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TTC Launches the 900 Express Bus Network (Updated)

Updated July 26, 2018 at 1:15 pm: Stop locations added for September 2018 express routes.

Starting in September, 2018, the TTC will begin to roll out its Express Bus network, a scheme that has been in the works for a few years and is described in the Express Bus Network Study of June 2017.

The implementation will proceed over several months as schedules for the affected routes must be adjusted, and doing this as one “big bang” is more upheaval than TTC staff and management really need.

At the same time as services are revised, they will also be rebranded into a consistent 900-series of route numbers regardless of whether they are “E” branches of existing routes or are “Rocket” services in the 18x and 19x range. Only the 14x Premium Express services will retain their numbers.

Routes typically take the same number as the base route so that, for example, 954 is the express service replacing the 54E on Lawrence East. Where services run in a rapid transit corridor (current or future), they use the corresponding rapid transit number. For example, the existing 131E Nugget Express paralleling the SRT will become route 903. There are, of course, some exceptions just to keep those who try to memorize the entire list on their toes.

The new routes and numbers are listed in the tables below. Changes for September are firm, and they will take effect with the new schedules on September 2, 2018. Other changes are proposed, but not yet scheduled.

I will include service level details in a separate article on the overall September 2 schedule changes. Stop locations for the September changes follow the tables below.

Effective September 2, 2018

New/Revised Route
902 Markham Road Express (New)
913 Progress Express Partly replaces 134C Progress
937 Islington Express (New)
984 Sheppard West Express Replaces 84E Sheppard West
985 Sheppard East Express Replaces 190 Scarborough Centre Rocket
905 Eglinton East Express Replaces 198 UTSC Rocket
925 Don Mills Express Replaces 185 Don Mills Rocket
927 Highway 27 Express Replaces 191 Highway 27 Rocket
935 Jane Express Replaces 195 Jane Rocket
939 Finch Express Replaces 199 Finch Rocket
954 Lawrence East Express Replaces 54E Lawrence East
960 Steeles West Express Replaces 60E Steeles West

Effective October 7, 2018

New/Revised Route
929 Dufferin Express (New)
952 Lawrence West Express (New)
989 Weston Express (New)
924 Victoria Park Express Replaces 24E Victoria Park

Future Changes

Revised Route
900 Airport Express Replaces 192 Airport Rocket
903 Kennedy-Scarborough Centre Express Replaces 131E Nugget
941 Keele Express Replaces 41E Keele
944 Kipling South Express Replaces 188 Kiping South Rocket
945 Kipling Express Replaces 45E Kipling
953 Steeles East Express Replaces 53E/53F Steeles East
986 Scarborough Express Replaces 86E Scarborough
993 Exhibition Express [seasonal] Replaces 193 Exhibition Rocket
995 York Mills Express Replaces 95E York Mills
996 Wilson Express Replaces 186 Wilson Rocket

Stop Locations

The express stop locations for the September changes have been announced:

937 Islington

Northbound 937 buses operate EXPRESS from Islington Station to Rexdale, stopping only at Islington Station, Eglinton Avenue West, The Westway, Dixon Road, Monogram Place, Rexdale Boulevard. 937 buses operate LOCAL from Rexdale Boulevard and Islington Avenue to Islington/Steeles off-street loop.

Southbound 937 express buses operate LOCAL from the Islington/Steeles off-street loop to Rexdale Boulevard. 937 express buses then operate EXPRESS from Rexdale Boulevard to Islington Station, stopping only at Rexdale Boulevard, Westhampton Drive, Dixon Road, The Westway, Eglinton Avenue West, and Islington Station.

954 Lawrence East Express

This route replaces the existing 54E with the same route and stopping pattern.

960 Steeles West Express

This route replaces the existing 60E with the same route and stopping pattern.

984 Sheppard West Express

During peak periods, the express service will be extended from the existing 84E terminus at Sheppard West Station to Weston Road. Off peak express service will end at Sheppard West Station as at present.

Westbound stops: Sheppard Station, Brentwood Avenue, Bathurst Street (nearside), Bathurst Street (farside), Wilmington Avenue, Wilson Heights Boulevard, Sheppard West Station, Bakersfield Street, Keele Street, Sentinel Road, Arleta Avenue, Jane Street, Weston Road.

Eastbound stops: Bradstock Road at Weston Road, Sheppard Avenue West at Abraham Welsh Road, Jane Street (nearside), Jane Street (farside), Northover Street, Sentinel Road, Keele Street, Vitti Street, Sheppard West Station, Faywood Boulevard, Bathurst Street (nearside), Bathurst Street (farside), Easton Road, Sheppard Station.

985 Sheppard East Express

This route replaces 190 Scarborough Centre Rocket. The route will have two branches:

  • 985A will operate to Scarborough Centre Station as the 190 does today.
  • 985B will operate to Meadowvale Road during peak periods.

Local service on route 85 Sheppard East will be provided by standard buses, and artics will be used for the 985 services. One stop will be added on the common section of the route at Brian Drive / Consumers Road.

Eastbound stops (985B only): Brimley Road, McCowan Avenue, Havenview Road, Markham Road, Progress Avenue, Lapsley Road, Neilson Road, Breckon Gate, Morningside Avenue, Grand Marshal Drive, Conlins Road, Dean Park Road, Idagrove Gate, Meadowvale Loop.

Westbound stops (985B only): Meadowvale Loop, Meadowvale Road (farside stop), Idagrove Gate, Rouge River Drive, Conlins Road, Water Tower Gate, Morningside Avenue (farside stop), Brenyon Way, Neilson Road, Washburn Way, Malvern Street, Markham Road (farside stop), Shorting Road, McCowan Road, Brimley Road.

