Glossary of Terms

Base Route: Routes designated in major east/west and north/south corridors on York Region’s roads. They form a grid network of fixed routes connecting major destinations.

Board Period: Specific times within a year when changes to transit schedules are implemented. 

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): Buses operating on grade separated roadways or dedicated lanes to transport passengers and usually include signal priority, off-board fare collection and enclosed stations.

Committee of the Whole: A Regional Committee of York Regional Council members who meet twice a month. During these meetings members get public input, review policies, and consider staff reports before making recommendations to Regional Council.

Deadhead: Time spent moving a revenue vehicle into non-revenue service (e.g. bus travelling from the garage to the route’s starting point).

Demand-to-Capacity: Average maximum passengers on board a vehicle divided by total available vehicle capacity.

Dwell: The time a transit vehicle spends at a stop, measured as the interval between its stopping and starting.

Express Route: A route connecting residential and business areas to major trip generators and transit hubs, such as a subway station. Travel times are improved by reducing the number of bus stops served and by travelling on 400-series highways and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. YRT operates a variety of express models:

• Radial: Provides direct service between residential or commercial areas and bus terminals to facilitate convenient interchange with interregional transit
• Overlay: Provides limited-stop service supplementing base routes along arterial corridors
• Point-to-Point: Provides point-to-point travel to popular destinations during peak seasons

Family of Services: The classification of transit services that comprise the entire YRT network, including Viva, Base, Local, Express, School Special, and YRT On-Request services.

Fare Capping: Offering free rides to customers after a specified number of paid trips within a calendar month. Fare capping removes the upfront cost of weekly or monthly passes which may be a barrier for affording transit rides.

Fare Media: Any means of payment or proof of payment distributed by the agency either directly or through agents under private contract (e.g. fare cards, transfers, etc.) 

Frequent Transit Network (FTN): A network of corridors in urban areas where transit service typically operates at frequencies of 15 minutes or better.

Frequency: The number of buses passing a given point on a route within one hour. ‘Frequency’ is sometimes used interchangeably with ‘Headway,’ which is the time between transit vehicle arrivals at a stop.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS): Advanced technologies that improve the operations, information and communication of transit services.

Layover: Time built into a schedule between arrival and departures, used for the recovery of delays and preparation for the return trip.

Local Council: A body of elected officials in a municipality for a four-year term. There are nine local Councils in York Region, one for each municipality.

Local Route: Routes designated in midblock corridors on municipal roadways, connecting to Regional roadways.

Mobility On-Request Paratransit: York Region’s door to-door, shared ride, accessible public transit service for people with disabilities on an on-request basis.

Net Cost per Passenger: Net direct operating cost divided by total passenger trips.

Non-Rush Hour: Periods of the day when travel activity is lower and less transit service is scheduled. Non-rush hour is also referred to as off-peak hours, off-peak service hours, or off-peak period.

Operating Periods: Time periods when different travel patterns can be identified. Unless otherwise noted, YRT’s operating periods and times are as follows:

• Early Morning: beginning of service until 6 a.m.
• Morning Rush Hour: 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Midday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Afternoon Rush Hour: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Evening: 7 p.m. until end of service

Passenger Trips: A trip made by a customer travelling one way from origin to a destination on a public transit system, including transfers.

Public Outreach Event (POE): An information event providing the public an opportunity to review proposed transit service changes and provide feedback.

Rapidway: Dedicated transit lane that enables transit vehicles to avoid traffic congestion and operate faster, combined with signal priority at intersections.

Regional Council: A body of elected officials in a Region for a four-year term. York Region Council sets policies, direction, and budgets for York Region.

Revenue-to-Cost Ratio (R/ C Ratio): Total operating revenues divided by total direct operating expenses.

Ridership: Number of rides taken using a public transit system in a given time period. Can be measured as total boardings, revenue ridership or linked/passenger trips.

Rush Hour: Periods of the day when travel activity is higher and additional transit service is scheduled. Rush hour is also referred to as peak hours, peak service hours or peak period.

Service Area: The area encompassing the origin to destination points wherever travellers can be picked up and dropped off.

Service Span: The period of time over which service is operated (e.g., 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.). Service span often varies by weekday, Saturday, or Sunday/holiday service.

School Specials: Routes providing access to secondary schools when there is limited availability of existing transit routes and capacity. They are designed to service high schools only for the morning and/or dismissal bell times.

Stakeholder: Person or group that has an investment or interest in YRT. 

Timing Point: A bus stop location where buses are expected to arrive and/or depart at the time indicated on the schedule.

Transit Assistance Program (TAP): A York Region program to help make transit more affordable for eligible residents. More information about this program is available at yrt.ca/TAP.

Travel Training: Group or individual training sessions for York Region residents of all ages and abilities who need additional knowledge and skills to use YRT independently. YRT conducts virtual and in-person travel training through the MyRide Travel Training program.

Viva: York Region’s bus rapid transit service.

Vivastation: Bus stop located on a Viva route, typically with an enclosed shelter and off-board payment equipment.

YRT On-Request: York Region’s flexible service delivery model designed to provide service to travellers in low demand areas and connect these areas with a bus route, mobility hub, or destination where a conventional bus service is not available.