surrounding regions of Halton , Peel , York and Durham . GO Transit's lines extend into the nearby Niagara and Waterloo Regions, the cities of Brantford and Peterborough , and Simcoe , Dufferin and Wellington counties —an area largely coextensive with
1160-552: A few stops per city. These services may also be international. High-speed rail is passenger trains operating significantly faster than conventional rail—typically defined as at least 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph). The most predominant systems have been built in Europe and East Asia, and compared with air travel, offer long-distance rail journeys as quick as air services, have lower prices to compete more effectively and use electricity instead of combustion. Urban rail transit
1276-595: A fine under the Provincial Offences Act . GO Transit employs Transit Safety Officers, who are designated special constables that patrol Metrolinx properties, and are responsible for ensuring passenger safety and protection, enforcing relevant laws or by-laws, offering customer assistance and supporting local police, fire and ambulance, and promoting railway safety. Under the Police Services Act , Transit Safety Officers are appointed by
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#17327911367671392-416: A full-fledged network in its own right after 1989, feeding rail service and serving communities beyond the reach of existing trains. Near the end of 1982, Ontario Minister of Transportation and Communications James W. Snow announced the launch of GO-ALRT (Advanced Light Rail Transit), an interregional light rail transit program providing $ 2.6 billion (1980 dollars) of infrastructure. Although this plan
1508-564: A further three years, effective March 1, 2008. In early 2010, the Town of Milton announced that it would be ending its agreements with Oakville Transit and Mississauga Truck and Bus, and that Pacific Western Transportation would be taking over all aspects of service beginning March 8, 2010. On September 26, 2022, Milton Transit began service to Lisgar GO station in Mississauga along Steeles Avenue via Toronto Premium Outlets , giving it
1624-405: A gap now exists with a bolder white T to enhance them. The primary corporate colour was known as "GO Green", matched the green on Ontario Highway signs, and was used on all vehicles, signage, and printed material. In 2013, GO introduced a two-tone colour scheme that changed the primary colour to a darker green, and added a second lighter apple green. The changes were made to better harmonize with
1740-482: A newly established facility in Vaughan , creating up to 30 new full-time jobs. GO Transit stations are designed to provide seamless and barrier-free connections between its trains and buses. They include amenities such as elevators, washrooms, parking, pay phones, ticket vending machines, ticket sale kiosks and automated teller machines . All GO stations have Presto card readers. Most bus terminals are also served with
1856-628: A part of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation . Since then, it has grown from a single train line to seven lines. GO Transit has been constituted in a variety of public-sector configurations. Today, it is an operating division of Metrolinx , a provincial Crown agency with overall responsibility for integrative transportation planning within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and is projected to grow dramatically with electrification, increased frequency and new stations through
1972-556: A passenger taps on and off with their credit card on a PRESTO card fare reader. Contactless credit cards can also be used to pay transit fares - by tapping on PRESTO fare readers - across the Greater Toronto Area and are eligible for the free transfer on those supporting transit services providers which is included in the cost of the GO Transit fare (where accepted). GO Trains use a " proof-of-payment " policy where
2088-612: A pilot program to test them was conducted in Pickering before they entered service on 8 September 1970. Later buses included a combination of single-door, suburban-type transit buses built by Orion Bus Industries and New Flyer , and single-level highway coaches built by Prevost Car and Motor Coach Industries (MCI, now a subsidiary of New Flyer). Today, GO Transit operates a combination of single-level coach buses and commuter-type double-decker buses . All buses are equipped with bike racks and are wheelchair accessible . Most of
2204-538: A pilot service to London, Ontario , with one train towards Toronto in the morning and one train returning to London in the evening. At this time, the Presto card cannot be used for such trips and riders must pre-purchase digital tickets in advance. Improvements are being made to Union Station , which is the busiest passenger transportation facility in Canada, and is expected to have its current passenger traffic double in
2320-450: A priority as it moves forward with The Big Move regional transportation plan. On an average weekday, GO runs 322 train trips carrying 206,167 riders, and 2,386 bus trips carrying 48,477 passengers. This adds up to 254,644 passengers throughout the entire system. In 2017, GO Transit ridership totalled 68.5 million, and if expansion plans are realized, is projected to total over 200 million by 2055. At least 91 per cent of
2436-676: A railway with freight trains . A rapid transit railway system (also called a metro, underground, heavy rail, or subway) operates in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Heavy rail is a high-capacity form of rail transit, with 4 to 10 units forming a train, and can be the most expensive form of transit to build. Modern heavy rail systems are mostly driverless, which allows for higher frequencies and less maintenance cost. Systems are able to transport large numbers of people quickly over short distances with little land use. Variations of rapid transit include people movers , small-scale light metro and
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#17327911367672552-480: A set of trolley poles for mobility. Online Electric Vehicles are buses that run on a conventional battery, but are recharged frequently at certain points via underground wires. Certain types of buses, styled after old-style streetcars, are also called trackless trolleys, but are built on the same platforms as a typical diesel , CNG , or hybrid bus; these are more often used for tourist rides than commuting and tend to be privately owned. Passenger rail transport
