Compiled by Jeffrey Kay

November 28, 1952

The Townships of York and North York contract the City of Toronto’s transit agency, the Toronto Transportation Commission, to launch this new route.

Buses run during rush hours from St. Clair Avenue West and Old Weston Road to Wilson Avenue along Old Weston, Rogers Road, Keele Street, Trethewey Drive, Yore Road and Keele Street to Keelegate Drive (just north of Wilson). At the north end, buses wye and return, while at the south end, buses loop east on Rockwell Avenue, south on Silverthorn Avenue and west on St. Clair.

The TTC provides additional service between St. Clair and Eglinton Avenue West, with buses looping east on Strathnairn Avenue, south on Richardson Avenue and west on Lonborough Avenue.

The route operates in three suburban zones. The zone 1-2 boundary is at the York / North York boundary just north of the Northwestern Hospital. The zone 2-3 boundary is at Maple Leaf Drive.

January 1, 1954

With the creation of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, the townships transfer responsibility for the route to the new metropolitan transit agency, the Toronto Transit Commission. The short turn service to Strathnairn operates during morning rush hours only.

July 1, 1954

The TTC extends service north from Keelegate to Sheppard Avenue West, with buses turning back in a parking lot at this intersection. It introduces new zone boundaries, with the first suburban zone extending from Keele and Donald Avenue (three blocks north of Rogers) to Wilson and the second suburban zone extending from Wilson to the north end of the route.

Also on this date, the TTC cancels short turn service to Eglinton. Hours of operation increase to seven days a week: 18 hours a day, Mondays to Saturdays; and 15 hours a day Sundays.

October 3, 1955

Buses begin operating along a new rush hour branch between St. Clair and Calvington Drive, then run west and south on Calvington, looping east and north on Forthbridge Crescent. The TTC assigns the route number 41.

August 5, 1956

The TTC splits all service at the intersection of Keele and Calvington, with alternate buses operating along Calvington to Forthbridge or Keele to Sheppard, seven days a week: eighteen hours a day, Mondays to Saturdays; and 15 hours a day, Sundays.

July 27, 1958

Service extends south of St. Clair along Old Weston and Davenport Roads to St. Clarens loop at Davenport and St. Clarens Avenue, one block east of Lansdowne Avenue, replacing the temporary SYMINGTON bus route, which, in turn, had replaced a section of the HARBORD streetcar route.

The TTC also introduced short turn service between St. Clarens and Townsley loops, though it’s not certain when this service operated. (Note that, after December 8, 1947, the TTC operated a short-turn HARBORD streetcar service seven days a week from midnight until 1:30 a.m. between Townsley loop and Lansdowne — partially to replace overnight service on the canceled DOVERCOURT streetcar route. The short-turn between St. Clarens and Townsley likely replaced this service.)

October 14, 1958

The TTC adds more short-turn service, with buses possibly operating during rush hours only, between Lansdowne and Eglinton, looping via north on Trethewey, east on Yore, south on Keele and west on Eglinton Avenue West.

March 16, 1959

St. Clair short-turn service extended north, looping east along Rogers and south and west on Kane Avenue.

April 25, 1960

The TTC cancels the Rogers Road short-turn service. It cancels the Eglinton short-turn service soon after.

September 4, 1962

During Monday-to-Friday daytime, the TTC extends the route west on Sheppard from Keele to Weston Road, with buses looping north on Rivalda Road, west on Bradstock Drive and south on Weston Road. Buses still turn at Sheppard on Monday-to-Friday evenings and on weekends.

October 9, 1962

The looping at Weston Road reversed. Buses run north on Weston Road, east on Bradstock and south on Rivalda.

September 8, 1964

An extension of the 84 SHEPPARD route replaces 41 KEELE service on Sheppard between Keele and Weston Road. KEELE route extends north to Finch Avenue West, with buses looping via east on Finch, south on Tangiers Road and west on Toro Road.

