Compiled by Pete Coulman

September 3, 1963

A new route is established, replacing portions of 55 MIMICO and 69 QUEENSWAY, providing through service on Royal York Road between Lake Shore Boulevard and Bloor Street.

At the north end, buses loop via west on Meadowvale, north on Clivedon and east on Bloor before heading south on Royal York to Lake Shore, looping via east and north on Lake Shore and west on Lake Crescent to Royal York.

Buses operate out of Parkdale Garage, Mondays through Saturdays.

July 26, 1965

By now, Sunday service established between Bloor and Lake Shore. In addition, service is extended north of Bloor to Dixon, looping via Dixon Road, Roxaline and Royaleigh, Mondays through Fridays, rush hours and midday.

February 23, 1996

Buses now operate out of the new Queensway Garage

February 28, 1966

A new short turn service is added, operating during rush hours from Bloor Street via north on Royal York to Anglesey, looping via Anglesey, the Kingsway and Lambeth.

May 11, 1968

In conjunction with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY to Islington, bus service on Royal York Road is split at the new Royal York subway station. Service south of Bloor now provided by the new 76 ROYAL YORK SOUTH bus with the remainder of the service north of the station operated by the original route. Service on the Anglesley branch discontinued. Buses operate out of Lansdowne garage.

September 6, 1971

Service extended north of Dixon via St. Philips, Humber, Weston Road, Albion Road and Islington to loop via Wardlaw and Barkwin. Extended service operates Mondays through Saturdays, eighteen hours a day. The original 73A branch to Dixon Road also operates Mondays through Saturdays, but twelve hours a day, as well as all day Sundays.

March 14, 1976

Buses now operate out of Queensway garage.

January 28, 1978

Sunday service added to the Wardlaw (73) branch.

November 25, 1990

With the opening of Finch Avenue between Islington Avenue and Albion Road, service around the Islington/Albion intersection is rationalized. 73 ‘Wardlaw’ buses are extended to run via Albion Road to an off-street loop at Humberline. Short turn service to Dixon Road is reduced to rush hours only.

February 13, 1994

Service north of Dixon Road to Humberline discontinued on weekends and holidays. Service to the Dixon Road branch is increased to compensate.

May 3, 1999

A new rush hour branch is added to provide service on La Rose, north of Eglinton. Buses operate from Royal York station via north on Royal York, looping via east on La Rose, south on Scarlett and west on Eglinton to Royal York, returning via the reverse route.

The initial proposal for this branch called for buses to loop via La Rose, Scarlett, Richview Road and a special bus-only laneway connecting Richview Road with Eglinton Avenue. However, no such connection materialized.

February 13, 2000

Saturday late evening (after 10 p.m.) and Sunday evening (after 7 p.m.) service on the Dixon loop revised to run via east on Dixon, south on Scarlett and west on Lawrence, so as not to disturb local residents.

October 16, 2000

A new rush hour branch extends service on Albion Road northwest from Humberline to loop counterclockwise via Claireport Road.

November 23, 2008

As part of the TTC’s Ridership Growth Strategy, service on the 73C Clareport branch is increased to operate at intervals of 30 minutes or better throughout the day, seven days a week, whenever the subway is open. As a result, 73C service replaces the 73 ‘Humberline’ branch. Similarly, service on the 73B ‘La Rose’ branch improved to operate at thirty minutes or better, seven days a week, whenever the subway is open. Service on the 73A ‘Dixon Road’ branch is reduced to a rush hour short turn service, providing additional service between Royal York station and Dixon Road. As a result of this, Royal York buses no longer need to loop via Dixon Road, Scarlett Road and Lawrence Avenue during weekend evenings.

July 20, 2010

As of the time of this writing, the bulk of 73 ROYAL YORK’s service is provided by the 73C branch to Clairport. Buses operate every 18 minutes during rush hours, every 15 minutes during midday weekdays, and every 17 minutes to 30 minutes during the evenings. On Saturdays, frequencies range from every 13 minutes during the day, to every 20 or 30 minutes during the evenings. On Sundays, service ranges from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes.

In addition to this, buses on the 73B ‘La Rose’ branch operate every 30 minutes between Royal York station and La Rose, every day of the week, whenever the subway is open. Further, rush hour service is augmented by the 73A ‘Dixon Road’ branch, with buses running every 18 to 20 minutes.

Service is accessible, and has been for some time.

May 8, 2011

As part of a general reallocation of resources, service on the 73B “La Rose” branch is eliminated after 7 p.m. every day. All buses in the evening run on the 73C “Clairport” branch.

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73 Royal York Image Archive

	An official TTC map of 73 ROYAL YORK operations, effective July 20, 2010.
	TTC Western Flyer rebuild trolley coach 9312 operating in service on 89 WESTON ROAD passes TTC GM TDH5303 3590 on 73 ROYAL YORK, southbound on Weston Road, just beneath the Albion Road underpass. The 89A exposure on the WESTON ROAD bus is in error. Photo donated by Jim Blair.
	In this photograph, taken from the Dundas Street West overpass, Orion VII "Next Gen" bus 8090 runs north along Royal York Road in service on the 73C ROYAL YORK route. Everything in this photo - from recycle bins and bike lanes to glass wall stops and landscaping - shows the modern city the way it is supposed to be. Photo by Roman Fomin on May 23, 2013.