2668-412: A single (or return) trip, or valid within a certain area for a period of time (see transit pass ). The fare is based on the travel class, either depending on the traveled distance, or based on zone pricing . The tickets may have to be shown or checked automatically at the station platform or when boarding, or during the ride by a conductor . Operators may choose to control all riders, allowing sale of
2784-474: A single rail line along Lake Ontario 's shoreline. GO Train service ran throughout the day from Oakville to Pickering with limited rush hour train service to Hamilton. The experiment proved to be extremely popular; GO Transit carried its first million riders during its first four months, and averaged 15,000 per day soon after. This line, now divided as the Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West lines ,
2900-413: A smaller suburban or town center. The stations are often combined with shuttle bus or park and ride systems. Frequency may be up to several times per hour, and commuter rail systems may either be part of the national railway or operated by local transit agencies. Common forms of commuter rail employ either diesel electric locomotives, or electric multiple unit trains. Some commuter train lines share
3016-574: A station and exchange passengers. There is often a potential conflict between this objective and optimising the utilisation of vehicles and drivers. The main sources of financing are ticket revenue, government subsidies and advertising. The percentage of revenue from passenger charges is known as the farebox recovery ratio . A limited amount of income may come from land development and rental income from stores and vendors, parking fees, and leasing tunnels and rights-of-way to carry fiber optic communication lines. Most—but not all—public transport requires
3132-593: A three-person crew: two operators control the train from the cab at the front end of the train and handle related operations, while a third crew member is the Customer Service Ambassador . Stationed in a designated car in the middle of each train, the Customer Service Ambassador operates the doors and wheelchair ramp , makes station stop announcements, and is dedicated to assisting customers on board. Alstom Transport
3248-591: A ticket sales booth or vending machine. As of 2016, the capital costs of building a GO Transit train station is about $ 50 to $ 75 million. Most GO stations include large commuter parking lots, some of which have recently included large parking structures, and also include onsite bus loops for buses making timed connections to GO Buses. Some GO train stations are shared with Union Pearson Express (commuter train services from Toronto Union Station to Pearson Airport ), Via Rail (Canada's national passenger rail services) and Amtrak (which offers passenger train service to
3364-431: A tram line. Light rail lines are, thus, essentially modernized interurbans . Unlike trams, light rail trains are often longer and have one to four cars per train. Somewhere between light and heavy rail in terms of carbon footprint , monorail systems usually use overhead single tracks, either mounted directly on the track supports or put in an overhead design with the train suspended. Monorail systems are used throughout
3480-659: Is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport , typically managed on a schedule, operated on established routes, and that may charge a posted fee for each trip. There is no rigid definition of which kinds of transport are included, and air travel is often not thought of when discussing public transport—dictionaries use wording like "buses, trains, etc." Examples of public transport include city buses , trolleybuses , trams (or light rail ) and passenger trains , rapid transit (metro/subway/underground, etc.) and ferries . Public transport between cities
3596-507: Is a term used for buses operating on dedicated right-of-way, much like a light rail. Coach services use coaches (long-distance buses) for suburb-to-CBD or longer-distance transportation. The vehicles are normally equipped with more comfortable seating, a separate luggage compartment, video and possibly also a toilet. They have higher standards than city buses, but a limited stopping pattern. Trolleybuses are electrically powered buses that receive power from overhead power line by way of
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3712-496: Is a transit technology that moves people in motor-less, engine-less vehicles that are propelled by a steel cable. There are two sub-groups of CPT— gondola lifts and cable cars (railway) . Gondola lifts are supported and propelled from above by cables, whereas cable cars are supported and propelled from below by cables. While historically associated with usage in ski resorts , gondola lifts are now finding increased consumption and utilization in many urban areas—built specifically for
3828-625: Is a unified smart card -based payment system used throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Presto is a sister operating division of Metrolinx and the card can also be used on numerous local transit agencies in the GTHA such as the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and York Region Transit (YRT) as well as on OC Transpo in Ottawa. As of April 21, 2024, free transfers exist for all connecting local transit systems throughout
3944-405: Is also used by a number of other commuter railways across North America . They have a seating capacity of 162 and a standing capacity of 248 per coach, or 5,256 per train (maximum crush load). All upper levels of the coaches on rush hour trains are designated "Quiet Zones". The coaches are primarily hauled by MPI MPXpress series locomotives. The current model, the 4000- horsepower MP40PH-3C,
4060-421: Is an all-encompassing term for various types of local rail systems, such as these examples trams , light rail , rapid transit , people movers , commuter rail , monorail , suspension railways and funiculars . Commuter rail is part of an urban area's public transport. It provides faster services to outer suburbs and neighboring satellite cities . Trains stop at train stations that are located to serve
