Sault Transit Services

Last updated
Sault Ste. Marie Transit Services
Sault Transit Services logo.png
Founded1964
Headquarters111 Huron Street
Locale Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Service type Bus service, Paratransit
Routes7 Major Bus Routes
2 Community Bus Routes
StationsDowntown terminal
160 Queen Street East
Fleet31 Accessible
2 Minibus
11 Para-bus
Website Transit Services

Sault Ste. Marie Transit Services is a local public transportation service serving the city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario City in Ontario, Canada

Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Ontario, Canada, close to the U.S.-Canada border. It is the seat of the Algoma District and the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay.

Contents

Sault Ste. Marie Transit has seven major bus routes and two community bus routes serviced by a fleet of 31 buses and 2 minibuses, These fixed routes cover 1.765 million kilometres annually and provide for 1.95 million passenger trips in 2013, at an estimate of 5,350 daily.

The Parabus service consists of 11 Parabus vehicles, which travel a total of 262,723 km (2013), and provide 47,258 passenger trips (2013) for 2,641 registered clients (July 2014).

Route

Current

Route NumberRoute Name
1Eastside
2Great Northern
3Korah Road
4Sault College
5Riverside/McNabb
6North Street
7Steelton/Second Line
CentralCentral Community Bus
NorthernOn Demand Service

[1] [2] [3]

Former

Route NumberRoute Name
1Eastside (interlines with Steelton at Downtown Terminal)
2Steelton (interlines with Eastside at Downtown Terminal)
3Second Line (interlines with Riverside at Downtown Terminal)
4Riverside (interlines with Second Line at Downtown Terminal)
5McNabb
6Cedar Heights
7North Street
8Sault College/Algoma U
9Great Northern
ACommunity Bus A (alternates trips with Community Bus B)
BCommunity Bus B (alternates trips with Community Bus A)
CCommunity Bus C

[4]

Facilities

Downtown Terminal

Address: 160 Queen Street East (Queen & Dennis)
City: Sault Ste. Marie
Province: Ontario
Postal Code: P6A 1Y5
Facilities: Waiting area, store, wicket, drivers' area, bathrooms
Coordinates: 46°30′56″N84°20′16″W / 46.51556°N 84.33778°W / 46.51556; -84.33778

[5]

Garage/Office

Address: 111 Huron Street (Huron & Queen)
City: Sault Ste. Marie
Province: Ontario
Postal Code: P6A 5P9
Facilities: Administration offices, bus maintenance, body and paint shop and storage for the entire bus fleet (up to 48 buses storage)
Coordinates: 46°31′04″N84°20′57″W / 46.51778°N 84.34917°W / 46.51778; -84.34917

[6]

Fleet

Current fleet

Fleet numberThumbnailYearManufacturerModelLicense PlateNotes
119
1998
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
BJ8 221
120
1998
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
BJ8 219
131
2006
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
BM4 748
132
2006
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
BM7 452
133
2010
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
141 1BF
134
2010
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
141 2BF
135
2011
Novabus
Nova LFS
490 8BF
136
2011
Novabus
Nova LFS
490 9BF
137
2011
Novabus
Nova LFS
491 0BF
138
2011
Novabus
Nova LFS
491 1BF
139
2012
Novabus
Nova LFS
BJ2 899
140
2013
Novabus
Nova LFS
161 1BH
141
1999
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
BJ2 898
Ex-OC Transpo in 2013
142
1999
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
BJ3 779
Ex-OC Transpo in 2013
143
1999
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
BJ8 218
Ex-OC Transpo in 2013
146
1999
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
BM4 745
Ex-OC Transpo in 2013
147
1999
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
622 8BJ
Ex-OC Transpo in 2013
149
1999
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
289 1BF
Ex-OC Transpo in 2013
152
1999
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
247 4BJ
Ex-OC Transpo in 2013
153
1999
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
BF3 942
Ex-OC Transpo in 2013
154
2015
GMC Overland Custom Coach
4500 Glaval Titan II LF
879 0BH
155
2015
GMC Overland Custom Coach
4500 Glaval Titan II LF
879 1BH
156
2016
Novabus
Nova LFS
623 1BJ
157
2004
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
Ex-Thunder Bay Transit in 2018
158
2004
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
247 8BJ
Ex-Thunder Bay Transit in 2018
159
2004
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
624 5BJ
Ex-Thunder Bay Transit in 2018
160
2004
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
622 3BJ
Ex-Thunder Bay Transit in 2018
161
2006
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
622 6BJ
Ex-TTC 7907 in 2019
162
2006
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
246 9BJ
Ex-TTC 7911 in 2019
163
2006
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
Ex-TTC 7929 in 2019
164
2006
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
Ex-TTC 7939 in 2019
165
2019
Novabus
Nova LFS
623 2BJ
New 3rd paint scheme and uniforms
166
2019
Novabus
Nova LFS
622 5BJ
New 3rd paint scheme and uniforms