902 Markham Road Express

A new peak and midday express service will operate from Warden Station to Sheppard via Centennial College.

Southbound stops: Markham Road at Sheppard Avenue East, Progress Avenue at Milner Avenue, Centennial College Progress Campus, Markham Road at Progress Avenue, Markham Road at Ellesmere Road, Markham Road at Brimorton Drive, Markham Road at Painted Post Drive, Markham Road at Lawrence Avenue East, Markham Road at Blake Manor Boulevard, Markham Road at Eglinton Avenue East, Kingston Road at Parkcrest Drive, Kingston Road at McCowan Road, St. Clair Avenue East at Kingston Road, St. Clair Avenue East at Brimley Road, St. Clair Avenue East at Midland Avenue, St. Clair Avenue East at Danforth Road, St. Clair Avenue East at Birchmount Road, Warden Station.

Northbound stops: Warden Station, St. Clair Avenue East at Birchmount Road, St. Clair Avenue East at Danforth Road, St. Clair Avenue East at Midland Avenue, St. Clair Avenue East at Brimley Road, St. Clair Avenue East at Kingston Road, Kingston Road at Cathedral Bluffs Drive, Kingston Road at Parkcrest Drive, Markham Road at Kingston Road, Markham Road at Eglinton Avenue East, Markham Road at Blake Manor Boulevard, Markham Road at Lawrence Avenue East, Markham Road at Painted Post Drive, Markham Road at Brimorton Drive, Markham Road at Ellesmere Road, Markham Road at Progress Avenue, Centennial College Progress Campus, Markham Road at Sheppard Avenue East.

913 Progress Express

This peak period service will replace the peak direction trips now operated by 134C Progress between Scarborough Town Centre and Centennial College. Counter-peak trips will continue to operate as 134C.

Northbound stops (AM Peak): Scarborough Centre Station, Triton Road at McCowan Road, Progress Avenue at Markham Road, Progress Avenue at Roadway to Centennial College, Centennial College Progress Campus

Southbound stops (PM Peak): Centennial College Progress Campus, Progress Avenue opposite Roadway to Centennial College, Progress Avenue at Markham Road, Bushby Drive at McCowan Road (McCowan RT Station), Scarborough Centre Station

925 Don Mills Express

This service replaces the existing 185 Don Mills Rocket and will have the same stopping pattern.

927 Highway 27 Express

This service replaces the existing 191 Highway 27 Rocket and will have the same stopping pattern.

935 Jane Express

This service replaces the existing 195 Jane Rocket and will have the same stopping pattern.

905 Eglinton East Express

This service replaces the existing 198 UTSC Rocket and will have the same stopping pattern.

939 Finch Express

This service replaces the existing 199 Finch Rocket. Two stops will be added on Finch Avenue West at Torresdale Avenue and at Goldfinch Court.

46 thoughts on “TTC Launches the 900 Express Bus Network (Updated)”

  1. My understanding of York Region Transit and VIva is that YRT and Viva are separately contracted operations, so there a different bus fleet is actually enforced.

    Your understanding is not totally correct, though the conclusion of different bus fleet enforcement spot on.

    YRT is the transit agency in York Region, in the same way that the TTC is in Toronto. VIVA is a service provided by YRT, in a similar way that the subway is a service provided by the TTC. I do say “similar” as there are differences, but the similarities extend to the services being somewhat more rapid than other services, and that they are distinctly denoted on their system route maps from other services.

    What is different with YRT is that unlike the TTC, the agency does not operate transit vehicles themselves. Instead, they have four separate private companies who are contracted to operate each service. There are three different contractors for the “regular” YRT routes, and a fourth that operates the VIVA routes. Having a different livery for the VIVA routes means that vehicles cannot simply be transferred between divisions on a whim. There have been some of the original VIVA Van Hool buses that have been transferred to “regular” YRT service, but they have had new liveries applied and the installation of fare collection hardware onboard – something that requires some forethought to accomplish.

    I cannot say for sure if there is much, if any, fleet shifting for the “regular” YRT routes between the three contractors. Given that the operator’s name appears in the front-right side window of each vehicle, I doubt much swapping goes on, though a change does not require the same effort as with the VIVA fleet. Contrast this to London’s TfL where bus operations are contracted to several companies. There are currently ELEVEN bus operators, though three of them are owned by the RATP group – yes, the transit operator in Paris is a bus operator in London! In many cases, each operator uses different models of vehicles, so it is often possible to know who operates a route by the type of bus on the route.

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  2. Steve said: ” My problem with the Transit City Bus Plan was that it was not aggressive enough. The new “Express Network” looks good on paper, but much of it simply rebrands existing routes with only modest actual improvements in service.”

    The questions would need to be – what is really needed to create a proper bus plan that delivered reliable, quick and comfortable service – that is really was “the better way”.

    I dare say, this would include taking some lanes of traffic, running some new roadways – or on road surfaces in parks, and/or using hydro rights of way to support it. That is, making the buses run faster, and having more of them is essential to making an express service really work. So what is a real start: say 200 additional buses, and taking/building 100 ++ lane km of roadways? This is likely viable in the outer 416, but the inner? Taking a lane each way on Ellesmere, or Kingston road East/North of Eglinton say or east of say Don Mills on Sheppard seems viable.

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  3. Why do they keep adding stops to 939 (Torresdale & Goldfinch) and 985 (Consumers road)? Is there really a demand ? They aren’t really main intersections and it will slow down the “express” service.

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  4. Express means faster service and stops should be at main intersections only.

    Steve: As details of each express service are announced, I will include the stop lists here. For the first round of additions, see the details in this article. Note that beyond a certain point on most routes, some of the “express” runs become locals as the service is simply a rebranding of the existing “E” branch of routes.

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