4176-484: Is common with roads for automobiles. Interchanges are locations where passengers can switch from one public transport route to another. This may be between vehicles of the same mode (like a bus interchange), or e.g. between bus and train. It can be between local and intercity transport (such as at a central station or airport). Timetables (or 'schedules' in North American English ) are provided by
4292-537: Is currently undergoing a major expansion project to improve train service. The project will electrify the Lakeshore East , Barrie , and Stouffville lines, the Lakeshore West line as far as Burlington, the Kitchener line as far as Bramalea, and increase train frequency on various lines to 15 minutes or better on these corridors, with several new stations being built both within Toronto and throughout
4408-610: Is dominated by airlines , coaches , and intercity rail . High-speed rail networks are being developed in many parts of the world. Most public transport systems run along fixed routes with set embarkation/disembarkation points to a prearranged timetable, with the most frequent services running to a headway (e.g.: "every 15 minutes" as opposed to being scheduled for any specific time of the day). However, most public transport trips include other modes of travel, such as passengers walking or catching bus services to access train stations. Share taxis offer on-demand services in many parts of
4524-430: Is especially valuable in cases where there are capacity problems for private transport. Investments in infrastructure are expensive and make up a substantial part of the total costs in systems that are new or expanding. Once built, the infrastructure will require operating and maintenance costs, adding to the total cost of public transport. Sometimes governments subsidize infrastructure by providing it free of charge, just as
4640-639: Is estimated to cost $ 4.9 billion and serve 30 million additional riders by 2031. Other possible future rail service extensions identified in GO Transit's 2020 plan include Niagara Region , Bolton , Brantford , Peterborough and Uxbridge . Metrolinx also announced plans in January 2011 to electrify the Lakeshore West, Lakeshore East and Kitchener rail lines, as well as the Union Pearson Express . In 2021, Metrolinx announced
4756-635: Is more powerful than its predecessor, the EMD F59PH . It is capable of pulling or pushing trains of 12 coaches instead of 10. More than 60 of these locomotives have been ordered since their introduction in 2006, with a further 16 types of an even more powerful model, the 5400-horsepower MP54AC, which can pull a full 12 car train more efficiently. Opposite the locomotive, trains are bookended by cab cars , which are coaches with driver controls incorporated into them. GO Transit upgraded their entire cab car rail fleet with newly designed, more crashworthy cab cars in
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4872-442: Is projected to roll out in phases between 2025 and 2030. The 10-year regional express rail plan will cost $ 13.5 billion and will require 150 kilometres (93 mi) of new track, including new bridges and tunnels. Starting January 1, 2025, the consortium ONxpress will take over the operation and maintenance from Alstom of the GO Transit train system in addition to introducing the improvements required for GO Expansion. ONxpress has
4988-656: Is reasonably comfortable (seats, toilets, services), and can thus be scheduled and used pleasurably, productively or for (overnight) rest. Chauffeured movement is enjoyed by many people when it is relaxing, safe, but not too monotonous. Waiting, interchanging, stops and holdups, for example due to traffic or for security, are discomforting. Jet lag is a human constraint discouraging frequent rapid long-distance east–west commuting, favoring modern telecommunications and VR technologies. An airline provides scheduled service with aircraft between airports. Air travel has high speeds, but incurs large waiting times before and after travel, and
5104-402: Is responsible for providing train operations, taking over from Bombardier Transportation in 2021. GO trains achieve on-time performance of approximately 95 per cent, and a refund will be provided if a train is more than 15 minutes late, with some conditions. GO Bus service consists of a combination of routes, many of which stand in for train service when it is not operating and/or which extend
5220-444: Is the conveyance of passengers by means of wheeled vehicles specially designed to run on railways. Trains allow high capacity at most distance scales, but require track , signalling , infrastructure and stations to be built and maintained resulting in high upfront costs. Intercity rail is long-haul passenger services that connect multiple urban areas. They have few stops, and aim at high average speeds, typically only making one of
5336-679: Is the keystone corridor of GO Transit. Expansion of rail service continued in the 1970s and 1980s, aimed at developing ridership in with the introduction of the Georgetown (now Kitchener ) line in 1974 and the Richmond Hill line in 1978. The Milton GO Train line opened in 1981, followed by the Bradford (now Barrie ) and Stouffville lines a year later, establishing GO Transit's present-day service of seven rail corridors. Other than establishing new rail corridors, GO Transit introduced
5452-721: Is therefore often only feasible over longer distances or in areas where a lack of surface infrastructure makes other modes of transport impossible. Bush airlines work more similarly to bus stops; an aircraft waits for passengers and takes off when the aircraft is full. Bus services use buses on conventional roads to carry numerous passengers on shorter journeys. Buses operate with low capacity (compared with trams or trains), and can operate on conventional roads, with relatively inexpensive bus stops to serve passengers. Therefore, buses are commonly used in smaller cities, towns, and rural areas, and for shuttle services supplementing other means of transit in large cities. Bus rapid transit (BRT)
5568-579: The Bombardier BiLevel Coaches in 1979, in order to increase the number of passengers carried per train. These unique rail cars were developed in partnership with Bombardier Transportation . Also in 1979, the former Bay Street GO concourse at Union Station was built to accommodate these additional passengers. GO Bus service began on September 8, 1970, extending the original Lakeshore line to Hamilton and Oshawa, as well as providing service north to Newmarket and Barrie. It eventually became
