Students in Brampton could enjoy a one-seat ride this fall to the University of Toronto Mississauga, as Brampton Transit and the university join forces to offer an express bus route.
The new express route will cost the same as an existing Brampton Transit cash or PRESTO fare, and will run as a one-year pilot.
Three trips in the morning and three trips in the afternoon will depart from the Gateway Terminal (Main and Steeles) to UTM. The buses will stop on campus before returning to Brampton.
Mark Overton, Dean of Students Affairs at UTM, told Bramptonist that UTM will be identifying a new area near the existing campus transit plaza for Brampton buses to stop during the pilot.
Brampton Transit estimates the route will take 40 minutes. Currently, the fastest scheduled time between Gateway Terminal and UTM takes 1 hour and 3 minutes, using two buses, MiExpress 103 and MiLocal 1.
Natalie Stogdill, Media Coordinator with the City of Brampton, says “There is no financial impact on the City of Brampton to operate this express bus service. Operating costs will be funded by revenues collected through the farebox and by UTM.”
“Reducing commuting time is a significant incentive to encourage transit use, and this express route is expected to save student-passengers more than a half-hour each way,” says Overton. “This pilot project is to measure student ridership of this express bus route.”
Abdulla Omari, a UTM political science student, used to commute from Brampton to UTM. Omari says “[the bus route] should run from a more central Brampton terminal like Bramalea, then out to shoppers before heading to UTM.”
He also notes that Brampton Transit and UTM should address issues that may come up regarding the universal bus pass (U-Pass). All UTM students are charged a bulk rate which allows for unlimited travel on MiWay with their student card.
The route will run in the fall and winter term, though not on weekends or holidays. Whether the route continues past next year depends on how many riders take advantage of the express route.
Stogdill says at this time, “Brampton Transit is not considering other express routes to other post-secondary institutions.”
Currently, the city runs bus service directly to York University, Sheridan College, and Humber College. Downtown bus service supports Algoma University’s Brampton campus.
This would become Brampton Transit’s second non-Zum express route, after the 115 Bramalea Express to Pearson Airport launched a few years ago.
