General News

Simcoe County planning future growth for LINX Transit

August 17, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The County of Simcoe’s LINX Transit service is celebrating its fifth anniversary with plans for future expansion in the works.

Since 2018, LINX Transit has built up its network to transport more than 700,000 riders to date throughout 16 member municipalities.

“LINX Transit connects Simcoe County and provides our communities with affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible transportation to and from our major business, education, and health hubs,” said County Warden Basil Clarke. “County Council is committed to evaluating how we can continue to support the growth of this popular and successful transit service.”

In 2017, County Council approved a five-year, $5 million plan to create a regional transit service as part of the County’s Transit Implementation Plan. The County has now completed its initial five-year launch plan.

This includes Route 1, from Penetanghishene/Midland to Barrie, Route 2 from Wasaga Beach to Barrie, Route 3 from Orillia to Barrie, Route 4 from Collingwood to Wasaga Beach, Route 5 from New Tecumseth to Bradford West Gwillimbury, and Route 6 from Midland to Orillia.

“Since the start of LINX Transit, we’ve grown dramatically, starting out with just four buses, we now operate more than 30,” said Dennis Childs, transit manager for the County of Simcoe. “Thanks to the hard work of our operators, mechanics, and supervisory staff, we saw our ridership double in 2022, and we look forward to building up LINX Transit through our Transportation Master Plan.”

Routes are designed strategically to include stops at main hubs, including hospitals, educational institutions, and major employment districts. This allows residents to access key services and employment opportunities throughout the County.

The County is currently in the process of updating its Transportation Master Plan, which will include a transit review.

Planned future growth and expansion will guide the development of a new five-year plan and ten-year plan that will continue to enhance transportation links between local municipalities.

County Council will review recommendations and proposals with input from residents and key community stakeholders later this year.

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