 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Gray Coach" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 | |
| Parent | Toronto Transportation Commission 1927–1954 Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto (Toronto Transit Commission) 1954–1990 Stagecoach 1990–1992 |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1927 |
| Defunct | 1992 |
| Headquarters | Toronto |
| Locale | Ontario |
| Service area | Southern &Central Ontario |
| Service type | intercity, commuter, local sightseeing |
| Alliance | Voyageur toOttawa andMontreal Greyhound toNew York City |
| Destinations | Toronto,Sudbury,North Bay,Barrie,Owen Sound,London,Kitchener,Guelph,Hamilton,Niagara Falls,Buffalo, New York |
| Stations | Toronto Bus Terminal Sunnyside Bus Terminal |
| Depots | Davenport Garage 1927-1954 Sherbourne Garage 1954-1980 Lakeshore Garage 1980-1990 |
Gray Coach was a Canadian inter-citybus line based inToronto, Ontario, from 1927 to 1992. It was founded and initially owned by theToronto Transportation Commission, until sold toStagecoach in 1990. In 1992 the business was sold toGreyhound Canada and the brand was retired.
Gray Coach Lines was a suburban bus and sightseeing tour operator founded in 1927 by theToronto Transportation Commission (TTC). From 1927 to the 1930s, Gray Coach acquired numerous and smaller competitors in theGreater Toronto Area. The operator eventually dominated inter-urban bus service by the end of the 1930s, replacing or succeeding manyToronto and area interurban radial lines that had previously provided interurban transportation by light rail.[1]
Gray Coach used inter-urban coaches to link Toronto to outlying areas throughout Southern Ontario, such asOwen Sound,London,Kitchener,Guelph,Niagara Falls,Sudbury,North Bay,Barrie andHamilton. Gray Coach also offered service toBuffalo, New York and in a pooling agreement withGreyhound, toNew York City. In addition, Gray Coach operated sightseeing tour service in and around Toronto, eventually in association withGray Line tours. Gray Coach Lines also provided one-hour Motor Launch Tours of the lagoons off Toronto's harbour and of the waterfront (used Amsterdam canal style boats with large glass top now run by Toronto Harbour Tours). The main bus terminal was at theToronto Bus Terminal on Elizabeth Street, downtown. A secondary terminal for parcel service was operated at the corner of Front andSherbourne Streets and a secondary bus terminal, theSunnyside Bus Terminal was located at Queen Street West and Roncesvalles in Toronto's west end.
Gray Coach was contracted to operate someGO Transit bus services when the latter was started in 1971. Eventually GO Transit took over some Gray Coach routes were, including the Hamilton, Oshawa and Port Perry runs. The contracting for GO Transit ended in 1985, when GO began to completely operate its own buses.
By the 1980s, Gray Coach faced fierce competition in the Greater Toronto Area. To strengthen its position, Gray Coach bid to acquire inter-urban operator Trentway-Wagar. However, facing budgetary pressure, the TTC decided to focus on its core urban transit service. In October 1990 the TTC sold Gray Coach Lines toStagecoach who then sold it toGreyhound Canada andOntario Northland Motor Coach Services in 1992.[2][3] Gray Coach'sGray Line franchised sightseeing operations were taken over by Greyhound Canada.
Livery of early buses were gray with the red crest with the wordsGray Coach Lines. The crest disappeared and replaced with the full wording with blue strip. The final buses had a white base with black lettersGC. A red stripe was added along the belt line on sightseeing, Airport Express, and Hostess Express premium-service buses.
