Durham Region Transit route 900
PULSE 900 Highway 2
| ||
Number of Branches | 2 | |
Types of buses used | New Flyer XD40 Nova Bus LFS Nova Bus LFS Artic | |
Division | Raleigh | |
Related routes | 915 |
PULSE 900 Highway 2 is Durham Region Transit's (DRT) branded bus rapid transit "Lite" service, and precursor to bus rapid transit, along Ontario Highway 2. PULSE 900 operates between downtown Oshawa at Richmond/Ontario and Centennial Circle and the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus at Military Trail and Ellesmere Road. It serves the intermediate municipalities of Whitby, Ajax, and Pickering. Pulse currently runs in mixed traffic with sections of curb-side bus lanes with 10 minute headways or better on weekdays during peak periods and midday. DRT will implement "conditional" transit signal priority and automatic vehicle locating systems for the BRT system.
Branches
This route has two branches
- PULSE 900 Highway 2 Richmond and Ontario (Oshawa) - Centennial Circle and UTSC (Scarborough) (All Times)
- PULSE 900B Highway 2 Richmond and Ontario (Oshawa) - Glenanna Road (Pickering Town Centre) (Weekday early morning and Sunday daytime)
Frequency
Branch | Weekdays | Saturday | Sunday | ||||||||
AM Peak | Midday | PM Peak | Early Evening | Late Evening | Early AM | Day | Evening | Early AM | Day | Evening | |
900 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 30 | 15 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
900B | 3 Trips | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 30 | N/A |
History
- Since 2007, DRT identified Highway 2 as an important corridor for rapid transit and prepared a business case for BRT along the route. On June 15, 2007, the government of Ontario announced their MoveOntario 2020 plan which committed $11.5 billion in funding 52 rapid transit projects in the GTHA. Metrolinx developed the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which became known as The Big Move, and approved it in November 2008. The Highway 2 rapid transit project was identified as a Top 15 Priority Project in The Big Move.
- The Region has solicited the public input for starting the BRT project. This included open houses and a formation of a committee to discuss the Long Term Transit Strategy. This long term study identified other main corridors in the region that would support rapid transit by the year 2031. Highway 2 is estimated to reach ridership and development which would warrant an upgraded to light rail transit.
- In April 2011, the Region initiated an environmental assessment. More public open houses are to take place, and a vote is being held on what to name the service. DRT unveiled four proposed names for the BRT service and four distinct logos and livery. The names to choose from are: DRT Plus, DRT MAX, DRT Rapid, and DRT Pulse. From April 4 to November 14, passengers could vote on the website. And on November 30, the Executive Committee approved the name with the most votes: DRT Pulse.
- A soft launch took place on June 29, 2013. The service operates much like the GO Transit route 94 that it replaced. It makes all local stops along Highway 2 with added stops at Altona Road and Sheppard Avenue. Unlike the route 94, the route does not serve any GO stations or terminals and terminates at the University of Toronto.
- In September 2013, construction began on dedicated bus lanes along Highway 2 in Ajax between Salem Road and Harwood Avenue. The westbound lane was completed by December, and the eastbound lane was completed by the summer of 2014. Construction soon followed for dedicated bus lanes in Pickering between Glenanna Road and Liverpool Road. They were completed by the end of 2015. Buffered bicycle lanes compliment all of the bus lanes.
- In 2015 frequencies in weeday midday were increased from every 15 minutes to every 10 minutes or better.
- Mid-2016 brought the construction of bus only lanes between (West of) Brock Road and (East of) Bainbridge Drive in Pickering complimented by buffered bicycle lanes.
- 2016 brought improved frequency in the early morning periods on weedays as well as Saturday.
- In spring of 2017 construction began on the final two sections of the phase one dedicated bus lanes. Construction begins at (East of Rotherglen Road to (East of) Westney Road in Ajax. Progress is also underway in Pickering between (West of) Steeple Hill to (East of) Delta Blvd. Each of these projects are scheduled to be complete by end of year 2017 and offer improved landscaping as well as safer pedestrian crossings at these busy intersections. Buffered bicycle lanes will also be added across each of the sections.
- Due to a strike with constriction workers employed by AECOM Construction, dedicated bus only lanes in Pickering between Brock Road and Bainbridge Drive, were unable to be completed by summer of 2017. Once the strike has concluded, final paving on bus lanes will take place and be operational in the following weeks.
