GO Transit

GO Transit

(Clockwise from top left) A GO Train departing from Exhibition GO Station; a GO Bus at Meadowvale GO Station; a platform at Union Station.
Overview
Owner	Government of Ontario (through Metrolinx)
Locale	Golden Horseshoe
Transit type	Commuter rail bus service
Number of lines	7
Number of stations	64 rail[1] 15 bus + numerous stops[1]
Daily ridership	276,000 (all modes)[1] - 209,000 (train) - 67,000 (bus)
Annual ridership	69.5 million (2015)[1]
Chief executive	Greg Percy, President
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario
Website	www.gotransit.com
Operation
Began operation	1967[1]
Operator(s)	Bombardier Transportation (rail)
Reporting marks	GOT
Host railroads	Canadian National Railway Canadian Pacific Railway Metrolinx
Number of vehicles	75 locomotives 630 coaches 510 buses - 383 (single-level) - 127 (double decker)[1]
Technical
System length	452 kilometres (281 mi) (rail) 2,709 kilometres (1,683 mi) (bus)[1]
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in)
System map

GO Transit is a regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada, serving the Golden Horseshoe region. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto, GO Transit's operations extend as far as Niagara Falls to the south, Waterloo to the west, Peterborough to the east, and Barrie to the north. GO Transit carried 69.5 million passengers in 2015, and its ridership continues to grow.^[1][2] GO Transit employs diesel trains and coach buses; it connects with all municipal transit providers in its service area, as well as Via Rail and the Union Pearson Express.^[1]

Canada's first such public transit system, GO Transit began regular passenger service on May 23, 1967 as a part of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Since then, it has grown from a single train line to seven, and expanded to include complementing bus service.^[1] GO Transit has been constituted in a variety of public-sector configurations, today existing as an operating division of Metrolinx, a provincial Crown agency with overall responsibility for integrative transportation planning within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.^[3]

History

Early days

A new Hawker Siddeley RTC-85SP/D railcar at Oakville in 1968

Cities in and around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) experienced huge expansions in the 1950s, influenced by growth in immigration and industrialization. Much of the existing commuter service was provided by Canadian National Railway, and it faced mounting pressure to expand its service beyond 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 was "approached as a test, but recognized to be a permanent service."^[4]

Creation, growth and recession

Government of Ontario Transit (later abbreviated as 'GO Transit') began as a three-year experiment on May 23, 1967 running single-deck trains powered by diesel locomotives in push-pull configuration on a single rail line along Lake Ontario's shoreline.^[5][6] All day GO Train service ran 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 is the keystone corridor of GO Transit.^[5] 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.^[7][8] The Milton GO Train line opened in 1981, followed by the Bradford (now Barrie) and Stouffville lines a year later, establishing the 7 rail corridors that today's rail service is based upon.^[8]

Cab Control Car of a GO Train with a view of the CN Tower in the background

Other than establishing new rail corridors, GO Transit introduced the Bi-Level 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.^[9] In that same year, the current GO concourse at Union Station was built to accommodate these additional passengers. GO Bus service also started out in 1970 as an extension of the original Lakeshore train line. It eventually became a full-fledged network in its own right, feeding rail service and serving communities beyond the reach of existing trains.

Towards the end of 1982, Ontario Minister of Transportation and Communications James W. Snow announced the launching of GO-ALRT (Advanced Light Rail Transit), an interregional light rail transit program providing $2.6 billion (1980 dollars) of infrastructure.^[10] Although this plan did not come to fruition, 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.^[10]

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 was also extended to Burlington on the Lakeshore West line in 1992.^[5][7][11] But the era of continuous growth came to end as ridership shrank as a result of the early 1990s recession. 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.^[11]

Reconfiguration and revival

All day train service was restored from Burlington to Whitby, and peak service was finally brought to Oshawa in 2000, but this would be only one indicator of things to come. A large initiative to expand the GO Transit network in the mid-2000s under the GO Transit Rail Improvement Plan, or GO TRIP. $1 billion was invested in multiple rail and bus projects, making it the largest commuter rail project in Canadian history.^[12][13] 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 the leadup to the 2007 provincial election. With significant re-investment in regional transit, GO experienced significant 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, and to Kitchener in 2011;^[14] and an excursion train now operates on summer weekends to Niagara Falls.

GO Transit also went through three major reconfigurations. In January 1997, the province announced it would hand over funding responsibility for GO Transit to the GTHA municipalities. However, the Greater Toronto Services Board was abolished on New Years Day 2002, and the province re-assumed funding responsibility.^[15][16] 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 would then become merged with GO Transit in 2009 under the name Metrolinx. GO Transit would continue as an operating division alongside two other major initiatives: the Union Pearson Express and Presto card.

