Route 44 Islington Route History

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44 ISLINGTON Route History
By Peter Coulman

April 11th, 1929

Maple Leaf Coach Lines acquired by Gray Coach Lines. ISLINGTON route, from Runnymede Road to Bloor Street in the town of Islington, via Dundas Street, combined with Toronto Transportation Commission LAMBTON route (Keele Street to Lambton Avenue [now Prince Edward Drive]). Both routes operated with "red" city buses, but later transferred to Gray Coach Lines.

May 5th, 1931

Coaches commence using new bus loop inside of existing streetcar tracks at Runnymede Loop.

May 19th, 1947

Free transfers initiated between the second zone of the ISLINGTON and KINGSWAY routes.

January 1st, 1954

Included in Metropolitan operation and transferred from Gray Coach Lines to the new Toronto Transit Commission.

ISLINGTON	B L O O R RUNNYMEDE
Daily, 18 hours/day

July 1st, 1954

Rush-hour only LAMBTON route incorporated into ISLINGTON service. From Runnymede Loop via Dundas to Prince Edward Drive, looping clockwise via Earlington Avenue, Government Road and Prince Edward.

ISLINGTON	B L O O R RUNNYMEDE
Daily, 18 hours/day
ISLINGTON	PRINCE EDWARD RUNNYMEDE
Monday through Saturday, rush hours only

June 29th, 1956

Service temporarily diverted via north on Diversion Road (now Royal York Road), west on Lambeth Road and south on The Kingsway to route.

July 3rd, 1956

Diversion made permanent.

September 2nd, 1956

Assigned route number 44.

ISLINGTON	44	B L O O R RUNNYMEDE
Daily, 18 hours/day
ISLINGTON	44A	PRINCE EDWARD RUNNYMEDE
Monday through Saturday, rush hours only

July 6th, 1957

44A short turn service temporarily discontinued on Saturdays during the summer months (July and August).

ISLINGTON	44	B L O O R RUNNYMEDE
Daily, 18 hours/day
ISLINGTON	44A	PRINCE EDWARD RUNNYMEDE
Monday through Friday, rush hours only

September 3rd, 1957

Curtailment made permanent.

October 7th, 1957

Buses now operating both ways via newly constructed Dundas Street overpass at Royal York Road.

September 18th, 1961

Traffic interchange at the Six Points (Bloor/Dundas/Kipling intersection) opened to vehicular traffic at 10:00 a.m., but not sufficiently complete to allow use by buses.

October 4th, 1961

Effective this date the following terminal looping inaugurated: from west on Dundas Street, north on Beamish Drive, east on Bloor Street, south on Kipling Avenue, turning west and north onto the eastbound overpass, then northeast under the westbound overpass to Dundas.

August 31st, 1963

Last day of route 44 ISLINGTON. Name changed the next day to 30 DUNDAS. ISLINGTON route name adopted for new 37 ISLINGTON bus service on Islington Avenue.

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