5684-537: The GO Expansion , which is scheduled to be completed in phases through 2025–2032. Cities in and around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) expanded greatly during the 1950s, influenced by growth in immigration and industrialization. Much of the existing commuter service was provided by the Canadian National Railway (CN), which faced mounting pressure to expand its service beyond
5800-519: The GTHA . It will also bring all-day, two-way service to the inner portions of the Barrie, Kitchener and Stouffville lines. GO Transit will increase the number of train trips per week from 1,500 (as of 2015) to about 2,200 by 2020 and expand to 10,500 weekly trips upon completion. Most of the extra trips will be in off-peak hours and on weekends. The expanded services, new infrastructure and electrification
5916-589: The Highway 407 and Highway 403 corridors, providing service between Peel and York Regions. In 2012, GO ordered new Enviro500 double-decker units for its fleet. Designated as "Go-Anywhere" models, they have a redesigned front end, based on the Enviro400 (and which would later form the basis for the global Enviro500 MMC refreshed design), and a height of 4.1 metres (13 ft 5 + 7 ⁄ 16 in), 10 cm ( 3 + 15 ⁄ 16 in) lower than
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#17327911367676032-420: The Provincial Offences Act , imposes a $ 35 to $ 200 fine for fare evasion. Although children ages 0 to 12 years of age can ride fare-free on GO Transit, they may be required to show proof of age when getting a child Presto card. The GO Transit logo has remained largely unchanged since the agency was founded. The design was created by Gagnon/Valkus, a Montreal -based design firm that was also responsible for
6148-602: The United Kingdom . These buses come in three different designs differing mainly in their size and height . All double deckers have a low-floor design and a wheelchair ramp at the front door. The first two batches of double deckers have a height of 4.2 metres (13 ft 9 + 3 ⁄ 8 in), too tall to meet many height standards set by the provincial Ministry of Transportation . Thus, they are restricted to routes which avoid low bridges and underpasses . In particular, they are found exclusively on routes on
6264-482: The stagecoaches traveling a fixed route between coaching inns , and the horse-drawn boat carrying paying passengers, which was a feature of European canals from the 17th century onwards. The canal itself as a form of infrastructure dates back to antiquity. In ancient Egypt canals were used for freight transportation to bypass the Aswan cataract. The Chinese also built canals for water transportation as far back as
6380-851: The warring States period which began in the 5th century BCE. Whether or not those canals were used for for-hire public transport remains unknown; the Grand Canal in China (begun in 486 BCE) served primarily the grain trade . The bus , the first organized public transit system within a city, appears to have originated in Paris in 1662, although the service in question, Carrosses à cinq sols (English: five-sol coaches), which have been developed by mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal , lasted only fifteen years until 1677. Buses are known to have operated in Nantes in 1826. The public bus transport system
6496-593: The Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police , with approval from the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services . In addition to By-law No. 2, they have the authority to enforce other certain federal and provincial laws. GO Transit also employs Provincial Offences Officers, known as Revenue Protection Officers, to enforce the proof-of-payment system. GO Transit operates
6612-426: The GO Transit network and designated as "Super-Lo", have an even lower height of 3.9 metres (12 ft 9 + 9 ⁄ 16 in), low enough to operate on virtually the entire GO bus network. They also have a longer length than previous orders, being 45-foot (13.72 m) long (the same as its coach buses), and dedicated space for luggage at the rear. The chassis for these vehicles are being locally assembled at
6728-618: The GO Transit network, under the GO Transit Rail Improvement Plan , or GO TRIP , started in the mid-2000s. C$ 1 billion was invested in multiple rail and bus projects, making it the largest commuter rail project in Canadian history. This was later dwarfed by a further slate of new GO infrastructure proposed in MoveOntario 2020 , the provincial transit plan announced by Premier Dalton McGuinty in
6844-413: The GTHA. - in many cases using a Presto card or contactless credit card and their associated mobile wallets (where accepted) - are included with the GO Transit fare. The Presto system allows passengers to load money on a reloadable card. Passengers pay their fare by "tapping" on and off on busses and trains. With each tap, the system calculates the fare for the ride, and it is deducted from the balance of
6960-546: The Greater Golden Horseshoe. Under the provincial charter, GO Transit is permitted to serve cities elsewhere in Ontario, but has no plans of doing so. In total, GO trains and buses serve a population of 7 million in an 11,000 square kilometres (4,200 sq mi) area radiating in places more than 140 kilometres (87 mi) from downtown Toronto. Present extrema are Brantford and Kitchener to
7076-482: The Lakeshore West and East lines, which can be attributed to the almost continuous development along their corridors, as well as being the only two lines with two way, all day service since their inception. This is followed by the Milton line, carrying almost 14% of all ridership. Other corridors carry 4–11% of riders each. Fares on the network are based on a zone tariff set between two specified points by GO Transit, and
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#17327911367677192-508: The Lakeshore trains it ran between Hamilton in the west and Danforth in the east, to Toronto; however, CN lacked the financial and physical capital to do this. Real improved commuter service was not considered until the 1962 Metropolitan Toronto and Region Transportation Study, which examined land use and traffic in the newly created Metropolitan Toronto . The idea of GO Transit was created out of fear of becoming lost in years of planning; it
