Timmins Transit

Timmins City Council has ratified a new four-year collective agreement with CUPE Local 1544 on behalf of Timmins Transit staff. Transit’s conventional bus service, paratransit service, and the Northern College Express are expected to resume on October 18, 2025. The agreement will see the City’s transit mechanics receive a base rate adjustment of 8%, drivers 4.5%, maintenance 1%, plus a 3% economic increase annually for the length of the contract. Several other items were also agreed to, including increases for holiday pay premiums, optical coverage, safety footwear, and enhancements for vacation for long-service employees. “We made an offer that was fair and responsible,” said CAO Dave Landers. “Our priority has always been to provide equitable compensation to our transit employees while ensuring that we can continue to deliver sustainable public transportation. Now, the City’s immediate focus is getting buses back on the road with a smooth return to service.” For updates and more information, visit: www.timmins.ca/our_services/timmins_transit/timmins_transit_-_strike_information.

Board Timmins Transit for free on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. We’re celebrating Earth Day with free bus rides to help support our planet. Going green can be as simple as choosing public transportation. There are a number of reasons riding the bus can be environmentally friendly versus using a private vehicle. Buses produce far fewer greenhouse gas emissions per passenger than private cars and trucks. Public transportation options can also lower energy consumption and help conserve fuel, reducing the demand for fossil fuels. Fewer vehicles on the road can also lower levels of air pollutants. As Timmins plans for growth and development, improving and modernizing public transportation is one way we can create walkable neighbourhoods, that are more compact and connected across a sustainable transportation network. On Tuesday, April 22 ride the bus for Earth Day! It’s free and it’ll give the environment a break. Where will you go?

Half-hour service is returning to Timmins Transit routes 31 and 32, serving residents in the north and south of the city. Beginning March 31, Timmins Transit will offer half-hour service from 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on the two popular transit routes. Weekend schedules for both remain the same. The change comes after ridership, the number of passengers using both routes, has gone up. Routes 31 and 32 had been reduced to hourly service post-Covid, when ridership levels remained low. With the return of half-hour service, the first bus for both routes will run at 6:30 a.m. Learn more under “Maps and Schedules”.

Timmins Transit's Northern College Express will not be running during the College's reading week, February 17 - 21, 2025. Please use Route 16 for travel between the main Transit Terminal on Spruce St. S. and South Porcupine and Porcupine. Reminder, there is NO Timmins Transit service on Monday, February 17, 2025 due to the Family Day holiday. For more information on maps and schedules, visit: www.timmins.ca/our_services/timmins_transit/maps_schedules

Beginning Monday, January 6, 2025, Timmins Transit is introducing a new electronic fare collection system that will give riders the opportunity to pay for a ride with the tap of their smart phone or reloadable fare card. It’s called Timmins Transit “Pay YOUR Way,” and it provides riders with a host of payment options that are both cashless and contactless. New electronic fare boxes are being installed across the Timmins Transit fleet of conventional and accessible buses and vans. Kiosks and retail Point of Sale (POS) systems are being installed at the main Transit Terminal on Spruce St. to dispense or reload fare cards. The electronic fare system network will improve Transit’s data collection on routes and ridership, improve efficiency with the potential for faster boarding, and give riders the option of modern electronic payment methods. “Our electronic fare collection system gives riders the option to pay for their bus ride using a reloadable card or their smart phone,” says Ken Krcel, Director of Public Works and Environmental Services. “ Riders can continue to pay with exact change. This is a choice, and because we’ve been able to leverage federal and provincial funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) and provincial gas tax funding, there is no impact to the residential property tax bill to bring these projects to fruition. There is also no planned increase to the 2025 bus fare rates. This is about convenience and modern service.” On January 6, 2025, riders can choose to activate and register a Pay YOUR Way reloadable card (disposable card options also available) with a one-time activation fee of $5 (discounted for seniors and students). Registering the card online gives riders the ability to load the card with funds for single rides, purchase a monthly pass, or 10-rides. Riders can also choose to download the free Pay YOUR Way fare app, available for iOS and android in January. From the app, riders can purchase a single ride, 10-rides, or a monthly pass. With one click, the app will generate a QR code per ride that can be tapped or scanned on the fare box when boarding the bus. “Families or workplaces can register more than one reloadable card under a single account, making it simple to ensure that students and employees have convenient access to our public transportation network,” adds Krcel. “No more worrying about exact change or having to carry cash. With one Pay YOUR Way card or app, it’s easy to choose Timmins Transit.” Monthly pass cards and 10-strip tickets sold before January 6, 2025 will continue to be honoured. For more information on the Pay YOUR Way electronic fare collection system, visit: Timmins.ca/transit.

Effective October 1, 2024, residents in Schumacher, South Porcupine, and Porcupine will see the return of Route 16. The conventional bus route is being brought back to supplement Timmins Transit On-Demand service following concerns around wait times, bus availability, and what some considered to be an added barrier to accessing public transit. Changes that will come into effect on October 1, 2024 will be the suspension of Route 101E and 15-minute frequency between Timmins and Porcupine. Route 16 will be reinstated, including all original stops, serving Schumacher, South Porcupine, and Porcupine between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday departing from the Timmins Transit Terminal on Spruce St. S. Route 16 Sunday service runs from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. departing from the Timmins Transit Terminal on Spruce St. S. Route 16B bus service will not be reinstated. Timmins Transit On-Demand service will remain in effect. “It’s important to note that Timmins Transit On-Demand service is not going away,” says Ken Krcel, Director of Public Works and Environmental Services. “The booking system has been successfully used for Paratransit service since February. The expanded coverage area, including Connaught Hill and Bob’s Lake, will still have public transit. Any resident who prefers microtransit service can continue to use Transit On-Demand. We will also look at ways it can be used in other underserviced areas across Timmins. For more information on Timmins Transit On-Demand and conventional bus maps and schedules visit www.timmins.ca/transit.