York Region Transit route 8 'Kennedy'

	8 Kennedy
Number of Branches		1
Types of buses used		New Flyer D40LF, D40LFR, XD40; Nova Bus LFS
Division		Southeast (Miller Transit)
Related routes		None

8 Kennedy is a local bus route operated by York Region Transit in Markham, Ontario, Canada.

Route Details

The current routing of route 8.

Route 8 mainly serves Kennedy Road between Steeles Avenue East and Major Mackenzie Drive East.

This route serves the Milliken Mills West, Unionville, and Berczy communities. It also serves Milliken Mills High School, Milliken Mills Community Centre, Milliken Mills Library, Unionville GO Station, Bill Crothers Secondary School, and Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School.

Route 8 connects to Viva Pink at Unionville GO Station, and Viva Green and Viva Purple at University Boulevard and Highway 7. A small portion of the route is shared with Viva Purple and Viva Green, between Rivis Road and Highway 7.

Branches

This route has 1 branch:

• 8 Steeles Avenue - Major Mackenzie

History

D40LF #603 on Kennedy on route 8.

D40LFR #1024 on route 8.

The first service along Kennedy Road was provided by Markham Transit route 4, which operated on Kennedy between Steeles Avenue East and Unionville Gate, and on Main Street Unionville north to Carlton Road. This was replaced by the rush-hour TTC route 43C by the late 1980s. Buses traveled north on Kennedy Road to Unionville Gate then operated north on Main Street Unionville to Highway 7, east to Kennedy Road, north to 16th Avenue, and east on 16th Avenue to an off-street loop at McCowan Road and 16th Avenue. Markham Transit took over operation of this route in January 1998 as their route 8, and extended it north to an on-street loop at Angus Glen Boulevard.

• 2001 - YRT took over this service and expanded the looping to William Berczy Boulevard and Major Mackenzie Drive.

• 2004 - Service was realigned off of Main Street Unionville and through Unionville GO Station when the new location was opened in 2004.

• May 8, 2005 - Sunday service is introduced.

• November 2008 - Select trips were extended to Angus Glen Community Centre, due to student requests to have a transfer-free connection from Kennedy to Angus Glen. This service was removed later in 2010 due to low ridership.

• September 2010 - Route 8 was declared fully accessible.

• April 19, 2015 - The southbound service diversion via The Fairways, Prospectors Drive, and Angus Glen Boulevard was removed due to low ridership in that section and to provide a better grid network for passengers travelling along Kennedy Road.

• January 5, 2020 - The northbound routing is extended to operate via south on Kennedy Road, west on Schoolhouse Road, north and west on Colty Drive, and north on Prospector's Drive.

• September 1, 2024 - Weekday and Saturday late evening service extended until approximately 12 midnight, in order to better serve the new York University Markham campus.

Vehicles

Route 8 is primarily a 40ft route, and uses New Flyer D40LF, D40LFR, XD40, and Nova Bus LFS buses.

Route Maps

• 
  May 2015 - January 2020
• 
  2010 - April 2015
• 
  December 2003

Summary

Major Stops

Route Stops and Connections
	(8)		Kennedy Rd. @ Steeles Ave. E	43 - 53 - 343 - 353 - 953
‡‡‡	‡‡	‡‡‡	GO Transit Stouffville Line
	8		Kennedy Rd. @ Denison St.	2
	8		Kennedy Rd. @ 14th Ave.	14 - 522
‡‡‡		‡‡‡	CN Rail York Subdivision
			Highway 407
	8		Kennedy Rd. @ YMCA Blvd.	304 - 522 45 - 52 - 54 - 71
	8		Unionville GO Station	Stouffville 45 - 52 - 54 - 71
	8		Kennedy Rd. @ Highway 7	Purple - 1 - 304 - 522
‡‡‡	‡	‡‡‡	GO Transit Stouffville Line
	8		Kennedy Rd. @ Carlton Rd	40 - 405 - 410
	8		Kennedy Rd. @ 16th Ave.	16 - 418
	8		Kennedy Rd. @ Bur Oak Ave.	18 - 402 - 418
	8		Prospectors Dr. @ Major Mackenzie Dr.	25 - 402

Previous Destinations

Previously Serviced Destinations
Stop Location	Date Serviced	Notes
Angus Glen Community Centre	November 2008 - 2010	Limited Service Branch.

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-	8	16	34	16	22	N/A	34	36	34	35	35	70
	Jan-Apr	8	18	35	18	22	N/A	34	36	34	35	35	70
2022		8	18	35	18	22	N/A	34	36	34	35	35	70
2021		8	18	35	18	22	N/A	34	36	34	35	35	70
2020	Nov	8	17	35	18	22	N/A	34	36	34	35	35	70
2020		8	14	24	15	22	N/A	34	36	34	35	35	70
2019		8
2018		8
2017		8
2016		8
2015		8
2014		8
2013		8
2012		8
2011		8
2010		8	13	22	13	26	N/A	35	35	50	35	35	50
2009		8
2008		8
2007		8	15	30	15	30	N/A	60	60	60	60	60	60
2006		8	15	30	15	30	N/A	60	60	60	60	60	60
2005		8	15	30	15	30	N/A	60	60	60	60	60	60
2004		8	15	30	30	30	N/A	60	60	60	N/A	N/A	N/A
2003		8	15	30	30	30	N/A	60	60	60	N/A	N/A	N/A
2002		8	15	30	15	30	N/A	60	60	60	N/A	N/A	N/A
2001		8	30	N/A	30	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A