7308-515: The Netherlands many individuals use e-bikes to replace their car commutes. In major American cities, start-up companies such as Uber and Lyft have implemented e-scooters as a way for people to take short trips around the city. All public transport runs on infrastructure, either on roads, rail, airways or seaways. The infrastructure can be shared with other modes, freight and private transport, or it can be dedicated to public transport. The latter
7424-643: The Regional Express Rail plan, there are plans to eventually offer two-way, all-day 15-minute or better service on the central sections of the remaining five lines. Nevertheless, rush-hour service accounts for over 90 per cent of GO Train ridership. GO Transit's rolling stock uses push-pull equipment . Its passenger car fleet is composed entirely of Bombardier BiLevel Coaches built in Thunder Bay, Ontario . These double-decker coaches , which have an elongated-octagon shape, were designed in
7540-543: The UK National Infrastructure Commission in 2018 states that "cycling is mass transit and must be treated as such." Cycling infrastructure is normally provided without charge to users because it is cheaper to operate than mechanised transit systems that use sophisticated equipment and do not use human power . Many cities around the world have introduced electric bikes and scooters to their public transport infrastructure. For example, in
7656-496: The United States). GO also connects with fifteen other municipal transit providers, such as the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and York Region Transit (YRT), as well as several long-distance intercity bus services, such as Ontario Northland , Megabus , TOK Coachlines and United States-bound Greyhound Lines services. Metrolinx calls many of these transfer points between services mobility hubs , and it has made them
7772-595: The addition of a cab at the end, are still operating, with 15 old cab cars being rebuilt and reintroduced for expanded GO service. GO has always owned its locomotives and coaches, but its trackage used to be owned entirely by Canada's two major commercial railways: the large majority by the Canadian National Railway (CN) and the remainder (the current Milton line) by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP, now CPKC ). In 1988, as part of expanding service east of Pickering, GO built its first section of self-owned purpose-built trackage. From 1998 until 2009, GO owned only six per cent of
7888-549: The branding of Metrolinx and its other operating divisions, as well as to improve its display digitally. GO Transit By-law No. 2 is a document of rules and regulations governing actions of passengers and employees while on GO Transit property, which includes land, facilities, trains, buses and other structures. Besides issues relating to fares, the by-law specifies permissible and prohibited actions such as staying in designated safe areas, commercial or distribution activities, parking and other personal actions that promote or endanger
8004-522: The buses at their garage. Buses were later stored and serviced at the Mississauga Truck and Bus Collision (MTB) facility, in Milton. That eliminated unnecessary travel to/from Oakville, as the buses previously had been deadheaded to and from Oakville each day. Prior to the agreement with MTB, Milton's buses were stored at GO Transit's Milton garage. The Town of Milton extended the contract for conventional transit services with Oakville Transit for
8120-407: The card. The card can also be linked to a credit or debit card and set on autoload, so that it automatically adds a certain amount of money as soon as the balance decreases past a certain level. Since August 11, 2022, contactless credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Interac) & their associated mobile wallets such as Apple and Google Pay have been accepted on GO Transit in which
8236-713: The commuter rail hybrid S-Bahn . More than 160 cities have rapid transit systems, totalling more than 8,000 km (4,971 mi) of track and 7,000 stations. Twenty-five cities have systems under construction. People movers are a special term for grade-separated rail which uses vehicles that are smaller and shorter in size. These systems are generally used only in a small area such as a theme park or an airport. Trams (also known as streetcars or trolleys) are railborne vehicles that originally ran in city streets, though over decades more and more dedicated tracks are used. They have higher capacity than buses, but must follow dedicated infrastructure with rails and wires either above or below
8352-638: The contract for accessible services which operate on demand until sometime in 2015. Pacific Western Transportation which also holds the contract for conventional service took over operations of Access+ using a Milton branded bus. Milton Transit's fleet consists of 10 New Flyer D40LF - three purchased in 2009, two in 2010 and 5 used ones (ex- Orange County Transportation Authority and later Pacific Western) in 2014 and 2015, 3 New Flyer XD40's (purchased in 2012) and 3 Chevrolet Arboc SOM26D 's in 2013 and two more in 2015, two 2016 Nova Bus LFS for service expansion along with three 2017 and one 2018 Nova Bus LFS. For
8468-491: The corporate identities of Canadian National and Hydro-Québec . The firm's team wanted to create a unified logo using the initials of the Government of Ontario ("GO"), via two circles with a T incorporated into it. Lead designer Frank Fox described the creation of the logo as "a happy accident. More or less, we had this feeling among us that this couldn't be true. We went off trying many other solutions, but nothing else
8584-447: The day or part of the day (known as clock-face scheduling ). Often, more frequent services or even extra routes are operated during the morning and evening rush hours . Coordination between services at interchange points is important to reduce the total travel time for passengers. This can be done by coordinating shuttle services with main routes, or by creating a fixed time (for instance twice per hour) when all bus and rail routes meet at
8700-591: The exceptions are situated within Toronto proper. There are also 16 bus terminals served by GO buses, many of which provide local transit connections, as well as intermediate stops and ticket agencies . The first buses operated by GO Transit, a suburban variant of the GM New Look bus , were unveiled at Queen's Park on August 11, 1970, about a month before commencing operations on its expanded services east, west and north of Toronto. Operated by Gray Coach ,
