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Kingston Transit

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Kingston Transit
Founded1962
Headquarters1181 John Counter Blvd
Service areaKingston, Ontario
Service typeBus service
Routes27
Annual ridership6 million[1] (2017)
OperatorCity of Kingston
WebsiteOfficial Website

Kingston Transit operates the transit service in Kingston, Ontario, Canada as well as to the neighbouring community of Amherstview, in Loyalist Township. Major transfer points are at the Kingston Centre,[2] Downtown Kingston (at the corner of Bagot and Brock streets), Cataraqui Town Centre, and Gardiners Town Centre.

Kingston Transit offers service to all three schools of higher education in the region: Queen's University, St. Lawrence College, and RMC. It also offers service to the Kingston Bus Terminal and the railway station.

History

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The Kingston Public Transit System began service on July 1, 1962, when the city's Public Utilities Commission took over the operation of transit service from Kingston City Coach, a subsidiary of Colonial Coach Lines. The Kingston Transit name was adopted in 1975.

In 2017, Kingston Transit experienced a record six million rides, which was the fourth consecutive year that ridership grew by more than 10 percent.[1]

Routes

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Local

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Local routes operate Monday–Saturday from approximately 6:00 am to 11:00 pm and Sunday from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm. They run every 30 minutes Monday–Saturday before 7:00 pm, and every 60 minutes at all other times unless otherwise noted.[3]

NUM Route Name Transfer / Time Points Notes
 1  St. Lawrence College – Montreal Street Guthrie / Joyce, Downtown, St. Lawrence

College

 1B  ends Downtown
 2  Kingston Centre – Division Street Guthrie / Joyce, Bus Terminal, Downtown,

St. Lawrence College, Kingston Centre

 2B  ends Downtown

 2B  ends at Bus Terminal

 4  Downtown – Cataraqui Centre Cataraqui Centre, Kingston Gospel Temple,

Kingston Centre, Downtown

30 Minutes service on Sunday
 6  St Lawrence College – Cataraqui Centre Cataraqui Centre, Gardiners Centre, Centre 70

Park & Ride, St. Lawrence College

 6B  ends at Gardiners Centre
 7  Grant Timmins / Dalton – INVISTA Centre INVISTA Centre Park & Ride, Cataraqui Centre,

Train Station, Bus Terminal, Grant Timmins

 7B  ends at Bus Terminal

 7B  ends at Cataraqui Centre

 10  Amherstview – Cataraqui Centre Cataraqui Centre, Taylor-Kidd / Bayridge,

Loyalist / Fairfield, WJ Henderson Rec Centre

60 minute service all-day everyday
 11  Kingston Centre – Cataraqui Centre Cataraqui Centre, Gardiners Centre,

Kingston Centre

 12  Downtown – CFB Kingston Downtown, Cambrai / Princess Mary (CFB),

Downtown

Does not run on weekends
 14  Cataraqui North Cataraqui Centre, Kingston Gospel Temple,

Cataraqui Centre

Formerly.. Route  A 
 15  Centre 70 Park & Ride – Cataraqui Woods Birchwood/Peachwood, Cataraqui Centre,

Waverley/Aylmer, Gardiners Centre, Jim Beattie Park & Ride, Centre 70 Park & Ride

Formerly.. Route  B 
 16  Train Station – Bus Terminal Train Station, Kingston Centre

Bus Terminal

Formerly.. Route  C 
 18  Train Station – Downtown Train Station, St. Lawrence College,

Downtown

Now a two-way route[4]
 19  Woodhaven – Cataraqui Centre Cataraqui Centre, Cataraqui Woods / Holden,

 19A Westbrook / Roshan 

 19A  extends to Westbrook
 22  Bus Terminal – Innovation / Highway 15 Bus Terminal, Rideau Town Centre,

Innovation / Highway 15

Extended to Innovation Drive[4]
 31  Providence Care Hospital St. Lawrence College, Kingston Centre,

Princess / Ontario, Providence Care Hospital

Formerly.. Route  3  [5]
 32  St Lawrence College Providence Care Hospital, Princess / Ontario,

Kingston Centre, St. Lawrence College

Seasonal

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Seasonal routes primarily serve Queen's University and only operate from September–April (excluding the period between last exam day in December and first day of classes in January, and Reading Week).