February 6, 1965

Shuttle service operates between Finch Avenue and the new CNR Yard just north of Highway 7 in Vaughan Township. At Finch, buses loop via east on Finch, south on Tangiers and west on Toro. During evenings and weekends, these shuttle buses continue south to Sheppard. At the north end, buses loop on an off-street loop on the west side of Keele at the CNR North Gate.

Buses on this branch display a “41S Short Turn” rollsign and use a window card saying “CNR Yard”. A new zone boundary is introduced at Steeles Avenue.

February 21, 1965

The CNR Yard Shuttle is replaced by through service between the CNR Yard and Lansdowne.

September 7, 1965

A new rush hour service is inaugurated between York University and Lansdowne. Buses loop west via the Main Road clockwise, exiting on the north service road to Keele. This replaces the Finch rush hour short turn service. Weekday evening short turn service to Sheppard is also discontinued.

October 2, 1965

Saturday evening short turn service to Sheppard discontinued with more buses through routed to Highway 7.

February 26, 1966

With the opening of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY, all branches extended south on Lansdowne to connect with the subway at Lansdowne station. Buses loop via west on Jenet, then south and east on Wade. In addition to this, a new short turn service established between Lansdowne station and Lawrence, looping via east on Quinan, north on Sparta and west on North Park.

May 24, 1966

Short turn service to Lawrence discontinued.

September ??, 1968

Midday service added to the York University branch, which is redesignated 41D.

November 3, 1969

York University looping expanded to connect with the new 60 STEELES bus. Buses now loop through the University via west on the Main entrance road north, west and north on the service road, and east on Steeles to Keele.

February 7, 1971 or earlier

Evening and Saturday service added to York University.

June 27, 1971

Highway 7 service extended to the CNR North Road

January 3, 1972 or earlier

Sunday service added to York University branch

July 23, 1973

Some Highway 7 trips extended north on Keele to the Town of Maple, looping in the parking lot of the Maple Arena. The fare zone boundary for the 4th suburban zone is at Rutherford Road.

Off‑peak looping at York University is revised, buses now run west on Murray Ross, north on Niagara (now known as Sentinel), east north and west on Fraser, north on Ottawa and east on Steeles. Rush hour service to York University continues to follow the old looping, The “Main Road” has been renamed St. Lawrence by this date.

June 23, 1975

The ‘Forthbridge’ service is rerouted at the south end during rush hours. Buses now run south from Davenport via Symington, then east on Bloor and north on Lansdowne looping west on Jenet south and east on Wade, returning north on the reverse routing. The change is not initially reflected on the rollsigns.

September 2, 1975

Service north of CNR Yard (41F branch) is replaced by Vaughan Transit.

June 27, 1976

All ‘Forthbridge’ trips now run via Symington and use branch desingation 41B. Steeles trips are now branch 41-.

January 28, 1978

Coincident with the opening of the SPADINA SUBWAY, service north of Steeles to the CNR Yard is replaced by the new 107 KEELE NORTH route. All buses looping at York University now use the loop west on St. Lawrence, north and west on Fraser, north on Ottawa and east on Steeles, and are designated 41D. A new Steeles branch loops east on Canartic, north on Petrolia, and west on Steeles.

April 16, 1978

Late night York University trips (after 12.30am) seven days a week now use an expanded looping west on Murray Ross, north on Niagara, east north and west on Fraser, north on Ottawa and east on Steeles.

February 19, 1979

‘Steeles’ loop is reversed now running east on Steeles, south on Petrolia and west on Canarctic.

February 7, 1983

Two York University evening trips (at about 10pm) now service the Ross Humanities building. These specially designated trips are not shown on Pocket Timetable issued later in 1983, so it is not certain if this service was carried on for more than a few weeks.

January 1, 1984

The ‘Forthbridge’ service is replaced by the new 120 CALVINGTON route running from Wilson Station. A new short turn service begins operation between Lansdowne Station and Wilson (via Symington), looping through the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MTC) property between 7am and 7pm, buses enter west off Keele north of Highway 401, then north to Wilson. At other times buses use an off‑street loop (on the MTC property) on the south side of Wilson just west of Keele.