8816-461: The fare system is run on an " honour system ". Passengers are required to carry a valid GO paper or digital ticket or pass, a tapped-in credit/debit card/mobile wallet or Presto card to prove that they paid for their fares. Passengers may be subject to random fare inspections at any time during travel. This system is designed to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Enforcement of this system is carried out via Metrolinx's By-law No. 2 that, by reference to
8932-624: The following transit agencies: Mississauga Terminal (North/South) (Weekdays) On-Demand Only (Saturday and after 7:30 p.m. supplementary service weekdays) (East/West) ( Walmart Milton) Peak hours (Saturdays) (In/Out) Peak hours (Saturdays) (In/Out) Louis St. Laurent Peak hours (Saturdays) (In/Out) Philbrook Drive Peak hours (Saturdays) (In/Out) Peak hours (Saturdays) (In/Out) Peak hours (Saturdays) (In/Out) Louis St. Laurent (excluding Sundays) (In/Out) Peak hours (Saturdays) (School year weekdays only) (East/West) (Saturday) Until 7:30 p.m (Saturdays) As
9048-703: The last train from Union Station along the Milton line arrives at the Milton GO Station , drivers will create a routing based on passengers' destinations within the designated zone. Trans-cab is a supplementary service that replaces Route 1 between the Milton GO Station and the Milton Hwy 401 Park and Ride facility at Martin Street. Fares are the same as regular Milton Transit Fares, plus an additional 50 cents. First Canada and A1 Taxi had
9164-433: The leadup to the 2007 provincial election . With re-investment in regional transit, GO experienced growth in its train network: all day service was restored to Oshawa in 2006 and Aldershot in 2007; service was expanded to Barrie South in 2007, to Lincolnville in 2008, to Kitchener in 2011, to Gormley in 2016, to Bloomington in 2021, and an excursion train operated on summer weekends to Niagara Falls . This service
9280-456: The location of their choice (rather than at a stop). Conventional transit simulations show that PRT might attract many auto users in problematic medium-density urban areas. A number of experimental systems are in progress. One might compare personal rapid transit to the more labor-intensive taxi or paratransit modes of transportation, or to the (by now automated) elevators common in many publicly accessible areas. Cable-propelled transit (CPT)
9396-400: The lost time and statistically higher risk of accident in private transport , together with the initial, running and parking costs. Loss of control , spatial constriction, overcrowding , high speeds/accelerations, height and other phobias may discourage use of public transport. Actual travel time on public transport becomes a lesser consideration when predictable and when travel itself
9512-423: The mid-1970s for GO Transit by Hawker Siddeley Canada as a more efficient replacement for GO's original single-deck coaches, built by the same company. Later coaches were manufactured by Can-Car / UTDC and the most recent coaches are produced by Bombardier Transportation and since acquired by Alstom , which now owns the designs and manufacturing facilities. GO Transit owns 979 BiLevel Coaches. This type of coach
9628-445: The morning and outbound in the afternoons and early evenings), with off-peak service on these routes being provided solely by buses . Since then, hourly off-peak train service or better has been added to 5 of these lines. The present off-peak service is as follows: The Richmond Hill and Milton lines continue to operate during rush hours only, although there has been an increasing number of trips on these lines in recent years. As part of
9744-467: The name Metrolinx. GO Transit continued as an operating division alongside two other major initiatives: the Union Pearson Express and Presto card . As part of the 2011 provincial election , Premier Dalton McGuinty made a campaign pledge to provide two-way, full-day train service on all corridors. Metrolinx continues to plan for this service expansion, which is now known as GO Expansion . Part of Metrolinx's Big Move regional transportation plan , it
9860-404: The nearest train line, with the 40s and 50s reserved for express services along the 407 ETR corridor which does not have a corresponding train line. GO Transit's commuter rail services ( reporting mark GOT ) carry the large majority of its overall ridership. Until 2012, five GO Train lines operated only during weekday rush hour periods in the peak direction (inbound towards Union Station in
9976-423: The next 10 to 15 years. Improvements underway include a new roof and glass atrium covering the platforms and railway tracks, new passenger concourses, additional staircases and vertical access points and general visual improvements to the station. Other longer term options such as a second downtown station and/or connections to a future Relief Subway Line are also being studied to meet future demand. GO Transit
10092-419: The older buses in the fleet are 45-foot (13.72 m), single-level D4500CT coach buses built by Motor Coach Industries , which can seat 57 people and features a platform lift . The first models of this type entered service in 2001 and orders have continued until 2015. In April 2008, GO began operating 43-foot (13.11 m) Enviro 500 double-decker buses built by British manufacturer Alexander Dennis in
10208-562: The previous models. The lower height allows these buses to meet many more clearance standards as a result and are used on a wider variety of routes, including those that travel on Highway 401 . Three additional batches of "Go-Anywhere" Enviro500s were ordered until 2015. Despite the lower height, these buses are still too high to fit in a number of GO terminals, namely Hamilton , Yorkdale , York Mills , and Union Station . Beginning in 2016, GO Transit began placing further orders of Enviro500 double-deckers. These buses, designed specifically for
10324-501: The province would re-assume funding responsibility for GO Transit two years later, and this was completed with the abolition of the Greater Toronto Services Board on January 1, 2002. The Greater Toronto Transportation Authority was created in 2006, with the responsibilities of co-ordinating, planning, financing and developing integrated transit in the GTHA. This agency was merged with GO Transit in 2009 under
