Compiled by Jeffrey Kay
With additions by Pete Coulman
Map by James Bow

March 30, 1954

Route commenced operation at 1.30pm this day, replacing a portion of the BAY streetcar route. Buses loop at the south end, counter clockwise around Queen’s Park Cres., then north via Avenue Road, Lonsdale, Oriole Parkway, Chaplin, through Davisville Station, and Yonge, looping south of Eglinton Garage west on Hillsdale, north on Duplex and east on Berwick.

April 26, 1954

Extended north to Eglinton, looping east on Eglinton, south on Holly and west on Soudan.

September 13, 1954

To replace the southern portion of the HILL COACH, Monday through Friday rush hour service extended south on University to Front, looping via east on Wellington, south on York and west on Front.

August 30, 1955

Short turn buses now loop at north end east on Lonsdale, south on Oriole and west on Heath. (Exact start date of service is unknown, this service may have operated during the morning rush hour only.

May 15, 1956

Due to construction of the new TTC offices, buses no longer loop through Davisville Station at Chaplin & Yonge. (Transfer required during construction period to make the Subway connection.)

December 15, 1957

Now stopping inside the new Davisville Station in both directions.

February 28, 1963

Rush hour service between Queen’s Park and Front discontinued, after the morning rush hour, coincident with the opening of the University Subway at noon this day.

May 21, 1963

Short turn service now looping west on Heath, north on Forest Hill Road and east on Lonsdale.

June 23, 1968

Extended south on University replacing the University Subway after 9.45 p.m. Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday and Holidays. Buses loop east on Adelaide, south on Bay and west on Front. During hours of extended service buses loop through St.George Station in both directions; from Avenue Road west on Lowther, south on Bedford, west on Prince Arthur, serving St.George Station (Bay 2), then north on Bedford and east on Prince Arthur to Avenue Road.

October 12, 1975

5B buses now approach St.George Station west on Bloor, north on Bedford and west on Prince Arthur.

January 28, 1978

Evening / Sunday service south of Queen’s Park discontinued, coincident with the opening of the Spadina subway and full time operation of the University subway.

January 4, 1982

Midday service extended south on University to loop east on Elm, north on Elizabeth and west on Gerrard.

March 24, 1985

Hours of service to Gerrard improved to seven days a week, 18 hours a day, except during Monday-Friday rush hours, when buses continue to loop around Queen’s Park Circle.

April 22, 1985

AM rush hour short turn service extended north to Davisville Station.

April 19, 1987

Evening, weekend and rush hour service to Gerrard discontinued. Base service to Queen’s Park Circle returns to seven days a week, 18 hours a day, except Monday-Friday midday.

November 26, 1989

Rerouted at north end to Eglinton Station via Oriole Parkway and Eglinton, coincident with the southerly extension of the 97‑YONGE bus. Morning short turn service discontinued.

January 3, 1993

Normal routing resumed at Gerrard following completion of the new wing of the Sick Childrenç—´ Hospital. A revised loop via Elm, Elizabeth and Edward lasted several years, but the exact start date unknown.

February 18, 1996

Due to reduced government subsidies system wide service cuts are introduced including the elimination of late evening service (after 10 p.m.) seven days a week.

Scheduled service for the board period beginning June 16th 1996:

(headway / vehicles required)
Mon-Fri   AM RH   midday   PM RH   early eve.   late eve.
5        9m30s/5    ---     12m/4   30m/1.5 @       ---
5C         ---     13m/4      --       ---           ---

Weekend:   Saturday                         Sunday
           AM/PM    early eve.   late eve.   AM/PM    early eve. late eve.
5          13m20s/3   30m/2         --       30m/1.5@   20m/2       ---

@ Through routed with the 56 LEASIDE route at Eglinton Station

March 19, 2000

Service reduced in the midday and afternoon peak period from Monday to Friday, from 13 min to 17 min in the midday and from 12 min to 16 min in the afternoon rush hour.

February 17, 2002

Service reduced during the daytime on Saturdays from every 13 min 20 s to every 20 min.

May 12, 2002

The 5:40 a.m. Monday-Friday first southbound departure from Eglinton Stn discontinued, along with the 6:00 a.m. Monday-Friday first northbound departure from Queen’s Park.

January 2, 2005

Service reduced during the midday from Monday to Friday from every 17 minutes to every 30 minutes.

November 23, 2008

As part of the TTC’s Ridership Growth Strategy, service is increased to operate whenever the subway is open, at intervals of 30 minutes or better.

May 8, 2011

As part of a reallocation of resources, service after 10 p.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays eliminated.

5 Avenue Road Image Archive

	This picture from the Toronto archives shows an Avenue Road bus in Davisville station, before the construction of the TTC's headquarters. The rollsign helps date this picture as after September 1954 but before 1958.
	A photograph, circa 1958, of an Avenue Road bus (TTC GM "Old Look" 1341) on Queen's Park Circle near Wellesley.
	TTC GM "New Look" bus 2926 poses with a 5B AVENUE ROAD rollsign, date unknown, but probably between 1957 and 1963. Photo courtesy the Toronto Archives.
	TTC GM Classic 6244 operates on 5 AVENUE ROAD outside one of Toronto's famous landmarks, Queen's Park, in the summer of 2000. Photo by Rob Hutchison.
	Orion VII vehicle 7860 heads southbound on Yonge Street, just south of Eglinton, as part of the 5 AVENUE ROAD route. Photo by Greg Northcott.
	A scan of an Orders and Notice for March 30, 1954 (the opening day of the Yonge subway), detailing route operations into the subway for AVENUE ROAD, DAVISVILLE and SOUTH LEASIDE routes.
	A map of 5 AVENUE ROAD operations effective July 2010.
	An operators' guide for 5 AVENUE ROAD, dated January 1, 1958. This page contains the map of the route.
	The 5 AVENUE ROAD operators guide, information page.