April 15, 1985

Coincident with the rerouting of 18 CALEDONIA buses via Lansdowne to Lansdowne Station, all 41 KEELE buses will operate via Symington and Bloor both ways to and from Lansdowne Station.

At some point soon after this, looping at Lansdowne Station is revised to west on Paton, south and east on Wade. Since this looping just north of the station and south of Lansdowne garage did not carry passengers and there were no stops here, it will be very difficult to pin the official date of this routing change.

September 3, 1985

Monday through Friday midday service to Wilson is eliminated and all trips run through to York University.

February 17, 1986 or earlier

Monday through Friday rush hour service and Saturday service until about 7pm to Wilson is eliminated and all trips run through to York University.

August 31, 1986

A new Monday through Friday evening branch to Forthbridge via Calvington is introduced. This replaces evening service previously provided by the 120 CALVINGTON route. Saturday evening and all day Sunday service to York University is improved, and the short turn service to Wilson is no longer operated during any periods. Pocket Timetable in 1986 to 1987 show that the 41B designation is used again for the Forthbridge service, but 41A shows up again in 1988. It is likely that the 41A route signs were never removed from buses, and branch designations in the pocket timetable were inaccurate.

June 29, 1987

Evening buses looping at York University now stop at the Ross Humanities building.

February 19, 1990

The York University and Steeles loops are combined weekdays until about 7pm. This provides a new midday service through the industrial area. The new 41B loop is operated west on St. Lawrence, north and west on Fraser, north on Ottawa, east on Steeles, south on Petrolia and west on Canarctic.

June 21, 1992

Looping at York University now includes service to York Lanes at all times.

May 1993 or earlier

After midnight looping expanded via Murray Ross and Sentinel

May 9, 1993

The 41C Route sign is now set up for the late evening trips via Murray Ross and Sentinel. Signs for 41B and 41D are revised.

February 13, 1994

All branches are rerouted at south end via St.Clair and Keele to and from the Keele Station. The 41D branch is redesignated 41. The service south of St.Clair replaced by the new 168 SYMINGTON bus.

February 18, 1996

Due to reduced government subsidies, services are reduced system wide, including the elimination of service on Forthbridge. Monday through Friday 41A evening service is now extended north from Calvington on Keele, just beyond Sheppard to turn east, around the loop and west on St.Regis.

February 16, 1997

This route is now designated as accessible route and uses lift equipped buses on all off peak trips and most rush hour trips.

September 2, 1997

Late evening service to the St.Regis area (“41A‑Sheppard”) is discontinued and all buses run through to York University via Murray Ross.

October 12, 1997

Late evening service on Saturdays, Sundays and Holiday now loops via Murray Ross, to match Monday through Friday service. The May 1991 Pocket Timetable shows late trips via Murray Ross. It is not know when this service was discontinued on Saturdays Sundays and Holidays.

March 21, 1998

The Lift equipped buses transferred to other routes, rendering the route inaccessible.

March 17, 2000

Last day for early evening short turn service to Sheppard and St.Regis. All evening trips now run to York University.

October 16, 2005

Late evening service via Murray Ross, Sentinel, and The Pond is withdrawn. During this period all buses will follow the 41B routing from Keele via York Blvd to the university Common Area.

February 7, 2007

Accessible service reintroduced, using low floor Orion VII buses on all runs, every day of the week.

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41 Keele Images

	In the early days of operation on KEELE, TTC bus 1904 (rollsign says ST. CLAIR-SHEPPARD) pulls up to a bus stop. John Knight submits this picture from the Toronto Reference Library.
	Jeffrey Kay supplies this shot of TTC Natural Gas bus 9401 operating in the Common Area at York University.
	TTC bus 6097 operates through the York University’s Common Area on November 27, 2001.
	A map of the 41 Keele route, as of 2008.