The 'Georgetown South' project involves expanding tracks shared by trains on the Barrie, Georgetown and Milton lines, as well as the Union Pearson Express.

Future

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.^[17] Metrolinx is continuing to move forward with planning for this service expansion, which is now known as Regional Express Rail, in likeness to the service of a similar name in France.^[18] Part of Metrolinx's Big Move regional transportation plan, is estimated to cost $4.9 billion and serve 30 million additional riders by 2031.^[19] Other possible future rail service extensions identified in GO Transit's 2020 plan include Niagara Region, Bolton, Brantford, Peterborough and Uxbridge.^[20]

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 the next 10 to 15 years.^[21] Improvements include new roof and glass atrium, covering the tracks platforms and railway tracks, new staircases, additional vertical access points, and general visual improvements of the platforms and concourses.^[22][23] Other options such as a second downtown station are also being studied to meet future demand.^[24]

In partnership with the City of Mississauga, GO is developing the Mississauga Transitway bus rapid transit (BRT) system after much success with its Highway 407 express buses, launched in the fall of 2000. 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.^[25]

A new rolling stock depot is planned in Whitby; funded by Ontario and the federal government.^[26]

Service

Service area

Approximate service area of GO Transit.

The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) consists of the City of Toronto, the City of Hamilton, and the surrounding Regions of Halton, Peel, York, and Durham. GO Transit also reaches beyond the GTHA into Niagara and Waterloo Regions, and Peterborough, Simcoe, Dufferin, and Wellington Counties.^[1]

In total, GO trains and buses serve a population of 7 million in a 11,000 square kilometres (4,200 sq mi) area radiating in places more than 140 kilometres (87 mi) from downtown Toronto. Present extrema are Hamilton and Waterloo to the west; Orangeville, Barrie, and Beaverton to the north; Peterborough and Newcastle to the east; and Niagara Falls to the south.^[1]

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 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.

Lakeshore West (to Hamilton, with buses and seasonal weekend trains to Niagara Falls)

Milton (to Milton, with buses to Waterloo)

Kitchener

Barrie

Richmond Hill

Stouffville (to Lincolnville, with buses to Uxbridge)

Lakeshore East (to Oshawa, with buses to Newcastle and Peterborough)

Operations

Rail

A GO Train along the Lakeshore West line.

GO Transit's rail services (reporting mark GOT) carry the large majority of its overall ridership. Passengers are carried by Bi-Level coaches built by Bombardier Transportation.^[27] These coaches, easily identifiable by their elongated-octagon shape, were designed in the mid-1970s for GO Transit by Hawker Siddeley Canada as a more efficient replacement for GO's original single-deck coaches and cab cars. Later coaches were manufactured by Can-Car and finally Bombardier, which now owns the designs and manufacturing facility. There are more than 700 such coaches in service and almost all have been built at the company's Thunder Bay, and Plattsburgh, New York plants. They are used by a number of other commuter railways across North America. They have a seating capacity of 162 people per coach, or 1,944 per train.^[28] The coaches are primarily pulled/pushed by MPI MP40 locomotives, which replaced most of the older EMD F59PH locomotive. The new MP40 is more powerful, allowing it to pull 12 coaches instead of 10.^[28] All upper levels of the coaches on rush hour trains are designated "Quiet Zones".^[29]

An MP40PH-3C locomotive.

Most GO Train routes operate only in peak rush-hour periods towards Union Station, which accounts for over 90% of its train ridership.^[1] Off-peak train service is provided only on parts of the Lakeshore lines and the Kitchener line to Mount Pleasant; half-hourly trains operate on weekdays off-peak hours and weekends between Aldershot and Oshawa. Each train (except Milton trains, which operate with two Commuter Train Operators, one fulfilling the role of both Conductor and CSA) runs with a three-person crew. Two Commuter Train Operators^[30] drive the train and handle related operations. The third crew member is the Customer Service Ambassador who deals with passenger service issues, and is stationed in the accessibility coach in the middle of the train. Bombardier Transportation is responsible for providing train operations, taking over from CN crews in 2007 and CP Crews in 2015. ^[31] GO trains achieve on-time performance of approximately 95%,^[32] and a refund will be provided if a train is more than 15 minutes late, with some conditions.^[33]

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 by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). In 1988, as part of expanding service east of Pickering, GO built its first section of self-owned purpose-built trackage.^[34] As of 1998, GO owned only 6% of 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. CP still owns most of the Milton line. This puts Metrolinx ownership at 80% of GO Transit's trackage.^[35]

Bus

A single-level GO bus.