10440-492: The public transport leg of their journey and how close it leaves them to their desired destination. Timeliness is how long they must wait for the vehicle. Directness records how far a journey using public transport deviates from a passenger's ideal route. In selecting between competing modes of transport , many individuals are strongly motivated by direct cost (travel fare/ ticket price to them) and convenience , as well as being informed by habit . The same individual may accept
10556-481: The purchase of a ticket to generate revenue for the operators. Tickets may be bought either in advance, or at the time of the journey, or the carrier may allow both methods. Passengers may be issued with a paper ticket, a metal or plastic token , or a magnetic or electronic card ( smart card , contactless smart card ). Sometimes a ticket has to be validated, e.g. a paper ticket has to be stamped, or an electronic ticket has to be checked in. Tickets may be valid for
10672-619: The purposes of mass transit. Many, if not all, of these systems are implemented and fully integrated within existing public transportation networks. Examples include Metrocable (Medellín) , Metrocable (Caracas) , Mi Teleférico in La Paz , Portland Aerial Tram , Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York City, and the London Cable Car . A ferry is a boat used to carry (or ferry ) passengers, and sometimes their vehicles, across
10788-482: The railway trackage on which it operated. Starting in 2009, Metrolinx incrementally acquired further trackage from the two commercial railways in order to improve GO service. As of 2014, Metrolinx has complete ownership of the Barrie, Stouffville and Lakeshore East lines, and a majority of the Lakeshore West, Richmond Hill, and Kitchener lines. CPKC still owns most of the Milton line. This puts Metrolinx ownership at 69 percent of GO Transit's trackage. Each train runs with
10904-498: The reach of train service to communities beyond their terminal. Other GO buses are independent of rail services, such as the Highway 407 series of routes, which provides an orbital-type service that encircles Toronto proper and makes connections between all train lines. There are also routes that serve Pearson International Airport and seasonal destinations such as several colleges and universities. The vast majority of GO train stations have connecting GO bus service, of which almost all
11020-615: The reduced emissions and other environmental impacts of using public transportation over private transportation, many experts have pointed to an increased investment in public transit as an important climate change mitigation tactic. Conveyances designed for public hire are as old as the first ferry service . The earliest public transport was water transport . Ferries appear in Greek mythology writings. The mystical ferryman Charon had to be paid and would only then take passengers to Hades . Some historical forms of public transport include
11136-422: The safety of passengers. It covers items like paying fares, parking, general behaviour, fines and rule enforcement. These rules can be enforced by a "proper authority" which is defined as "an employee or agent of GO Transit wearing a GO Transit uniform [or] carrying an identification card issued by GO Transit, a GO Transit Special Constable, or a municipal police officer". Any contravention of the by-law can result in
11252-471: The smoke filled subway tunnels from the steam engines. In 1894, Boston built the first subway in the United States, an electric streetcar line in a 1.5-mile tunnel under Tremont Street's retail district. Other cities quickly followed, constructing thousands of miles of subway in the following decades. In March 2020, Luxembourg abolished fares for trains, trams and buses and became the first country in
11368-587: The summer of 2015, incorporating an improved visibility, safety features and comfort for train crews. Rolling stock is maintained at the Willowbrook Rail Maintenance Facility , located west of Mimico station in Toronto and at the newer Whitby Rail Maintenance Facility . The Willowbrook facility occupies the Willowbrook Yard, a historical freight yard established by Grand Trunk Railway in 1910. GO Transit acquired
11484-504: The track, limiting their flexibility. In the United States, trams were commonly used prior to the 1930s, before being superseded by the bus. In modern public transport systems, they have been reintroduced in the form of the light rail. Light rail is a term coined in 1972 and uses mainly tram technology. Light rail has mostly dedicated right-of-ways and less sections shared with other traffic and usually step-free access. Light rails line are generally traversed with increased speed compared to
11600-526: The train ridership is to and from Union Station in downtown Toronto, while about 70% of all bus passengers travel to and from the City of Toronto. The average trip taken by a passenger is 33.5 kilometres (20.8 mi) long. Most GO Transit commuters have a private vehicle available to them for their commute, but choose to use GO Transit instead. About 80% of train commuters and 60% of bus commuters choose GO Transit over driving. Over half of GO's ridership occurs on
11716-517: The transport operator to allow users to plan their journeys. They are often supplemented by maps and fare schemes to help travelers coordinate their travel. Online public transport route planners help make planning easier. Mobile apps are available for multiple transit systems that provide timetables and other service information and, in some cases, allow ticket purchase, some allowing to plan your journey, with time fares zones e.g. Services are often arranged to operate at regular intervals throughout
11832-471: The type of passenger using the ticket. Tickets are sold for single trip, or passes for one day or one month. Tickets can be used on a GO train, bus, or a combination of both. They can be purchased at train stations, bus terminals and ticket agencies. Passenger categories exist for adults, youth, students, seniors and groups. As of March 9, 2019, passengers aged 12 and under can ride GO Transit fare-free. The Presto card , available on all GO trains and buses,
11948-408: The use and extent of public transport. The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is the international network for public transport authorities and operators, policy decision-makers, scientific institutes and the public transport supply and service industry. It has over 1,900 members from more than 100 countries from all over the globe. In recent years, some high-wealth cities have seen