- On September 4th 2017 route 900 was given improved weekday evening service as well as 30 minute minimum frequencies 7 days a week. The route was added to the new Durham Region Transit High Frequency Network
- In September 2018, construction began for a new section of bus lanes linking the Westney Road section to the Harwood Avenue section.
- In October 2018, construction ramped up for dedicated bus lanes along Highway 2 between Wesntey Road bus Lanes to the Harwood Avenue Bus lanes. once completed in Fall 2019, there will be a continuous length of bus lanes between Westney Road and Salem Road.
- On January 7th 2019, route 900 will see a route change. The new western terminus of the route 900 will be Centennial Circle. This decision was decided upon following a lengthy detour around University of Toronto Scarborough, and the plan is to better serve more areas of the campus.
- On February 27th, the Region of Durham started design work for the next segments of bus lanes that extend upon and connect the bus lanes that were already built. These extensions include, Delta Boulevard to East of Fairport Road in Pickering, West of Dixie Road to Glendale Drive in Pickering, Glenanna Road to Brock Road in Pickering, and Salem Road to Galea Drive in Ajax.
- On June 5th DRT announced the order for six Nova Bus LFS Artics, marking the first articulated buses to join the DRT fleet in 2020 and enter service in 2021. [[1]]
- On September 3rd, 2019, Route 900 Sunday service increased from every 30 Minutes to every 15 Minutes on the new 900B branch that operates between Richmond and Ontario to Glenanna Road and the Pickering Town Centre.
- On September 6th, 2019, 7100-7103 entered service
Stops
Pulse services a number of local stops in each direction.
Here is a list of all stops along the route from the west at Centennial Circle to the east in Downtown Oshawa
Stop | Street | Cross-street | Direction | Routes served | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Centennial Circle Loop | Military Trail | Pan Am Drive | East | Walking connection to GO Transit 51, 12D, TTC 116A and TTC 905 at street | ||
Military Trail | Ellesmere Road | Military Trail | East/West | 95 116A | Pick up eastbound and Drop off westbound. Connections at West Side Stops for 12D, 38, 95 116A, 905, and 995 | |
Meadowvale | Ellesmere Road | Meadowvale Road | East/West | 95 | Pick up eastbound and Drop off westbound | |
Sheppard | Kingston Road | Sheppard Avenue East | West | 92 | Drop off only | |
Port Union | Kingston Road | Port Union Road | East | 92 103 | Pick up only | |
Altona | Kingston Road | Altona Road | East/West | 110B | 110B only stops on westbound side | |
Rougemount | Kingston Road | Rougemount Drive | East/West | 92 193 110B | 110B only stops on westbound side | |
Rosebank | Kingston Road | Rosebank Road | East/West | 193 110B | 110B only stops on westbound side | |
Steeple Hill | Kingston Road | Steeple Hill | East/West | 193 110B | 110B only stops on westbound side | |
Whites | Kingston Road | Whites Road | East/West | 92 193 110B | 110B only stops on westbound side | |
Delta | Kingston Road | Delta Boulevard | West | 193 | ||
780 Kingston Road | Kingston Road | N/A | West | 193 | ||
817 Kingston Road | Kingston Road | N/A | East | 193 | ||
Fairport | Kingston Road | Fairport Road | East/West | 51 92 193 | ||
Dixie | Kingston Road | Dixie Road | East/West | 193 111A | 111A only stops on westbound side | |
Walnut | Kingston Road | Walnut Lane | East/West | 51 92 193 111/111A | ||
Liverpool | Kingston Road | Liverpool Road | East/West | 193 223 111/111A 916 | 916 and 223 only stops on Eastbound side | |
Glenanna | Kingston Road | Glenanna Road | East/West | 92 291 603 916 | 603, 916 and 291 only stops on eastbound side | |
Valley Farm | Kingston Road | Valley Farm Road | East/West | 603 291 916 | Accessible only on westbound side | |
