MiWay

MiWay (; stylized MiWay), also known as Mississauga Transit and originally as Mississauga Transit Systems, is the municipal public transport agency serving Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and is responsible to the city's Transportation and Works Department. MiWay services consist of two types of bus routes: MiLocal, local buses that make frequent stops, and MiExpress, express buses between major destinations. MiWay is the primary operator along the Mississauga Transitway, a dedicated east–west bus-only roadway.

MiWay's routes connect with GO Transit along with Brampton Transit to the north, Oakville Transit to the southwest, Milton Transit to the northwest, Toronto Transit Commission to the east and York Region Transit to the northeast.

MiWay is a member of the Canadian Urban Transit Association. In 2022, MiWay's annual ridership was 35.7million passengers.

History

Public transit in Mississauga was first operated by Charterways Limited as Mississauga Transit Systems with four buses in 1969. It was acquired by the city's newly formed Mississauga Transit in 1974, incorporating the former towns of Mississauga, Port Credit and Streetsville. Services began on November 1, 1973.

It later acquired routes formerly operated by others, such as;
* The Toronto Transit Commission's (TTC) 74 Port Credit bus, in February 1976, that had operated on Lakeshore Road from Long Branch since 1935. This succeeded a former interurban railway, dating back to 1892 as the Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway and Light Company.
* Gray Coach Lines, and later GO Transit, also served intercity routes on Dundas Street, and Hurontario Street, both being semi-rural provincial highways before the construction of present freeways such as Highways 401, 403, and 410.
* Malton was served by the TTC's contracted 58 Malton bus until 2014, when the route was replaced by the TTC's 52 Lawrence West route. Local services in Malton were provided since 1969 and expanded after 1973.

In the late 1990s, a growing number of Mississauga Transit buses using Burnhamthorpe Road in Toronto to reach Islington subway station were causing congestion while not serving local Toronto residents along the route. This led to a resident blockade in an incident known as "the Battle of the Buses". During the political dispute between Toronto and Mississauga city councils, the TTC commissioners responded by blocking Mississauga Transit buses from using Islington station's transit terminal from 1998 to 2001 when a compromise was reached.

Mississauga Transit was rebranded MiWay on October 4, 2010. New MiWay-branded hybrid buses entered service, with orange MiLocal buses on local routes and blue MiExpress buses on express routes. Advertisements were placed on buses and shelters in September 2010 to introduce users to the new branding. Older buses using the old logo would continue to be used until they are decommissioned. Service levels did not change with the rebranding.

The reason for the company's new name is twofold: "Mi" could be interpreted as standing for Mississauga, and it is also a homophone for "My", suggesting possession.

By December 1, 2011, MiWay's bus fleet was fully low-floor and accessible. As of October 22, 2012, bus stop pads have been put at all MiWay bus stops. This allowed the entire system to become fully accessible.

Beginning in 2016, the City of Mississauga's logo was updated, and most buses (needing to go in for repairs), had the new logo applied over the old one, and all buses ordered from 2016 onwards had the new city logo.

On April 29, 2019, 24-hour service was introduced on four bus routes.

In October 2023, MiWay began phasing out the blue MiExpress buses in their fleet by repainting existing vehicles to the standard MiWay orange livery and painting newly purchased hybrid-electric buses orange.

Services

Local Transit

MiWay operates over 60 fixed-route bus routes. Services are divided into three categories, Milocal, MiExpress, and high school routes. All buses are wheelchair-accessible.

TTC-contracted route

One Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) route, 52B/52D Lawrence West, is operated by the TTC contracted on behalf of the City of Mississauga. The fare payment method is the same as for regular MiWay buses: via a Presto card, contactless credit or debit card, or cash. As a result of the provincial One Fare program, transfers between the two systems are now free, and a second fare is no longer charged for passengers riding to or from Toronto provided that the customer uses Presto, credit or debit card within two hours of paying the initial fare.

From 2002 to 2010, another route 32B Eglinton West, operated to Explorer Drive in a similar arrangement.

