St. Catharines Transit

Last updated
St. Catharines Transit
STC transit logo.png
St. Catharines Transit 1 029.jpg
Bus 0805, a 2008 New Flyer DE40LFR.
Founded1961 (1961)
Defunct31 December 2022
Headquarters2012 First Street South
Service area St. Catharines and Thorold, Ontario
Service type Bus service, Paratransit
Routes29
StationsDowntown Terminal,
70 Carlisle Street
43°09′35″N79°14′38″W / 43.15972°N 79.24389°W / 43.15972; -79.24389
Fleet75
Fuel type Diesel, Diesel-electric hybrid
OperatorSt. Catharines Transit Commission
Website www.YourBus.com

St. Catharines Transit (SCT) is a provider of Niagara Transit which provided bus services to St. Catharines, Ontario, and the neighbouring city of Thorold. It was originally a public transit service that lasted from 1961 to 2022. The St. Catharines Transit Commission took over operation of transit services within the city from Canadian National Transportation in 1961. [1] In January 2023, St. Catharines Transit was merged with Niagara Falls Transit, Welland Transit, and Fort Erie Transit to form a single regional transit service, Niagara Region Transit. [2]

Contents

The Transit Operations Facility opened in 1991 and the Downtown Terminal (within a regional district building of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation) opened in 1996. The bus terminal is also served by Coach Canada for intercity coach service to Toronto, [3] with connections to a number of major cities throughout Canada and the United States.

History

Local public transportation in the area originally consisted of horse drawn cars, subsequently upgraded to electric railway service. Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto Railway Company, founded in 1898, was acquired by the Canadian Northern Railway in 1908 which became Canadian National Railways in 1918 and converted to bus operations after 1931. The portion of this system operating within the City of St. Catharines was transferred to the St. Catharines Transit Commission in 1961, which adopted the operating name of St. Catharines Transit in 1974. [4] All St. Catharines Transit services and equipment were transferred to Niagara Region Transit in January of 2023 to create a single unified regional transit service that included Welland Transit and Niagara Falls Transit. [2] However, buses in the old St. Catharines Transit livery can continue to be seen as not all have been converted to the new livery.

In 2022, the service began exploring an electrification of its existing diesel fleet. [5]

Former Services

Regular routes

The St. Catharines Transit Commission (SCT) operated most of their routes through Downtown St. Catharines, with routes meeting at the Downtown Bus Terminal. Additional main transfer points also existed at The Pen Centre, Fairview Mall, Thorold Towpath Terminal, and at Brock University.

The majority of the routes operated weekdays using one numbering scheme, while weekday evenings, Saturdays, Sundays and major holidays operated with a separate numbering scheme. [6]

Though it may appear confusing at first glance, many routes interlined, meaning that they continued to other routes once reaching their terminus. This occurs in at the bus terminal in Downtown St. Catharines, and at both northern and southern terminals. [7]

Daytime Bus Routes

Although the services are no longer operated by St. Catharines Transit, they continue to operate largely unchanged under Niagara Region Transit as of February, 2023. [2]

RouteNameTerminalTerminal
301HospitalDowntownPort Dalhousie
302Ontario StreetDowntownLakeshore Road
303Pelham RoadDowntownSmart Centre West
304Oakdale AvenueDowntownThe Pen Centre
305Haig StreetDowntownLinwell & Geneva
306Lake StreetDowntownPort Dalhousie
307Niagara StreetDowntownPort Weller
308Grantham AvenueDowntownGrantham Lions Park
309Geneva StreetDowntownGrantham Lions Park
310Glenridge AvenueDowntownThe Pen Centre
311Hartzell RoadDowntownSt Davids & Ormond
312Vine StreetDowntownLakeshore Road
314Scott StreetFairview MallDorchester & Sheman
315West St. CatharinesDowntownThe Pen Centre
316Brock-GlenridgeDowntownBrock University
317Bunting RoadDowntownLinewell & Sherman
318Secord WoodsDowntownThe Pen Centre
320ThoroldThe Pen CentreThorold Towpath Terminal
321Confederation AvenueBrock UniversityThorold Towpath Terminal
322Thorold SouthThorold Towpath TerminalThorold South
323West Brock CommuterBrock UniversityPelham & Louth
324Tupper DriveBrock UniversityRichmond & Confederation Av
331Richmond StreetBrock UniversityRichmond & Confederation Av
332Brock TowpathBrock UniversityThorold Towpath Terminal
335Brock-Pen CentreBrock UniversityThe Pen Centre
336Brock-Pen-GlendaleBrock UniversityThe Pen Centre
337ECrosstown-EastNiagara Health SystemLock 3 Museum
337WCrosstown-WestLock 3 MuseumNiagara Health System
338GO Train ConnectionDowntownSt. Catharine's GO

Weeknight, Weekend, and Holiday Bus Routes

RouteNameTerminalTerminal
401HospitalDowntownPort Dalhousie
402Ontario StreetDowntownLakeshore Road
403Pelham RoadDowntownSmart Centre West
404Oakdale AvenueDowntownThe Pen Centre
406Lake StreetDowntownPort Dalhousie
408Grantham AvenueDowntownGrantham Lions Park
409Geneva StreetDowntownGrantham Lions Park
410Glenridge AvenueDowntownThe Pen Centre
412Vine StreetDowntownLakeshore Road
414Scott StreetFairview MallDorchester & Sheman
415West St. CatharinesDowntownThe Pen Centre
416Brock-GlenridgeDowntownBrock University
417Bunting RoadDowntownGrantham Lions Park
418Secord WoodsDowntownThe Pen Centre
420ThoroldThe Pen CentreThorold Towpath Terminal
421Confederation AvenueBrock UniversityThorold Towpath Terminal
423 (Weeknights Only)West Brock CommuterBrock UniversityPelham & Louth
424 (Weeknights Only)Tupper DriveBrock UniversityRichmond & Confederation Av
425 (Weeknights Only)Brock BulletBrock UniversityDowntown
431 (Weeknights Only)Richmond StreetBrock UniversityRichmond & Confederation Av
432 (Weeknights Only)Brock TowpathBrock UniversityThorold Towpath Terminal
435Brock-Pen CentreBrock UniversityThe Pen Centre
436 (Weeknights Only)Brock-Pen-GlendaleBrock UniversityThe Pen Centre
437ECrosstown-EastNiagara Health SystemSeapark Dr
437WCrosstown-WestSeapark DrNiagara Health System
438GO Train ConnectionDowntownSt. Catharine's GO


Paratransit

In addition to accessible bus routes, which enable those with reduced mobility to board a 'low floor' transit bus, St. Catharines Transit also provides paratransit services for those who cannot board a regular city bus and accessible bus service is not available.

Terminals/Hubs

There are many terminals/hubs throughout the system, these include:

Former Fleet

St. Catharines Transit 1 022.jpg

In January 2023, St. Catharines Transit's fleet was transferred to Niagara Region Transit as part of the amalgamation of local transit services in the region.

See also

References

  1. ↑ St. Catharines Transit - History
  2. 1 2 3 "Niagara Transit Commission - Niagara Region, Ontario". www.niagararegion.ca. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
  3. ↑ St. Catharines tourism
  4. ↑ Transit History of St. Catharines, Ontario
  5. ↑ "Canada and FCM invest in electrifying public transit in St. Catharines during #EVWeek". Mass Transit. July 18, 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  6. ↑ "Routes and Schedules -- St Catharines Transit Commission". St. Catharines Transit Commission. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  7. ↑ St. Catharines Transit Commission website
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