York Region Transit route 85 'Rutherford'
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85 Rutherford
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Number of Branches | 1 | |
Types of buses used | New Flyer D40LF, D40LFR, XD40; Nova Bus LFS; Van Hool A330 | |
Division | West (TOK Transit) | |
Related routes | 16 |
85 Rutherford is a local bus route operated by York Region Transit in Vaughan and Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada.
Route Details

Route 85 mainly serves Rutherford Road and Carrville Road.
This route serves the Woodbridge, Vellore Woods, Concord, Maple, Thornhill Woods, Richvale, and Bayview Hill communities. It also serves Emily Carr Secondary School, Vaughan Mills Terminal, and Hillcrest Mall. Some trips also serve Rutherford GO Station.
Routes 85 connects to Viva Blue at Yonge Street.
Branches
This route has 2 main branches:
- 85 Napa Valley Ave. - Leslie St.
Historic Branches
- 85 Al Palladini C.C. - Leslie St. (Sundays)
- 85C Vaughan Mills Mall - Leslie St. (Weekdays)
History





Route 85 used to be 2 separate routes (Vaughan Transit route 9 and Richmond Hill Transit route 5). Together, they operated between Islington Avenue and Rodick Road.
- January 1, 2001 - When YRT took over regional transit service, the routes only operated during peak periods east of Mural Street and west of Bathurst Street, and six-days-a-week between Bathurst Street and Mural Street. The original routes 5 and 9 were still operated separately and under their original Vaughan and Richmond Hill Transit numbers.
- September 4, 2001 - Route 9 and Route 5 are combined into route 85. Service is adjusted for buses to connect to morning and evening GO trains at Rutherford GO Station.
- May 12, 2002 - New branch 85A is introduced providing service to the Beaver Creek/Commerce Valley business park. Also, service west of Bathurst Street and east of Leslie Street is expanded to provide all-day weekday and Saturday service between Islington Avenue and Ninth Line. Sunday service is expanded to operate between Jane Street and Warden Avenue.
- September 5, 2004 - Route 85 was extended to the west to serve Islington Avenue via Rutherford Road and Napa Valley Drive. Branch 85B was introduced providing service between the Vellore Village and Vellore Woods communities in Woodbridge to the commercial area of Bathurst Street and East Beaver Creek.
- November 7, 2004 - Service was upgraded to daily service between Vaughan Mills and Warden Avenue (this new branch, route 85C, was not used in schedules, but was used in destination signs). Eventually, demand pushed it to expand service west to Islington Avenue and east to Markham-Stouffville Hospital, therefore covering the whole route.
- May 8, 2005 - Sunday service is expanded to operate between Napa Valley Avenue in Vaughan and Markham-Stouffville Hospital.
- September 4, 2005 - Service along Country Glen Road and White's Hill Avenue near Markham-Stouffville Hospital is discontinued, with all service in the area operated along 9th Line.
- September 3, 2006 - Eastern routing via Country Glen Road is discontinued, replaced with service via Bur Oak Avenue. and White's Hill Avenue.
- January 28, 2007 - Eastern routing is adjusted to fully serve Bur Oak Avenue, with the jog between 16th Avenue and White's Hill Avenue via 9th Line discontinued.
- September 4, 2007 - Service is adjusted to operate into Rutherford GO Station during weekday rush hours only to meet GO train trips. At all other times, buses will operate direct on Rutherford Road.
- January 27, 2008 - The eastern terminus is revised to loop on-street instead of terminating within Markham-Stouffville Hospital. Buses now loop via east on Church Street, north on Bur Oak Avenue, and west on 16th Avenue.
- June 2008 - The old route 85A (Bathurst - Beaver Creek) was scrapped, and the portion through Beaver Creek was replaced by the new route 244. Route 85 was also cut back to Vaughan Mills. A new route 85A was created, providing overlapping service along the busy portion between Yonge and Vaughan Mills, while replacing route 85 service west of Vaughan Mills. On weekends, route 85A operates as a shuttle between Napa Valley/Islington and Vaughan Mills only, connecting to route 85 there. These changes are meant to solve the reliability issues surrounding the long route 85 trips and provide extra service. Route 85's frequency was also increased during rush hours, providing a much-needed solution to overcrowding east of Beaver Creek.
- November 16, 2008 - New limited service introduced operating through the Cornell neighbourhood in order to provide better service for students attending Brother Andre Catholic High School. One trip in each direction on weekdays will divert via White's Hill Avenue, Cornell Rouge Boulevard, Morning Dove Drive, and Old Markham By-Pass to 16th Avenue.
- September 2009 - Routes 85, 85A, and 85B were one of the first routes declared fully accessible.
- April 24, 2011 - Branch 85 no longer serves the bus terminal at Rutherford GO Station. Branches 85A and 85B continue to serve the station.
- September 2011 - The Whites Hill diversion in Markham and the Fossil Hill/Maria Antonia diversion in Vaughan were cut from this route.
- June 30, 2013 - The 2013 Annual Service Plan restructured the route again. The east half of route 85 was renumbered to route 16, providing service between Lebovic Village Community Centre and Markham-Stouffville Hospital. Route 85A became the new route 85, providing service between Napa Valley Avenue and Yonge Street, with service operated by Southwest Division. The route is also renamed from Rutherford-16th Avenue to Rutherford. Route 85B was discontinued. Service in the Vellore Woods community was replaced by the new route 21 and service in the Beaver Creek Business Park was replaced by the reinstated route 244.