Gray Coach had terminals and agencies at various locations across Toronto:
| Terminal/Stop | Location | Notes |
| (Metro)Toronto Coach Terminal | Dundas Street West and Elizabeth Street |  Now used byCoach Canada andOntario Northland - terminal owned by the TTC. The TTC managed the station directly until July 8, 2012, when it was leased to its tenants. |
| Toronto Pearson International Airport | Terminal 1 (former) and 2 - Arrival and Departure levels | Served by TTC and other private charters at Terminal 1 (new) and 3; formerly served terminal 2 |
| Downtown hotels | N/A | Continued asPacific Western Bus Line'sToronto Airport Express until 2014. |
| Islington subway station | Islington Avenue andBloor Street West | No longer in use;TTC Airport Rocket Route 192 operating out of Kipling Station |
| Yorkdale Bus Terminal | Yorkdale Shopping Centre | Now used by GO Transit andOntario Northland Motor Coach Services; served by Pacific Western Bus Line's Toronto Airport Express from 1993 until 2000. |
| York Mills subway station | York Mills Road andYonge Street - old bus platforms | terminal demolished and replaced by GO Transit terminal withinYork Mills Centre; served by Pacific Western Bus Line's Toronto Airport Express from 1993 until 2000. |
| Jane Loop | Jane Street andBloor Street West | Demolished, office building stands on site |
| Glen Echo Terminal (North Yonge) | Glen Echo Road andYonge Street | abandoned upon opening ofYork Mills, demolished now aLoblaws supermarket |
| Finch Bus Terminal | Yonge Street andBishop Avenue | Now serving GO Transit, Viva, York Region Transit and Brampton Transit; private charters |
| Sunnyside Bus Terminal | Queen Street West,Roncesvalles Avenue,King Street West, andThe Queensway | West Toronto (Roncesvalles) Pick-up and drop off location at corner ofRoncesvalles Carhouse, now aMcDonald's |
Gray Coach once operated a number of suburban and extra-fare express routes in Toronto.
Operated from 1947 to 1952 between downtown and the Beaches via Eastern Avenue and Queen Street East.[4]
The first city coach route started running in 1925, between Forest Hill and downtown via Forest Hill Road, Poplar Plains Road, Dupont Street, St George Street, University Avenue, Osgoode and Albert Streets. In 1931 it was extended north to Glenview Avenue (later Otter Loop). Service was withdrawn in September 1954 due to opening of the newYonge subway.[5]
In April 1929 Gray Coach Lines acquired Maple Leaf Coach Lines. MCL's ISLINGTON route (via Dundas Street from Runnymede Road to Bloor Street in the town of Islington—now Six Points) was combined with the LAMBTON route and transferred to theTTC. It was transferred to Gray Coachcirca 1930. As of January 1, 1954 it was included in the newMetropolitan Toronto operation, and Gray Coaches were replaced by "red" city buses.[6]
Inaugurated in November 1945 between Bloor Street & Royal York Road and downtown via (South) Kingsway, Lake Shore Drive, Dowling Avenue and King Street, with an early and late extension to Burnhamthorpe & Holloway Roads via Bloor, Islington and Canning. Withdrawn in April 1946 after only five months of (presumably unsuccessful) operation.[7]
From Keele Street to Humber (Lambton Hotel) along Dundas Street. Operated initially by theTTC forYork Township, it was transferred to Gray Coachcirca 1930. As of January 1, 1954 it was included in the newMetropolitan Toronto operation, and Gray Coaches were replaced by "red" city buses.[8]
From May 1, 1953 to January 1, 1954 the LEASIDE bus was operated by Gray Coach Lines.[9]
The ROSEDALE coach ran for just under two years (November 1928 to September 1930) between Summerhill & MacLennan Avenues and downtown via Glen Road, Sherbourne Street, Isabella Street, Jarvis Street and Shuter Street to Yonge Street.[10]
Gray Coach acquired the WOODBRIDGE route when theTTC bought out Roseland Bus Lines. From Lawrence and Weston via Weston Road, Albion Road, Thistletown, Woodbridge Road, Highway 7, 8th Avenue and Pine Street (Woodbridge Avenue) to Pine Grove Road, Woodbridge, with Sunday trips operating through theThistletown Hospital (For Disturbed Children) grounds. The route was transferred to the TTC in December 1955 as Islington Bus (as 44 Islington 1956 to 1963 and now as 37 Islington).[11]
A list of independent operators acquired by Gray Coach:
Toronto Transit Commission | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subway | |||||||||
| Streetcars | |||||||||
| Bus | |||||||||
| History |
| ||||||||
| Predecessors |
| ||||||||
| Facilities | |||||||||
| Proposed | |||||||||
| Miscellaneous | |||||||||
Italics indicate a project under construction | |||||||||
