Peterborough Transit
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| Founded | 1978 (Originally 1893) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 190 Simcoe Street |
| Locale | Peterborough, Ontario |
| Service area | Urban area |
| Service type | Bus service, Paratransit |
| Routes | 12 main routes, 3 express routes |
| Hubs | Downtown Transit Terminal |
| Fleet | 47 buses |
| Fuel type | Diesel |
| Operator | City of Peterborough |
| Website | Official Site |
Peterborough Transit is the public transport operator for the City of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
The majority of their system consists of twelve regular routes within the urban area of the city. There are express routes to both Trent University and Fleming College. An additional express route, which only operates weekday mornings and afternoons, serves the industrial area in the southeast. For those who are physically unable to use the regular transit bus there is a special Handi-Van paratransit service. Regular transit bus routes operate Monday to Friday between 6:00 am and 11:20 pm, Saturday from 6:40 am to 11:20 pm and Sunday from 8:00 am to 7:20 pm. The new mayor, Daryl Bennett, owner of Capitol Taxi, proposed changes that would result in the cancellation of Saturday service after 6:00 pm.[1] However, on January 31, 2011. Peterborough city council voted against these transit cuts because of the overwhelming number of complaints from residents,and because of the perceived conflict of interest for the mayor.
History
Transit originally began in Peterborough as a streetcar service with the Peterborough and Ashburnham Street Railway Company, which was established in 1893 and operated until 1898. This was followed by the Peterborough Radial Railway Company, which operated from 1902 until 1927. This ended the streetcar era in Peterborough.
Cooney and Joplin was briefly the only transit company in the city during 1927 after the Peterborough Radial Railway Company ceased operations. Later during 1927, Border Transit Limited started. They operated through until 1978 at which point the present day Peterborough Transit began operations and continues today.[2]
Routes
Peterborough Transit Terminal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | 190 Simcoe St., Peterborough, ON |
| Coordinates | 44°18′18″N 78°19′18″W / 44.30500°N 78.32167°WCoordinates: 44°18′18″N 78°19′18″W / 44.30500°N 78.32167°W |
| Owned by | City of Peterborough |
| Bus operators |
 Peterborough Transit GO Transit |
| Other information | |
| Station code | GO Transit: PETB |
| Fare zone | 30 |
There are twelve main routes, two Trent Express routes, a Fleming Express route and paratransit service.
Main routes
All core routes operate 7 days a week at 40 minute headways (Routes 2, 7, 8, and 10 run on 20 minute service between 7 and 9 AM, and 3 and 6 PM). Each of these routes terminates at the Peterborough Transit Terminal, which is at the intersection of Simcoe Street and Aylmer Street in the downtown area.
| Regular Routes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Terminus | Other Destinations Served |
| 1 | George North | Trent University | Northcrest Plaza |
| 2 | Chemong | Chemong & Milroy | Northcrest Plaza |
| 3 | Highland | Portage Plaza | Brookdale Plaza |
| 4 | Jackson Park | Glenforest & Weller | Peterborough Regional Health Centre |
| 5 | Charlotte | Lansdowne & The Parkway | Peterborough Regional Health Centre |
| 6 | SSFC/Kawartha | Sir Sandford Fleming College | |
| 7 | Lansdowne | Sir Sandford Fleming College | Lansdowne Plaza |
| 8 | Monaghan | Monaghan & Crawford | Lansdowne Plaza |
| 9 | Nicholls Park | Armour & Nassau Mills | |
| 10 | Collison | Collison & Bensfort | Market Plaza |
| 11 | Ashburnham | Willowcreek Plaza | |
| 12 | Major Bennett | Major Bennett & Jameson | Lansdowne Plaza, Market Plaza |
Trent University Express Routes
Trent University routes connect the school with downtown and run at 10-minute headways daily during the Fall and Spring semesters, with reduced service during breaks and the Summer semester. The service is directly paid for by the students through their tuition fees.
| Trent Express Routes | |
|---|---|
| Name | Terminus |
| Trent East Bank Express | Otanabee Residences |
| Trent West Bank Express | Bata Library |
Other express routes
The Technology Drive route operates during the weekday rush year round. The Fleming College route operates during the weekday rush only when school is in session. Both routes terminate in downtown
| Express Routes | |
|---|---|
| Name | Terminus |
| Sir Sanford Fleming Express | Fleming College |
| Technology Drive | Ashburnham & Technology |
Fares
| Age group | Individual Fare | 10 Ride Card | 30 Day Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children (Under 2) | Free | n/a | n/a |
| Children (Ages 2–12) | $2.50 | $22.00 | $40.00 |
| Students in secondary school | $2.50 | $22.00 | $55.00 |
| Adults and post-secondary | $2.50 | $22.00 | $60.00 |
| Seniors (65 years of age and older) | $2.50 | $22.00 | $40.00 |
Sir Sandford students must pay $200.00 for a semester pass, while Trent students have the cost paid for in their student interest fees. In addition, a new day pass has been created allowing up to two adults and four children unlimited rides for a day, this pass is $8.00. There's also a fare for their "TransCab", which is for people with; wheelchairs, scooters, etc. the fare is $3.00 per trip.
Fleet
| Make | Model | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Motors | Classic | 1 | |
| Nova Bus | LFS | 36 | |
| Motor Coach Industries | Classic | 8 | |
| Ontario Bus Industries | Orion VI | 4 | |
| Leased buses | 6 |
Criticisms
Many Peterborough Transit riders have criticized buses for being repeatedly late. Since 2005, Peterborough Transit has been slowly implementing changes to improve bus schedules. In 2006, buses began running every 40 minutes, rather than every 30 minutes, since buses would often run every 35–45 minutes anyway. This way, buses could at least meet their schedules.
Peterborough Transit is also frequently criticized for not having buses run late enough. During weekdays, the last bus departs from the terminal at 10:40, even though many riders need buses until around 1:00 am. Until recently, they were also criticized for not offering Sunday service, a problem that was fixed in 2006.
See also
References
External links
- Peterborough Transit
- Drawings and photos of Peterborough Transit buses
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Media related to Peterborough Transit at Wikimedia Commons
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