Thousands of passengers move between GO and TTC service at Union Station on Toronto's Front Street

GO Transit operates single-level coach buses and double-decker buses. Most of the older buses in the fleet are 45-foot, single-level D4500 coach buses built by Motor Coach Industries (MCI), which can seat 57 people. In April 2008, GO began operating 43-foot Enviro 500 double-decker buses built by Alexander Dennis.^[36] The first two batches of double deckers have a height of 4.2 metres and due to height clearance restrictions on many routes, these buses run exclusively on GO's Highway 407 and Highway 403 corridor, with an additional order of these buses allowing them to provide service to York Region.^[37] All of the buses are equipped with bike racks.^[1]

These original Enviro 500 buses were too tall to meet many height standards set by the provincial Ministry of Transportation and thus are restricted to routes which avoid low bridges and underpasses. For this reason, GO ordered new units for its fleet in 2013 with a redesigned front and a height of 4.1 metres, 10 cm lower than 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.^[38]

These buses, though, are still too high to fit in a number of GO terminals, namely Hamilton, Yorkdale, York Mills, and Union Station, so a further order of double deckers will have an even lower height of 3.9 metres and can be used on the entire GO bus network.^[39] As part of this latest deal, a new bus chassis assembly facility is to be established in Ontario, creating up to 30 new full-time jobs.^[39]

Most GO bus service is designed to stand in for train service when it is not operating, or extend the reach of train service to communities beyond their terminus by buses. Other GO buses are independent of rail services, such as the Highway 407 GO bus, which provides service that circles Toronto and makes connections between all train lines. There are also routes that serve Pearson International Airport, seasonal destinations such as Canada's Wonderland, and several colleges and universities. GO buses serve most GO train stations, 16 bus terminals, and intermediate stops and ticket agencies.^[1][40]

The first bus model used with GO Transit livery was unveiled at Queen's Park on 11 August 1970, about a month before commencing operations on its expanded services east, west, and north of Toronto.^[41] Operated by Gray Coach,^[42] a pilot program to test them was conducted in Pickering before they entered service on 8 September 1970.^[43]

Stations and connections

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 a ticket sales booth or vending machine.

Ten of GO's train stations are shared with Via Rail. GO also connects with fifteen other municipal transit providers, such as the TTC. Metrolinx calls many of these transfer points between services mobility hubs, and it has made them a priority as it moves forward with The Big Move regional transportation plan.

Ridership

GO runs 240 train trips carrying 187,000 riders on a regular weekday as well as 2,061 bus trips carrying 64,000 passengers. This adds up to 251,000 passengers throughout the entire system on a typical weekday.^[1] In 2012, GO Transit ridership totalled 65.5 million, a 5% increase compared to 2011, and a 19% increase compared to 2007. Ridership growth is projected to continue at 5.3% to 69 million by the end of the 2013-2014 fiscal year,^[32] and over 120 million by 2020.^[20]

At least 96% of 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.^[1] The average trip taken by a passenger is 33.5 kilometres (20.8 mi) long. The majority of GO Transit commuters have a private vehicle available to them for 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.^[20] Over half of GO's ridership occurs on 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. This is followed by the Milton line, carrying almost 15% of all ridership. Other corridors carry 5-9% of riders each.^[44]

A graphic representation of actual and projected annual ridership, 1980-2020.^[20][45]

GO Transit Rail Weekday Ridership (2014)[44]
Corridor	Riders	%
Lakeshore West	60,000	29.7%
Lakeshore East	52,000	25.7%
Milton	30,000	14.9%
Kitchener	18,000	8.9%
Barrie	17,000	8.4%
Stouffville	15,000	7.4%
Richmond Hill	10,000	5.0%
Total - GO Rail System			202,000

Fares

A GO Train Delays board in the Long Branch Train Station

Fares on the network are based a zone tariff set between two specified points by GO Transit, and the type of passenger using the ticket.^[46] Passenger categories exist for adults, students, seniors, children, and groups. Tickets are also sold for single trip, or passes for one day or one month.^[47] Tickets can be used on a GO train, bus, or a combination of both. They can be purchased at train stations, bus terminals, ticket agencies, or on GO buses.^[46]

The Presto card, available on all GO trains and buses,^[48] 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.^[49] Discounted fares are available for passengers who use local transit to connect with a GO bus or train.^[46]

The Presto system allows passengers to load a re-loadable card with any amount starting at $10, up to $1,000. 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 the card. The card can also be linked to a credit 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 (e.g., setting it to add $100 every time the balance decreases to less than $25).