NUM Route Name Transfer / Time Points Notes
 17A  Princess St. / Albert St. – An Clachan Princess / Albert, Union / University,

Norman Rogers / Van Order

Operates night time only (until 2:00 am)
 17D  Queen's West Campus – Downtown Queen's West Campus, Union / University,

Downtown

 17P  Downtown – Princess St. / Albert St. Downtown, University / Union,

Princess / Albert

 17W  An Clachan – Queen's West Campus Norman Rogers / Van Order, Union / Alfred,

Queens West Campus, Union / Albert

 20  Queen's Shuttle Princess / Albert, Union / University,

Queen's West Campus

Every 30 Minutes Monday–Friday,

Between 8:10 am and 5:25 pm

Express

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Express routes operate with a frequency of 10–30 minutes and have stops placed further apart than local routes.

NUM Route Direction Frequency
 501  Cataraqui Centre – Downtown Clockwise 10 minutes during rush hour
15, 20, or 30 minutes at other times
 502  Counterclockwise
 601  Innovation / Highway 15 – Queen's / Kingston General Hospital Southwest 15 minutes Monday–Friday, before 7pm
30 minutes all other times
 602  Northeast
 701  King's Crossing North – Cataraqui Centre West 15 minutes during rush hour
30 minute at other times
 702  East
 801  Montreal St. Park & Ride – Queen's/Kingston General Hospital South 15 minutes during rush hour
30 minute at other times
 802  North

Fares

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Category Cash Multi-ride Pass
(6 tickets)
Monthly Pass
Child (Ages 0–14) Free N/A N/A
Youth (Ages 15–24) $3.25 $13.50 $59.50
Adult (Ages 25–64) $16.50 $80.00
Senior (Ages 65+) $13.50 $59.50

Kingston Transit fares and My Card rates effective January 1, 2017.[6] Daily and Weekly passes are also available from various transit locations.

Kingston Transit employs a smart card payment system for monthly passes (My Pass) and tickets (My Tickets), which was introduced in August 2008.

Transfers are free for cash fares but must be obtained at the time fare is paid. They are valid for 60 minutes. Payments using My Tickets have transfers automatically stored inside the card.

Queen's University students, who are members of the AMS or SGPS, as well as St. Lawrence College students can ride free, as part of a U-Pass program.[7][8]

Rack and Roll

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The current "Rack and Roll" system is used for bicycle transportation. If a customer wishes to bring a bicycle onto the bus, a pull-down rack is located at the outside front of the bus. The rack can currently hold 2 bicycles. It involves 2 slots which the bicycle's wheels fit into. Then, a curved hook fits around the front tire to secure the bike from falling. Rack and Roll is available during the cycling season.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Kingston Transit hit a record six million riders in 2017". City of Kingston. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  2. ^ "Kingston Centre Transit Terminal Opens". Archived from the original on 2011-06-13. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
  3. ^ "Transit Schedules & Maps - City of Kingston". www.cityofkingston.ca. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b "More trips, more often: Enhanced transit service starting January 2025". City of Kingston. Archived from the original on 2025-01-22. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  5. ^ "More frequent and available transit". cityofkingston.ca. August 9, 2024. Archived from the original on August 10, 2024.
  6. ^ "Transit Fares & Passes - City of Kingston". www.cityofkingston.ca. Retrieved Jun 27, 2021.
  7. ^ "City of Kingston, Ontario, Canada - Queen's AMS & Kingston Transit Unveil An Enhanced Bus-It Service". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
  8. ^ "AMS". Archived from the original on 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  9. ^ "Kingston Transit's Rack and Roll". Retrieved 4 February 2014. April through November
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Media related to Kingston Transit at Wikimedia Commons