Brock Road | Kingston Road | Brock Road | East/West | 92 111/111A 291 916 | ||
Bainbridge | Kingston Road | Bainbridge Drive | East/West | 291 | ||
Notion | Kingston Road | Notion Road | East/West | 291 | ||
Elizabeth | Kingston Road | Elizabeth Street | East/West | 291 | ||
Church | Kingston Road | Church Street | East/West | 92 291 | Stop labeled as "625 Kingston Road" while travelling east | |
Mill | Kingston Road | Mill Street | East/West | |||
Westney | Kingston Road | Westney Road | East/West | 92 291 | Important transfer to route 915 Taunton | |
Ritchie | Kingston Road | Ritchie Road/Chapman Drive | East | 291 | ||
Chapman | Kingston Road | Ritchie Road/Chapman Drive | West | 291 | ||
132 Kingston Road | Kingston Road | N/A | West | 291 | ||
113 Kingston Road | Kingston Road | N/A | East | 291 | ||
Harwood | Kingston Road | Harwood Avenue | East/West | 92 291 | ||
84 Kingston Road | Kingston Road | Durham Centre | West | |||
69 Kingston Road | Kingston Road | Durham Centre | East | 291 | ||
Salem | Kingston Road | Salem Road | East/West | 92 291 | ||
257 Kingston Road | Kingston Road | N/A | East | |||
Wicks | Kingston Road | Wicks Drive | East/West | |||
Alexanders Crossing | Kingston Road | Alexanders Crossing | East/West | |||
Audley | Kingston Road | Audley Road North | East/West | |||
Lake Ridge | Kingston Road | Lake Ridge Road | East/West | |||
Halls | Dundas Street | Halls Road | East/West | 92 | Connection to Dundas Street/Highway 412 Park and Ride. | |
White Oaks | Dundas Street | White Oaks Court | East/West | 92 | Some trips will short turn at this stop | |
Jeffery | Dundas Street | Jeffery Street | East | |||
McQuay | Dundas Street | McQuay Boulevard | West | |||
Wellington | Dundas Street | Wellington Street | East/West | |||
Cochrane | Dundas Street | Cochrane Street | West | 312 | ||
Annes | Dundas Street | Annes Street | East | |||
Euclid | Dundas Street | Euclid Street | West | 312 | ||
King | Dundas Street | King Street | East | |||
Brock Street | Dundas Street | Brock Street | East/West | 92 312 | Important connection to route 302 Brock/Brooklin | |
Hickory | Dundas Street | Hickory Street | East | |||
Pine | Dundas Street | Pine Street | West | 312 | ||
Garden | Dundas Street | Garden Street | West | 92 312 | ||
Lupin | Dundas Street | Lupin Drive | West | 92 | ||
Craydon | Dundas Street | Craydon Road | East/West | 304 312 | 312 only stops on westbound side | |
Hopkins | Dundas Street | Hopkins Street | East | 92 | ||
Anderson | Dundas Street | Anderson Street | West | 92 312 | ||
Bowman | Dundas Street | Bowman Avenue | West | 312 | ||
Glen Hill | Dundas Street | Glen Hill Drive | East | 312 | ||
Thickson | Dundas Street | Thickson Road | East/West | 92 | Important connection to route 305 Thickson/Garrard | |
Kathleen | Dundas Street | Kathleen Street | East/West | |||
Kendalwood | Dundas Street | Kendalwood Road | East | |||
Garrard | Dundas Street | Garrard Street | West | |||
Thornton | King Street | Thornton Road | East/West | Important connection to route 910 Campus Connect | ||
Waverly | King Street | Waverly Road | East/West | |||
Stevenson | King Street/Bond Street | Stevenson Road | East/West | 90 92 | GO 90 only stops eastbound on King Street | |
Gibbons | King Street/Bond Street | Gibbons Street | East/West | |||
Park | Bond Street | Park Street North | West | 90 92 | ||
Warren | King Street | Warren Avenue | East | 90 92 402 405 | ||
Midtown | King Street | Midtown Drive | East | 402 405 | ||
Arena | Bond Street | Arena Street | West | 402 405 | ||
Centre | King Street/Bond Street | Centre Street | East/West | 90 92 402 405 | ||
Simcoe | Bond Street | Simcoe Street | West | 90 402 405 407 | ||
Bond | Simcoe Street | Bond Street | North | 401 422 | Temporary stop on detour due to construction at Mary and Bond. | |
Ontario | Richmond Street | Ontario Street | East | temporary terminus due to construction at Mary and Bond. |