York Region Transit route 1 'Highway 7'
![]() |
1 Highway 7
| |
Number of Branches | 1 | |
Types of buses used | New Flyer D40LF, D40LFR, XD40; Nova Bus LFS | |
Division | Southeast (Miller Transit) | |
Related routes | Viva Purple, Viva Pink |
1 Highway 7 is a local route operated by York Region Transit in Richmond Hill and Markham, Ontario, Canada.
Route Details
Route 1 mainly serves Highway 7 between Bayview Avenue and Donald Cousens Parkway, and on High Tech Road.
This route serves the Langstaff, Buttonville, Unionville, Bullock, Markham Village, Cornell, and Cedar Grove communities. It also serves the Town of Richmond Hill Municipal Offices, Seneca College Markham Campus, Unionville High School, Markham Civic Centre, Bill Crothers Secondary School, Markville Mall, and Cornell Bus Terminal.
Route 1 shares much of its length with Viva Purple, and also Viva Pink and Viva Green during peak periods. It connects to Viva Blue at Richmond Hill Centre Terminal.
Branches
This route has 1 branch:
- 1 Richmond Hill Centre Terminal - Copper Creek Drive via Cornell Terminal
- The first eastbound trips everyday start at Cochrane Dr. @ Highway 7.
- The first westbound trips everyday start at Woodbine Ave. @ Highway 7.
Historical Branches
- 1 Finch Terminal - Markham-Stouffville Hospital via Yonge Street (end 2006)
- 1 Finch Terminal - Markham-Stouffville Hospital via Bayview Avenue (end 2006)
History

Route 1 was first operated by Markham Transit as it's North Trunk route. Buses ran to Finch Station, alternating between Yonge and Bayview. This was because service along these streets were provided by GO Transit at the time, and residents wanted a regular-fare service. Service looped in the east end along Main Street Markham, Robinson Street, Joseph Street, Maple Street, Church Street, and 9th Line. When Markham-Stouffville Hospital opened, service was extended the short distance into the hospital. The routing along Church Street remained, however.
- 2001 - When Markham Transit was amalgamated into YRT in 2001, it remained in mostly the same form, but with the route name changed to 1 Highway 7.
- October 9, 2001 - The western portion of the route along Highway 7 connecting to Yonge Street was adjusted to serve High Tech Road via Red Maple Drive.
- 2003 - YRT took over operations of the Bayview and Yonge 'C' GO buses, replacing them with routes 91 and 99 respectively. This reduced the need for route 1's service on these roads, although it remained to provide extra service south of Highway 7.
- August 31, 2003 - Routing along Red Maple Road is discontinued and replaced with service along Silver Linden Drive and High Tech Road.
- September 4, 2005 - Viva was introduced along the Highway 7 corridor, with additional extensions opening in October and January 2006. Although replaced by Viva Blue down Yonge Street, route 1 still ran via both Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue into Finch Station, with the Yonge branch diverting into the newly-opened Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. Short-turn trips to/from Warden Avenue were discontinued.
- April 30, 2006 - Major restructuring for route 1, with the Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue legs being eliminated, service on Silver Linden Drive discontinued, and all service terminating at Richmond Hill Centre.
- January 27, 2008 - The eastern terminus is revised to loop on-street instead of terminating within the Markham-Stouffville Hospital. Buses now loop via east on Church Street, south on Bur Oak Avenue, and west on Highway 7 to Ninth Line.
- April 27, 2008 - A pedestrian bridge from Richmond Hill Centre to Langstaff GO Station was opened, eliminating diversions into the GO station to meet trains. Rush hour service was removed from Church Street, providing two-way service along Highway 7.
- July 1, 2012 - Due to delays from construction on Main Street Markham, off-peak service along Robinson/Church Streets is removed and service at all times operates along Highway 7 between Main Street Markham and Ninth Line. This temporary route change was made permanent through the 2013 Annual Service Plan.
- December 2012 - Route 1 was declared fully accessible.
- June 30, 2013 - With the successful lobbying from the Cornell Rate Payers Association to minimize transit routes serving the hospital vicinity, route 1 was extended east to serve the Box Grove Smart!Centres.
