Bus routes spared temporarily under new $4.6M Brampton-to-Caledon on-demand bus program

Three Brampton Transit bus routes expected to be scrapped under a new on-demand electric program are being kept temporarily to give riders time to adjust to the upcoming changes.

The newly-approved 16-month pilot program will let users request rides from on-demand provider Argo Transit through a smartphone app, and travel directly to their desired destination.

Argo is already available in some areas of Brampton as well as Brantford, with service between Brampton and Caledon starting in September. And while the new service was initially going to replace a trio of Brampton Transit routes when the program rolls out – routes 81, 25 and 41 servicing Bolton, Mayfield West and Caledon East – those bus lines will stay up and running until the end of 2026.

The routes will stay in place, at least temporarily, “to ensure a seamless transition from conventional service to an on-demand transit,” a Town of Caledon Council report reads.

Staff will report back to the council at a later date to provide recommendations on pausing or extending Brampton Transit services on routes 25, 41 and 81 beyond 2026. Brampton Transit routes 18 and 30 to Caledon are not expected to be impacted.

The 16-month pilot has been shortened to 15 months, at a cost of $4.6 million. Existing contracts with Brampton Transit be maintained to the
end of the 2026 calendar year. Staff will report a summary of the results at the 6 and 12 month mark of the pilot, with an option to extend the program for an additional year, ending in 2028.

The town says existing fixed-route services on routes 81, 25 and 41 have “limited frequency and coverage, resulting in service gaps, and they do not currently connect communities nor do they serve Caledon East.”

Argo Transit services will operate seven days per week to cover existing service times offered through Brampton Transit, and will “target to reduce median wait times to 20-minutes while ensuring 100 (per cent) trip fulfillment,” the report reads.

Argo rides cost the same as a regular Brampton Transit trip. Fare payments on Argo vehicles can be made with a Presto card, while cash and paper tickets will not be accepted. All other forms of Brampton Transit fares are valid, including transfers.

The company signed a $10.9 million deal with the City of Brampton to operate through to late 2026.

For more information on Argo or to download the app, visit www.rideargo.com.