GO Trains utilize a "Proof-of-payment honour system" on which passengers may be subject to random inspections to prove that they have paid their fares. This system is designed to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The integrity of this system is protected by Metrolinx's By-law No. 2, which by reference to the Provincial Offences Act imposes a $100 fine for fare evasion.^[50][51]

Logo

The GO logo and colours were adjusted in 2013.

The GO Transit logo has remained largely unchanged since the agency was founded. The design was created by Gangon/Valkus, a Montreal-based design firm that was also responsible for the corporate identities of Canadian National and Hydro-Québec.^[52][53] 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 was good enough."^[52]

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, a gap now exists with a bolder white ‘T’ to enhance them.^[52] 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.^[54][55]

Safety and security

Special Constables

Current shoulder flashes from GO Transit's Transit Safety Unit, the right being from a Special Constable, and the left with gold stitching being that of a Sergeant

GO Transit employs Transit Safety Officers, who are designated Special Constables that patrol transit property. They are sworn Peace Officers 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, while also promoting railway safety.^[56] Under the Police Services Act, Transit Safety Officers are appointed by the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, with approval from the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services.^[57]

In addition to By-law No. 2, they have the authority to enforce other laws under police powers such as the Criminal Code, Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, Safe Streets Act, Liquor Licence Act, Mental Health Act, and Trespass to Property Act. GO Transit Special Constables are outfitted with peaked caps (similar to police officers) with a cap badge and a black band, grey shirts displaying the Transit Safety shield and the words "Transit Safety Officer", a black bullet-resistant vest with “Transit Safety Officer” printed across the front and back, black pants with a reflective grey stripe, OC foam and an expandable baton on their duty belts.^[56] GO Transit operates a 24-hour transit safety dispatch centre that is able to dispatch Police and Special Constables to all areas served by GO. Customers are also encouraged to report any crimes on GO property to Transit Safety dispatch, or 9-1-1.^[56]

GO Transit also employs Provincial Offences Officers, known as Customer Attendants, to enforce the proof-of-payment system.^[58] Customer Attendants wear white shirts displaying the Transit Safety shield and the words "Transit Safety".

By-law No. 2

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 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 a fine under the Provincial Offences Act.^[50]

Incidents

On December 12, 1975, a westbound GO train collided with a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus that was stalled on 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.^[59]

Since 1991, there has only been one GO train accident that substantiated a report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. On November 17, 1997, an empty train collided with another train waiting to depart Union Station with over 800 passengers on board. The empty train's locomotive engineer was at the opposite end of the train, and the conductor at the leading end failed in his attempts to relay the situation to the engineer or apply the emergency brake. The two trains then collided at a speed of 19 km/h (12 mph), causing a partial derailment and minor injuries to fifty-four passengers and two crew members. The subsequent report made recommendations that included making emergency brakes more accessible, and that the locomotive engineer must always control the train from the leading end in the Union Station Rail Corridor.^[60]

On January 14, 2015, a GO bus on Highway 407 near Weston Road hit the guard rail, rolled down into the ditch with one passenger ejected and crushed to death. 3 out of 5 others, including the bus driver were injured and taken to hospital.^[61] On March 2, 2015 the GO Transit driver was charged with careless driving causing death.^[62]