Retired fleet

Fleet numberThumbnailYearManufacturerModelNotes
39-55
1940-1963
GMC
TGH-3501 Old Look
56
1964
GMC
TGH-3501 Old Look
57, 58
1965
GMC
TGH-3501 Old Look
59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64
1966
GMC
TGH-3501 Old Look
65, 66
1968
GMDD
T6H-4521 New Look
67, 68, 69, 70, 71
1973
GMDD
T6H-4523N New Look
72, 73
1974
GMC
T6H-4523N New Look
74, 75, 76, 77
1974
GMDD
T6H-4523N New Look
78, 79
1975
GMDD
T6H-4523N New Look
80, 81
1976
GMDD
T6H-4523N New Look
82, 83
1973
Rek-Vee
Club Car
Ex-GO Transit 1201, 1204 in 1976
84
1974
Rek-Vee
Club Car
Ex-GO Transit 1232 in 1976
85, 86, 87, 88
1977
GMDD
T6H-4523N New Look
89, 90, 91, 92
1980
GMDD
T6H-4523N New Look
90 renumbered 82, 91 renumbered 99 in 1984
93, 94
1981
GMDD
T6H-5307N New Look
95, 96, 97, 98
1982
GMDD
T6H-5307N New Look
100, 101
1984
GMDD
TC40-102N Classic
102
1987
GMDD
TC40-102N Classic
103
1987
MCI
TC40-102N Classic
104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109
1990
MCI
TC40-102N Classic
110, 111, 112, 113, 114
1997
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
115, 116, 117, 118, 121
1998
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VII
122
2003
Thomas Dennis
SLF230
123
2004
Thomas Dennis
SLF235
124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130
1990
MCI
TC40-102A Classic
Ex-UTA
144, 145, 148, 150, 151
1999
Orion Bus Industries
Orion VI
Ex-OC Transpo

Parabus current fleet

Fleet numberThumbnailYearManufacturerModelNotes
30
2011
Ford
E-450
31
2011
Ford
E-450
32
2014
Ford Goshen
E-450 GC II
33
2014
Ford Goshen
E-450 GC II
34
2014
Ford Goshen
E-450 GC II
35
2016
Ford Goshen
E-450 Impulse
36
2016
Ford Goshen
E-450 Impulse
37
2017
Ford StarCraft
E-450 Allstar
38
2017
Ford StarCraft
E-450 Allstar
39
2017
Ford StarCraft
E-450 Allstar
40
2017
Ford StarCraft
E-450 Allstar

Parabus retired fleet

Fleet numberThumbnailYearManufacturerModelNotes
10, 11, 12
1989
Ford
E-350
13, 14
1990
Ford
E-350
15
1991
Ford
E-350
16
1992
Ford
E-350
17
1996
Ford
E-350
18
1998
Ford
E Super Duty
19, 20, 21
1999
Ford Girardin
E Super Duty MB-IV
22, 23
2001
Ford
E-450
24
2001
Ford Overland
E-450 ELF
25, 26
2005-2006
Ford Goshen
E-450 GC II
27, 28
2007
Chevrolet Goshen
4500 GC II
29
2009
Ford
E-450 Super Duty