- 2020 - Westbound service is adjusted to start via 9th Line to Highway 7, then eastbound back to the previous routing along Bur Oak Avenue.
- September 4, 2022 - With the opening of the Cornell Terminal, routing is adjusted to serve the terminal, operating as the new eastern terminus after buses serve Markham-Stouffville Hospital.
Vehicles
Route 1 is primarily a 40ft route, and uses New Flyer D40LF, D40LFR, XD40, and Nova Bus LFS buses.
Route Maps
-
2020 - September 2022
-
November 2019 temporary route diversion
-
July 2013 - 2020
-
July 2012 - June 2013
-
April 2008 - June 2012
-
April 2006 - January 2008
-
September 2005 - April 2006
-
December 2003
-
September 2002
Summary
Major Stops
Previous Destinations
Previously Serviced Destinations | ||||
Stop Location | Date Serviced | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Finch Terminal | January 2001 - April 2006 | Replaced by VIVA Blue. | ||
Yonge St. @ Steeles Ave. | January 2001 - April 2006 | Replaced by VIVA Blue. | ||
Bayview Ave. @ John St. | January 2001 - April 2006 | Replaced by Route 91. | ||
IBM Bus Loop (Warden Ave. @ Enterprise Blvd.) | 2003 - September 2005 | Replaced by VIVA Purple. | ||
Joseph St. @ Markham Rd. | September 2005 - June 2012 | Rush hour diversion |
Service Summary
Frequencies | |||||||||||||
Period | Branch | Weekdays | Saturday | Sunday | |||||||||
AM Peak | Midday | PM Peak | Early Evening | Late Evening | Early AM | Day | Evening | Early AM | Day | Evening | |||
2023 | May- | 1 | 32 | 73 | 34 | 63 | 51 | 64 | 53 | 60 | 57 | 65-69 | 57 |
Jan-Apr | 1 | 32 | 73 | 34 | 63 | 51 | 64 | 53 | 60 | 58 | 75 | 60 | |
2022 | Sep-Dec | 1 | 32 | 73 | 34 | 63 | 51 | 64 | 53 | 60 | 58 | 75 | 60 |
2021 | Jan-Sep | 1 | 23 | 62-70 | 30 | 57 | 44-50 | 58 | 45 | 54 | 53 | 68 | 54 |
2020 | Nov | 1 | 29 | 70 | 30 | 36 | 45-48 | 50 | 40 | 50 | 52 | 57 | 52 |
Jan | 1 | 24 | 44 | 25 | 36 | 45-48 | 50 | 40 | 50 | 52 | 57 | 52 | |
2019 | 1 | ||||||||||||
2018 | 1 | ||||||||||||
2017 | 1 | 25-35 | 40 | 35 | 36 | 47 | 55 | 45 | 51 | 52 | 64 | 52 | |
2016 | 1 | ||||||||||||
2015 | 1 | 25-31 | 40 | 28 | 36 | 45 | 50 | 40 | 50 | 52 | 57 | 52 | |
2014 | 1 | 22 | 35 | 23 | 37 | 48 | 51 | 41 | 50 | 52 | 57 | 52 | |
2013 | 1 | 22 | 33 | 22 | 36 | 48 | 51 | 41 | 50 | 52 | 57 | 52 | |
2012 | 1 | 22 | 27 | 20 | 20 | 30-40 | 45 | 36 | 45 | 45 | 50 | 45 | |
2011 | 1 | 22 | 31 | 21 | 21 | 31 | 38 | 32 | 38 | 45 | 50 | 45 | |
2010 | 1 | ||||||||||||
2009 | 1 | ||||||||||||
2008 | 1 | ||||||||||||
2007 | 1 | 15-20 | 30 | 15 | 30 | 25-35 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2006 | 1 | 15 | 30 | 15 | 20-30 | 30-35 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2005 | 1 | 15 | 20-30 | 10 | 30-50 | 60 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2004 | 1 | 15 | 30 | 10 | 30-50 | 60 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2003 | 1 | 15 | 30 | 10 | 30-50 | 60 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2002 | 1 | 15 | 30 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2001 | 1 | 15 | 30 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 |