- July 28, 2013 - As a result of customer feedback, the route is extended in the east from Yonge Street to Leslie Street. Sunday service will short-turn in the west at the Al Palladini Community Centre with Monday-Saturday service operating the full route to Napa Valley Avenue.
- June 26, 2016 - All service on the main 85 branch is extended to Napa Valley Avenue and the Sunday short-turn service to Al Palladini Community Centre is discontinued.
- April 5, 2020 - Branch 85C is temporarily suspended due to lower ridership from the COVID-19 pandemic. Branch 85 continues to operate.
- June 28, 2020 - Due to safety concerns, westbound buses entering Vaughan Mills Terminal will no longer operate via Julliard Drive south of Rutherford Road, and will instead use the roadway opposite Sweet River Boulevard and Fishermens Way. The eastbound routing is unchanged.
- October 31, 2021 - Branch 85C permanently discontinued.
- January 5, 2025 - Routing to Vaughan Mills Terminal in both directions revised, with all buses operating via Jane Street to access the terminal in order to reduce delays.
Vehicles
Route 85 is primarily a 40ft route, and uses New Flyer D40LF, D40LFR, XD40, Nova Bus LFS, and Van Hool A330 buses.
Route Maps
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June 2020 - January 2025
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August 2013 - June 2020
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July 2013 - August 2013
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September 2011 - June 2013
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November 2008 - September 2011
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January 2007 - June 2008
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September 2005 - January 2007
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September 2004 - September 2005
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2002 - September 2004
Summary
Major Stops
Major Stop | Branches | Notes |
85 | ||
Rutherford Rd. @ Napa Valley Ave. | 85 | |
Rutherford Rd. @ Weston Rd. | 85 | |
Vaughan Mills Mall | 85 | |
Rutherford Rd. @ Keele St. | 85 | |
Rutherford GO Station | 85 | |
Carrville Rd. @ Bathurst St. | 85 | |
Carrville Rd. @ Yonge St. | 85 | |
16th Ave. @ Leslie St. | 85 |
Historical Stops
Major Stop | Branches | Notes | ||||||
85 | 85 | 85 | 85A | 85B | 85B | 85C | ||
Rutherford Rd. @ Napa Valley Ave. | 85 | 85 | ||||||
Rutherford Rd. @ Islington Ave. | 85 | 85 | 85 | |||||
Davos Rd. @ Weston Rd. | 85B | 85B | ||||||
Vaughan Mills Mall | 85 | 85B | 85C | |||||
Rutherford Rd. @ Weston Rd. | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85B | 85B | 85C | ||
Rutherford Rd. @ Jane St. | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85B | 85B | 85C | ||
Rutherford Rd. @ Keele St. | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85B | 85B | 85C | ||
Rutherford GO Station | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85B | 85B | 85C | ||
Rutherford Rd. @ Bathurst St. | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85A | 85B | 85B | 85C | |
Carrville Rd. @ Yonge St. | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85A | 85B | 85B | 85C | |
16th Ave. @ Leslie St. | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85A | 85B | 85B | 85C | |
East Beaver Creek Rd. @ Highway 7 | 85A | 85B | 85B | |||||
16th Ave. @ Woodbine Ave. | 85 | 85 | 85 | |||||
16th Ave. @ McCowan Rd. | 85 | 85 | 85 | |||||
Markham-Stouffville Hospital | 85 | 85 | 85 |
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 | |||
2021 | Oct-Present | 85 | 18 | 24 | 19 | 25 | 32 | 32 | 27 | 29 | 40 | 41 | 41 |
Jan-Sep | 85 | 29 | 27 | 24-30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 27 | 29 | 40 | 41 | 41 | |
2020 | 85 | 29 | 27 | 24-30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 27 | 29 | 40 | 41 | 41 | |
2019 | 85/85C | 13-16 | 24 | 24 | 30 | 30 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 38 | 38 | 38 | |
2018 | 85/85C | 13-16 | 24 | 24 | 30 | 30 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 38 | 38 | 38 | |
2017 | 85/85C | 27 | 24 | 24 | 30 | 30 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 38 | 38 | 38 | |
2016 | 85/85C | 27 | 24 | 24 | 30 | 30 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 38 | 38 | 38 | |
2015 | 85/85C | 27 | 24 | 24 | 30 | 30 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 33 | 33 | 33 | |
2014 | 85/85C | 10-17 | 22 | 17-30 | 30 | 30 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 33 | 33 | 33 | |
2013 | 85 | 17 | 22 | 27-30 | 30 | 30 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 33 | 33 | 33 | |
2012 | 85/85A/85B | 5-24 | 25-33 | 5-22 | 30-45 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | |
2011 | 85/85A/85B | 5-25 | 30 | 5-22 | 30-45 | N/A | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | |
2010 | 85/85A/85B | 5-25 | 30 | 5-22 | 30-45 | N/A | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | |
2009 | 85/85A/85B | ||||||||||||
2008 | 85/85A/85B | ||||||||||||
2007 | 85/85A/85B | 5-25 | 30 | 5-22 | 30-45 | N/A | 30 | 30 | 30-60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2006 | 85/85A/85B | 5-25 | 30 | 5-22 | 30-45 | N/A | 30 | 30 | 30-60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2005 | 85/85A/85B | 5-25 | 30 | 5-22 | 30-45 | N/A | 30 | 30 | 30-60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2004 | 85/85A/85B | 10-25 | 30 | 10-25 | 60 | N/A | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2003 | 85/85A | 30-35 | 30 | 30 | 60 | N/A | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2002 | 85/85A | 25-30 | 30 | 30 | 30-60 | N/A | 30 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 60 | |
2001 | 85 |