People looking to travel between Barrie and Toronto now have one more option.
ONEXBUS — an Ontario-based, family-owned intercity bus transportation company headquartered at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport — recently launched bus service between the two cities, confirmed John Samuel, the company’s chief executive officer.
The company was created in 2019 and started off with limos, he said. After Greyhound Canada permanently suspended service in Canada in May 2021, ONEXBUS expanded to include intercity bus service.
The Barrie-Toronto route is the latest addition to the company’s service, Samuel added.
“We have (a lot) of students and other (members of the) public who live in Barrie and come to Toronto for their job. There was a high demand,” he told BarrieToday.
Samuel said the company hopes to expand into other communities in the not-too-distant future.
“Barrie is just a starting point. We are working towards getting into more communities in the northern Ontario corridor," he said.
Although Metrolinx operates GO Transit between Barrie and Toronto, as does Ontario Northland, Samuel said his company believed there was still a gap in service and felt they could help fill it.
The new route, which launched Aug. 15, currently includes two departure times from Barrie — the first leaving at 6 a.m. and arriving in Toronto at 7:55 a.m. and the second leaving Barrie at 7:30 a.m. and arriving in Toronto at 9:25 a.m.
Northbound, a bus will leave downtown Toronto daily at 4:50 p.m. and arrive in Barrie at 6:50 p.m.
The cost for a "flex class" ticket is $19.99 while a "premium class" ticket will cost riders $26.99
Pick-up and drop-off is on Simcoe Street, south of Maple Avenue and Bayfield Street.
“We will be adding more to the schedule,” said Samuel, adding they will be seeking feedback from the public to help determine how frequently a bus would be needed.
“It’s too early to get any numbers. We try to work for the public … and we connect to Pearson Airport," he added. "(They) can then take the train all the way to London or Windsor.”
