York Region Transit route 58 'Mount Albert'


	58/58A Leslie
Number of Branches		2
Types of buses used		EZ Rider II/MAX , Orion I
Division		First Student (Newmarket)
Related routes		MISSING

58 Leslie (previously 58 Leslie North) is a local, "small community" route operated by YRT in Newmarket and East Gwillimbury, ON.

Basic

Route 58 mainly serves Leslie St. north of Davis Dr. and Mt. Albert Rd.

This route has 2 main branches:

58 404 Town Centre - Farr Ave. (Sharon) (Peak periods only)
58A 404 Town Centre - Mount Albert via Sharon (Weekdays)

This route serves the communities of Sharon, Mount Albert and eastern Newmarket. It also serves the 404 Town Centre and East Gwillimbury GO Station.

Route 58 is one of the few routes who do not directly connect to VIVA. If VIVA Blue is extended to East Gwillimbury GO Station as planned, however, it will connect to both branches there during GO Train operating times.

History

In 2004, YRT started expanding service to smaller communities that did not yet have access to public transit, other than GO Transit. Before, it's main focus was maintaining and increasing service operated by the former agencies it had acquired, and communities that did not have service before amalgamation largely went unnoticed. Sharon, a small community a few kilometeres north of Newmarket needed service, and in September 2004, it decided to implement a new route to serve this community.

Route 58 operated from 404 Town Centre north on Leslie to Farr Ave., looping via Farr, Donlands, Mt. Albert, Howard and Colonel Wayling, the same as the current 58 looping during rush hour. Some trips operated to the (at the time) new East Gwillimbury GO Station. Additional rush hour service in Newmarket was offered in the form of a 58A branch, operating from Stonehaven Ave to Ringwell Dr., south of Green Lane. This branch disappeared in Spring 2005, but at the same time added special trips to Newmarket High on Mulock.

Another small community in Northern York Region was also asking for service. Mount Albert, located east of Highway 48 on Mount Albert Rd., was isolated, having no YRT or GO connection. In September 2006, route 58 was extended east along Mount Albert Rd. to Mount Albert. The extended branch was numbered 58A, and full service was operated. Extra peak buses operated along the 58 routing, providing extra service to Sharon.

In 2007, ridership increased due to general corridor growth.

On September 5, 2010, to prevent confusion, the 'North' suffix was removed from route signs.