Accidents

DateNumberRouteDescription
January 17 2005
???
North Street
Afternoon City Police attended at the intersection of Wilcox Street and Maple Street for an accident involving a city bus and a car. Stafie Ochman of 52 Kent Avenue was travelling southbound on Maple Street and stopped for the stop sign but then proceeded through. A city bus operated by Henry Tulonen of 8 Gordon Avenue was proceeding eastbound on Wilcox Avenue when the Ochman car drove in front of the bus. Mrs. Ochman has been charged under the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario with one count of fail to yield to through traffic. Mrs. Ochman received non-life threatening injuries but did not require medical treatment at the time of the incident. None of the persons on the bus were injured. [7]
December 6 2012
128
Riverside
A bad situation happened in just about the best circumstances when a Sault Ste. Marie Transit driver passed out behind the wheel on Thursday. The female employee lost consciousness when she had a medical episode, police say. The eastbound Riverside bus she was driving, with eight passengers on board, left Queen Street East, jumped a curb, passed through driveways of two homes at civic addresses 2166 and 2172 and plowed over small trees before stopping in an empty field about 140 metres from the road. The 32-seat 1991 MVI Classic did not hit any oncoming, or parked, vehicles and missed a hydro pole and ditch about 10 feet away. “Nothing of any kind of consequence (was struck),” said Sgt. Ray Magnan, head of traffic services with Sault Ste. Marie Police Service. The driver, who was wearing a seatbelt, was taken to Sault Area Hospital. “She’s fine,” said Magnan. The passengers, none of whom were hurt, were brought home by a transit parabus. The collision outcome was “best as could be hoped,” said transit manager Don Scott at the scene on Friday morning. “Situations like this are definitely unforeseen,” he said. “We’re just lucky that nobody was hurt this time around.” All transit drivers are required to have a physical every three years. [8]
June 13 2014
146
North Street
Call it bad luck on Friday the 13th for a North Street bus Friday afternoon. Saultonline.com viewer, James Scott sent in these photos of a city dump truck and city bus not getting along at Trelawne Avenue and Wilson Street early Friday afternoon. The City Transit Bus suffered moderate to heavy damage including a cracked windshield . It is not known if there were any passengers on the bus. No injuries were reported. [9]
January 4 2019
135
Great Northern
One person received minor injuries when a Sault Ste. Marie Transit Services bus collided with another vehicle on Lukenda Drive at Sault Area Hospital on Friday morning. The personal automobile was towed, said Const. Sonny Spina of Sault Ste. Marie Police Service. A Police investigation continues. The north-east crash was followed 20 minutes later by a two-vehicle collision at Wellington Street East and Upton Road. No one was hurt. [10]
January 21 2019
131
McNabb
Shortly after 3 p.m. Sault Ste. Marie Police Service responded to a collision involving a Sault Transit bus and a pickup truck. Police say that both vehicles were heading east on Trunk Road when the pickup truck collided with the rear of the bus. No injuries were reported. Sault Ste. Marie Police Service is investigating. [11]

Other services

Sault Ste. Marie is also connected to its American neighbour by the International Bridge Bus, which crosses the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge. The state of Michigan and the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie provide the majority of the funding, along with Lake Superior State University and Sault College. In addition to serving both downtown areas, the buses serve LSSU on the Michigan side and the Station Mall on the Canadian side.

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan City in Michigan, United States

Sault Ste. Marie is a city in, and the county seat of, Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is on the northeastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canada–US border, and separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River. The city is relatively isolated from other communities in Michigan and is 346 miles from Detroit. The population was 14,144 at the 2010 census, making it the second-most populous city in the Upper Peninsula. By contrast, the Canadian Sault Ste. Marie is much larger, with more than 75,000 residents, based on more extensive industry developed in the 20th century and an economy with closer connections to other communities.

Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge bridge connecting Canada and the United States

The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge spans the St. Marys River between the United States and Canada connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The bridge is operated by the International Bridge Administration under the direction of the Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority, a bi-national governing body consisting of four directors appointed by the Governor of Michigan and four appointed by the Canadian government-owned Federal Bridge Corporation.

Lake Superior State University United States national historic site

Lake Superior State University is a small public university in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It is Michigan's smallest public university, with an enrollment around 3,000 students. Due to its proximity to the border, notably the twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, LSSU has many Canadian students and maintains a close relationship with its international neighbor. In a sign of its unique situation, LSSU has the Canadian and United States flags on its campus, and both Canadian and American national anthems are sung at athletic events.


  1. https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Sault_Ste._Marie_Transit#Current
  2. https://saultstemarie.ca/City-Hall/City-Departments/Community-Development-Enterprise-Services/Community-Services/Transit/Bus-Routes-and-Schedules.aspx
  3. https://saultstemarie.ca/City-Hall/City-Departments/Community-Development-Enterprise-Services/Community-Services/Transit/Community-Bus.aspx
  4. https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Sault_Ste._Marie_Transit#Former
  5. https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Sault_Ste._Marie_Transit#Downtown_Terminal
  6. https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Sault_Ste._Marie_Transit#Garage.2FOffice
  7. Sootoday.com No injuries reported in Sault Transit bus crash
  8. Sault Star City bus crash could have been worse
  9. Sault Online Friday 13th crunch
  10. The Sudbury Star City bus chevy collide at hospital
  11. Sootoday.com Truck smacks city bus on trunk road

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