Phase 1 became fully operational by fall 2012. A key aspect of the Züm plan is increased service on supporting local corridors.[1] Unlike other, similar, services and partly due to Brampton's diagonal geographic position relative to Toronto than other suburbs such as Mississauga or Vaughan, many Züm corridors will overlap significantly with other agencies' services, requiring more complex, co-operative planning between neighbouring cities. During the planning of this bus rapid transit system, Züm was called Acceleride.
Buses usually operate in mixed traffic, although Route 501 Queen uses the Highway 7 Rapidway, a busway built for York Region Transit's (YRT) similar Viva network, while travelling through most of Vaughan, and stops at all stations along YRT's Viva Orange route. Brampton Transit has a fare partnership agreement with York Region Transit that allows for boarding and debarking anywhere along the Viva Orange route, using Züm buses. This was particularly convenient during a labour dispute involving some contractors operating YRT resulting in the temporary suspension of Viva Orange.[2]
History
In the earlier stages of Brampton's rapid transit planning, the initiative was known as Acceleride (logo pictured).
Phase 1 planned for three express corridors to improve service on some of Brampton's busiest routes.
Originally, the 501 Queen route ran to York University in Toronto, with two express branches (501A and C) following Highway 407, but the express branches were cancelled and the base route cut back to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (where the route had a connection with the namesake subway station since December 17, 2017 when a new subway extension opened) by June 2024.[3][4]
In the future, the agency plans to look into constructing exclusive busways.[5]
In preparation for the launch of Route 501 (Queen Street), Brampton Transit re-built its Bramalea City Centre Terminal, relocating it from its previous location beside Clark Boulevard, on the south side of the shopping centre, to the northeast corner, nearer to Queen Street. Minor renovations will also be performed at the downtown terminal.
In preparation for the launch of its 511 Steeles route, Brampton Transit also replaced the Shoppers' World terminal near Hurontario/Main Streets and Steeles Avenue with a new terminal, the Brampton Gateway Terminal, at the actual corner of Steeles and Hurontario/Main.
Similar to York Region's Viva service, Züm buses shares the same fare structure as the conventional Brampton Transit system. Further partnership between the two agencies permits YRT customers to board Züm buses within York Region and pay standard YRT fares (despite the fact that Viva uses proof-of-payment and Züm does not).
The Presto card fare payment system has been active on Züm since 2011.
Brampton Transit is listed as one of the transit agencies in the GTHA to use Presto contactless payment such as debit, credit, and mobile wallets. This extends to the Züm network as well.
↑"501 Züm Queen". City of Brampton. FAQs: Why is Brampton Transit making this change?. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