Rapid transit

Bus rapid transit

The Mississauga Transitway is a mostly grade-separated twelve-stop bus rapid transit (BRT) line running across Mississauga East-West alongside or on Highway 403 and Eglinton Avenue, passing through the City Centre. MiExpress services as well as GO Transit regional bus services utilise the transitway. The line also connects to buses to Pearson Airport at Renforth station.

Rider Experience

Accessibility

MiWay operates low-floor, wheelchair-accessible buses. The last high-floor bus was retired on December 1, 2011. A separate transit service for the disabled called Transhelp is operated by the Peel Regional Municipality.

Schedules

Mississauga Transit's paper "Ride Schedules" were discontinued in 2004. From 2005 onward, all timetables were only available from the system's website.

Schedules and trip planning are available via Triplinx, a Metrolinx-provided tool for transit services in the GTHA.

Fares

MiWay's cash fare is $4.25 for riders aged 13 to 64 and $1.00 for riders aged 65 and older with valid senior photo identification. Customers can also pay their MiWay bus fare by contactless credit or debit card and the current adult cash fare price is deducted. Presto cards have been accepted throughout the entire MiWay system since May 30, 2011. Since July 29, 2019, riders can also use their Presto cards to pay both their MiWay and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) fares on TTC-operated bus routes 52B and 52D. Credit and debit cards including those loaded on mobile wallets are accepted on the Presto reader as of August 11, 2022. A fare of $4.25 is deducted (regardless of age). Children ages 0 to 12 can ride all MiWay bus routes fare-free by travelling with an accompanying fare-paying customer (as is with GO Transit and the TTC). Children travelling alone, even though they can ride fare-free, must tap in with their "child" Presto card when boarding.

Cash-paying customers can ask the bus driver for a printed paper transfer after depositing a cash fare into the fare box. For customers paying a single-ride fare by Presto card or credit or debit card, an electronic transfer is automatically stored on their card after their initial tap-on.

Transfers are valid for two hours in any direction, including transfers to and from Brampton Transit, Oakville Transit, Milton Transit, York Regional Transit services from the time of issue. Additionally customers who pay their fares by Presto, credit or debit card can also transfer between MiWay and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) services for free within 2 hours of paying the initial fare. However this does not apply to paper transfers.

Presto card fares

Other fares and fees

Presto programs

In 2007, MiWay was the first test site for the new Presto card; Presto was adopted across the entire MiWay system in May 2011. Since launching the Presto card in Mississauga, MiWay has issued more than 9,000 cards; as of 2012, they were being used for more than 2.4million trips within the system. MiWay offers two programs exclusively for Presto cardholders:
* GO Transit co-fare: Since March 14, 2022, Customers who pay their fares by Presto or contactless credit and debit card and transfer from GO Transit onto connecting MiWay buses get free admission so long as the customer swipes a Presto, credit or debit card on the Presto fare readers onto the connecting MiWay bus within the 3-hour transfer window. Passengers transferring from MiWay to GO Transit services will also be reimbursed the difference between the MiWay fare and the co-fare upon disembarking from GO Transit.
* Loyalty program (weekly fare capping): When Presto cardholders have paid for 12 regular MiWay fares in a calendar week, they are able to ride for free for the rest of the week. This program does not cover GO Transit co-fares and fares paid on other systems. The weekly ride count resets to zero on Mondays.

Smart Commute discount program

MiWay also offers discounted adult transit passes to employees of the members of Smart Commute Mississauga and Smart Commute Pearson Airport Area. Transit passes are automatically paid by payroll deduction.

Operations

Operations are funded by the city's municipal government, which allocates tax revenues to the transit operator. In 2022, the city allocated almost $90 million for Miway's budget.