12064-409: The west to Peterborough in the east, and from Barrie in the north to Niagara Falls in the south. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 56,036,900. GO Transit operates diesel-powered double-decker trains and coach buses , on routes that connect with all local and some long-distance inter-city transit services in its service area. GO Transit began regular passenger service on May 23, 1967, as
12180-539: The west; Orangeville , Barrie to the north; Peterborough and Newcastle to the east; and Niagara Falls to the south. The GO system map shows seven train lines (or corridors), all departing from Toronto's Union Station and mostly named respectively after the outer terminus (or former terminus) of train service: Although colours are assigned in a consistent fashion to each line in all official media, in colloquial parlance lines are only ever referred to by their names. Buses are numbered in blocks of 10, corresponding to
12296-536: The world (especially in Europe and east Asia , particularly Japan ), but apart from public transit installations in Las Vegas and Seattle, most North American monorails are either short shuttle services or privately owned services (With 150,000 daily riders, the Disney monorail systems used at their parks may be the most famous in the world). Personal rapid transit is an automated cab service that runs on rails or
12412-544: The world to make all public transport free. The Encyclopædia Britannica specifies that public transportation is within urban areas, but does not limit its discussion of the topic to urban areas. Seven criteria estimate the usability of different types of public transport and its overall appeal. The criteria are speed, comfort, safety, cost, proximity, timeliness and directness. Speed is calculated from total journey time including transfers. Proximity means how far passengers must walk or otherwise travel before they can begin
12528-745: The world, which may compete with fixed public transport lines, or complement them, by bringing passengers to interchanges. Paratransit is sometimes used in areas of low demand and for people who need a door-to-door service. Urban public transit differs distinctly among Asia, North America, and Europe. In Asia, profit-driven, privately owned and publicly traded mass transit and real estate conglomerates predominantly operate public transit systems. In North America, municipal transit authorities most commonly run mass transit operations. In Europe, both state-owned and private companies predominantly operate mass transit systems. For geographical, historical and economic reasons, differences exist internationally regarding
12644-555: The yard from Canadian National sometime after its inception, and built and expanded the Willowbrook facility there to maintain the expanding fleet. GO Transit built a second maintenance facility covering 500,000 square feet (4.6 hectares) in Whitby to accommodate additional trains for its upcoming Regional Express Rail project, and was completed by the end of 2017. A limited number of old cab cars, which resembled standard coaches with
12760-496: Was "approached as a test, but recognized to be a permanent service". In May 1965, the government of Ontario granted permission to proceed with the launch of Canada's first specially-designed commuter rail service, at a cost of CA$ 9.2 million ($ 86 million in 2023 dollars). Government of Ontario Transit (later shortened to "GO Transit") started as a three-year long experiment on May 23, 1967, running single-deck trains powered by diesel locomotives in push-pull configuration on
12876-422: Was also extended to Burlington on the Lakeshore West line in 1992. In a series of cost-cutting measures, then– Ontario Premier Bob Rae announced a "temporary" reduction in spending on services, causing all of the expansions of the 1990s to be reduced or eliminated. All day train service was restored from Burlington to Whitby, and peak service was finally brought to Oshawa in 2000. A large initiative to expand
12992-787: Was built for 11 miles of track for the Union Passenger Railway in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1888. Electric streetcars could carry heavier passenger loads than predecessors, which reduced fares and stimulated greater transit use. Two years after the Richmond success, over thirty two thousand electric streetcars were operating in America. Electric streetcars also paved the way for the first subway system in America. Before electric streetcars, steam powered subways were considered. However, most people believed that riders would avoid
13108-399: Was good enough." The logo has since become woven into the cityscape of Toronto, and is a prominent identifier of the agency. As one graphic design expert stated, it achieved "an enviable goal that most graphic designers strive to accomplish with any logo they design". Only one minor revision was made after the original version was unveiled: while the G and O used to touch each other,
13224-717: Was introduced to London in July 1829. The first passenger horse-drawn vehicle opened in 1806. It ran along the Swansea and Mumbles Railway . In 1825 George Stephenson built the Locomotion No 1 for the Stockton and Darlington Railway in northeast England, the first public steam railway in the world. The world's first steam-powered underground railway opened in London in 1863. The first successful electric streetcar
13340-546: Was later expanded to all year round. GO Transit also went through three major reconfigurations. In January 1997, the province announced it would transfer funding responsibility for GO Transit to GTHA municipalities. The Greater Toronto Services Board, composed of regional municipality chairs, city mayors and municipal councillors, was created as a municipal agency in January 1999, and GO Transit became an arm of this agency in August 1999. However, then-Premier Mike Harris announced
13456-415: Was not implemented, certain key objectives from it were established in other ways: additional stations were built, all-day service to Whitby and Burlington was established and networks of buses and trains interconnected the network. GO extended limited rush hour train service on the Bradford, Georgetown and both Lakeshore lines and began offering off-peak service on the Milton line in 1990. Train service
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