References

1. "Info to GO" (PDF). GO Transit. April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
2. "GO Transit President’s Board Update February 2013" (PDF). GO Transit. February 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
3. "Metrolinx Overview". Metrolinx. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
4. Sergeant, Ch.2: Setting the Scene.
5. Garcia et al.: Lakeshore corridor
6. Sergeant, Ch.4: Buying the trains.
7. Garcia et al.: Georgetown corridor
8. Garcia et al.: Regional Transit Routes
9. "BiLevel Coaches in Canada and the USA". Bombardier Transportation. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
10. Garcia et al.: GO ALRT
11. Garcia et al.: Bradford corridor
12. http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/surface-transit-projects-go-1010.htm
13. http://www.canadianconsultingengineer.com/news/award-of-excellence-project-management-go-transit-rail-improvements/1000742547/
14. "Next stop, Guelph! GO Train service starts Dec. 19". Guelph Mercury. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
15. http://transit.toronto.on.ca/regional/2004.shtml
16. http://munkschool.utoronto.ca/imfg/uploads/275/1560_imfg_no_17_online_full_colour.pdf
17. "The Ontario Liberal Plan 2011-2015" (PDF). Ontario Liberal Party. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
18. "Metrolinx Regional Express Rail". Metrolinx. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
19. "GO Rail Service Expansion: More Two-Way All-Day & Rush Hour Service" (PDF). Metrolinx. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
20. GO Transit. "GO 2020" (PDF). Retrieved 7 June 2011.
21. "Changes to Front Street at Union Station". City of Toronto. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
22. "Union Station Revitalization". City of Toronto. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
23. CTV News (24 July 2011). "Toronto's Union Station in store for a makeover". CTV. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
24. "Union Station 2031 and Related Planning Studies" (PDF). Metrolinx. 23 November 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
25. "Board Report: GO Electrification Study" (PDF). Metrolinx. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
26. "PPP for new GO Transit maintenance facility - Railway Gazette". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
27. "GO News: Winter 2011" (PDF). GO Transit. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
28. "Quick Facts: GO Trains" (PDF). GO Transit. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
29. "Welcome to the Quiet Zone". GO Transit. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
30. http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20090713/Agenda_Item4%28A%29_Approval_of_2008-09_Financial_Statements-GOTransit_Attachment-Annual_Report.pdf
31. "GO deal swaps CN crews with Bombardier personnel". Toronto Star. 9 November 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
32. "GO Transit President's Board Update" (PDF). Metrolinx. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
33. "GO Transit riders eligible for full-fare credit if train delayed 15 minutes". National Post. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
34. "GO Transit's Lakeshore Line". Transit Toronto. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
35. "Rail Corridor Ownership". Metrolinx. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
36. "Quick Facts: GO Buses" (PDF). GO Transit. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
37. Pearce, Sean (9 April 2008). "Stacking the deck for transit service". Markham Economist and Sun. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
38. Kalinowski, Tess (Apr 3, 2013). "GO adds new double-deckers that ride a bit lower". Toronto Star. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
39. "Metrolinx bus purchase to improve service and create jobs". Media Release. Metrolinx. 24 Nov 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
40. "GO Transit 2008-09 Annual Report" Check |url= value (help) (PDF). GO Transit. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
41. "GO Transit bus unveiled". The Era. 12 August 1970. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
42. GO Transit (16 September 1970), GO grows with Newmarket, The Era
43. "GO buses—but no trains". The Era. 6 May 1970. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
44. "REGIONAL EXPRESS RAIL (RER)" (PDF). Metrolinx. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
45. "GO Annual Report 2011-12" (PDF). GO Transit. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
46. "Fare Info". GO Transit. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
47. "Ticket Types". GO Transit. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
48. "GO with PRESTO". GO Transit. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
49. "Fares & Travel Info". PRESTO. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
50. "GO Transit By-law No. 2" (PDF). GO Transit. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
51. Kalinowski, Tess (14 February 2014). "Metrolinx raises ticket fines for the 29% who don’t pay up". Toronto Star. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
52. Greg Cunneyworth. "The design history of the GO Transit logo" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-08-29.
53. "Hydro-Québec Logo". Famous Logos. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
54. "Static Signage Catalogue" (PDF). Metrolinx. October 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
55. "GO Transit trains and buses get a makeover". Toronto Star. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
56. "Safety and Security". GO Transit. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
57. "Special Constable Program". Ontario Provincial Police. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
58. "GO Transit By-law No. 5" (PDF). GO Transit. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
59. "1975: Bus / GO train tragedy". Scarborough Historical Society. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
60. "TSB Railway Occurrence Report Number R97T0299". Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
61. "Woman, 56, dead after GO bus rollover in Vaughan". CityNews Toronto. 15 January 2015. Retrieved March 2015. A woman is dead after a she was thrown from a GO bus when it rolled over on Highway 407 on Wednesday night.
62. "GO bus driver charged in deadly crash on Hwy. 407". CBC News. 2 March 2015. Retrieved March 2015. A GO bus driver has been charged with careless driving in connection with a deadly crash that occurred on Hwy. 407 in January. He is due to appear in court in April.

General references

• Garcia, Daniel; Bow, James; Marshall, Sean; and Drost, Peter (10 November 2006). "Regional Transit Routes - Transit Toronto". Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  • Part of collection: Lakeshore, Georgetown, Richmond Hill, Milton, Bradford, Stouffville corridors, and GO ALRT

Bibliography

• Sergeant, Wilfred (2004). "Building GO-Transit: The Rail Commuter Initiative of The Government of Ontario & Canadian National Railways, People in the project 1965-1969". Starkville, MS: HTA PRESS.

External links

• Official website
• Expansion Projects
• Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587
• FindTheWay.ca