MiWay's bus drivers, garage maintenance, and service workers are represented by Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1572

Transit Enforcement Services

Mississauga Transit Enforcement Officers are members of the City's Corporate Security Team. They are designated as Municipal Law Enforcement Officers and are responsible for:

*Patrolling the MiWay system
*Maintaining the integrity of the fare system by conducting inspections in fare-access areas
*Deterring crime and anti-social behaviour
*Maintaining a presence at City Centre Transit Terminal
*Providing customer service throughout the system
*Providing emergency first aid where applicable
*Enforcing City of Mississauga Transit By-Law 425-03 on Transit properties
*Liaising with other Transit Enforcement Agencies ( Metrolinx Special Constables, TTC Special Constables)

Officers can be identified by their dark coloured uniforms that bare the crest of a Mississauga Municipal Law Enforcement Officer. Their fleet consists of Ford Escape Hybrids with the MiWay corporate logo and "Transit Enforcement" written on all sides.

Incidents

June 2023 bus crash

On June 8, 2023, a MiWay bus was involved in an multi-vehicle collision that killed one person and injured 8 others. The crash occurred at Derry Rd and Rexwood. Video evidence showed the bus running into a lane of cars waiting at a red light from behind. The operator of the bus was immediately placed on leave following the incident, and was charged with dangerous operation causing death in October 2023.

September 2022 Maintenance Incident

On September 17, 2022, a maintenance worker was critically injured at the E.J. Dowling Transit Facility. The worker was taken to Credit Valley Hospital but did not survive. The worker had been performing maintenance on a bus prior to being pinned by a bus and fatally injured.

Facilities

Major Facilities

Transitway stations

For more information on the transitway, see the Bus rapid transit section. All MiWay routes are wheelchair-accessible.

Terminals and junctions

All MiWay routes are wheelchair-accessible.

* †: ''September to April only''

GO Transit stations

All MiWay routes are wheelchair-accessible.

Fleet

Future Services & Connections

Bus Services

Miway has plans to introduce express service on Eglinton Avenue, and additional possible service on Mavis Road and McLaughlin Road, which are all facing sharp increases in ridership. There have also been proposals to reinstate suspended express routes on Derry Road and Dixie Road, and to Pearson Airport. There are also plans to replace service on Churchill Meadows Boulevard and Lisgar Drive with a new route.

Light rail transit

Mississauga will be served by a 19 km light rail transit (LRT) route on Hurontario Street, running north from Port Credit GO Station and extending beyond the city limits into Brampton to terminate at Steeles Avenue. The line will link Port Credit, the City Centre, and the south end of Brampton in response to increasing congestion and anticipated high growth in the corridor. Construction began in 2020, and the line is projected to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2024. It will replace MiExpress route 103 Hurontario Express.

The LRT will not be operated by MiWay, and instead will be operated by Mobilinx, the contractor selected by Metrolinx to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain ( DBFOM) the system.

The LRT will connect to two GO Transit rail lines ( Milton line at Cooksville GO Station and Lakeshore West line at Port Credit GO Station), and other rapid transit lines including Züm Steeles, Züm Main, and the Mississauga Transitway).

Toronto Subway

In addition to the Hurontario LRT, Toronto's Line 5 Eglinton is being extended to meet the Mississauga Transitway's Renforth station, bringing the Toronto Subway into Mississauga. It is expected to be completed by 2030 or 2031. A later phase is planned extend the line further to Pearson Airport and a future Airport transit hub.

Dundas Street BRT

An additional BRT Line is proposed to be built along Dundas Street. The Dundas Street bus rapid transit line is an on-street route that is tentatively proposed to run along the Dundas Street corridor between Kipling Subway Station in Toronto and Ridgeway Drive in west Mississauga and continue west to Waterdown via Oakville and Burlington.

References

Works cited

* ''Mississauga – An Illustrated History'', Roger E. Riendeau Windsor Publications Limited 1985.
* ''Mississauga Transit – 25 Years With You On Board 1974–1999'', David Onodera, Canadian Transit Heritage Foundation 1999.
--contains a roster of buses used to 1999.
* ''Aging bus fleet to be replaced, GTA: Mississauga'', Toronto Star, August 24, 2006, R5

External links

*

Peter McLaughlin's Mississauga Bus Drawings



Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1572

{{Mississauga

Government agencies established in 1973
Transit agencies in Ontario