Hollinger Bus Lines Limited

R.L.Kennedy

Hollinger Bus Lines was the biggest of the independent bus lines taken over by the T.T.C. in July 1954.
It was owned by J.Hollinger & Co. Ltd. and was founded by John Hollinger in June 1921 whose son, J.B.Hollinger took over as president in 1951. It served the growing residential area of East York adjacent to the City of Toronto north of the Danforth. Over the years Hollinger grew through acquisition and expansion until in its last years it operated a system of about a dozen routes with a fleet of 56 city buses and 8 interurban highway buses serving Mount Albert and for charters.

Fitzjohn 62 signed for Mount Albert interurban run (top).

Fitzjohn 43 signed for Parkview Hills local route (bottom).

Ticket front and back. Transfer

 

History Time Line

June 1921

WOODBINE route started, operating along Woodbine Avenue from Danforth Avenue (City Limit) to O'Connor Drive. A branch was operated in rush hours, starting in August 1928 along Woodbine and Lumsden Avenue to Main Street. May 22, 1941 extension from O'Connor and Woodbine across the Woodbine bridge to Glenwood Crescent. In September 1945 it was extended along O'Connor past Glenwood to Tiago Ave. Service was discontinued Aug. 2,1949 from Strathmore via Woodbine and O'Connor to Tiago.

March 1, 1927

DAWES ROAD service started by a Mr.Alex Hamilton, from the Danforth to Peard Road in the Victoria Park and St.Clair Ave. E. area. Vic Park being the boundary between East York and Scarborough. It was sold December 27, 1930 to a Mr. A. Sefton who operated as Del-Ray Coach Lines, and who in turn sold it to Hollinger July 6, 1936. . Effective January 10,1931. service was operated between Luttrell Loop via the Danforth and Dawes to Victoria Park and Holland Avenue.
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December 16, 1931

COXWELL-MAIN service started from the Danforth via Coxwell Ave. Sammon Ave. Woodbine, and Lumsden to Main.

BROADVIEW service started from the Danforth via Broadview, Mortimer and Donlands Avenues to O'Connor Drive.

February 3, 1933

WOODBINE-DAWES service started from the Danforth via Woodbine, Lumsden and Main to the Danforth again. July 13, 1936 routing changed to run via Woodbine, Barrington and Secord Aves. and Dawes Road to the Danforth.

DONLANDS service started from the Danforth via Donlands, Mortimer, Linsmore Crescent, Sammon and Coxwell to the Danforth again. Re-routed Feb.25th. via Monarch Park Ave. instead of Linmore.
It was re-routed June 1,1952 via Coxwell and Mortimer (off Sammon and Monarch Park).

July 1936

WEXFORD service started July 6th. in rush hours only.

October 24, 1937

Woodbine-Dawes and Dawes Rd. services combined on Sundays to operate from Lumsden via Main, Danforth and Dawes to Holland.

December 5, 1938

High School service started from Woodbine via O'Connor, Broadview, Mortimer, Pape, Sammon, Donlands, Cosburn to Coxwell.

1941 1942 Services to Geco (General Engineering Co.), was a major war-time industry along with a big need for worker housing. GECO HOUSING was an actual route name.

GECO service commenced March 1941 jointly with Danforth Bus Lines, from Danforth via Dawes and Eglinton Ave. to Birchmount Road. August, service started from Eglinton Avenue and Yonge Street to Geco. October, joint service with Danforth Bus Lines started October from Strathmore Blvd. to Geco.
May 1, 1942 service started from Yonge and St.Clair Ave. to Geco.

January 5, 1942

BROADVIEW-COXWELL service started (9 hours a day) from Strathmore via Coxwell, Mortimer, Nealon and Jackman Avenues to Broadview and Coxwell, returning via Mortimer and Coxwell. It was changed May 5, 1947 to operate from the Danforth via Broadview, Mortimer and Coxwell to Strathmore.

December 20, 1943

O'CONNOR route started (9 hours a day) from Strathmore via Coxwell and O'Connor to Woodbine. It was extended August 2, 1949 to Amsterdam Avenue.

October 29, 1945

MOUNT ALBERT interurban service started from the downtown Toronto Gray Coach Terminal at Bay & Dundas (Edward St.) via Bay, Wellesley and Parliament Streets, over the Prince Edward Viaduct, Broadview, O'Connor, Dawes, Lansing Road, Don Mills Road through Cedar Valley and Vivian to Mount Albert, Ontario.

August 2, 1949

WOODBINE-ST.CLAIR route started from Strathmore via Woodbine, O'Connor and St.Clair Ave. to Dawes Road.

January 3, 1950

PARKVIEW HILL route started from Strathmore via Coxwell, O'Connor and St.Clair to Woodbine Heights Boulevard. In 1951 it was extended to loop via Parkview Hill Crescent, Elswick Road, Hackberry Street and Woodbine Heights Blvd. to St.Clair.

1952

Early in 1952 an industrial loop service was started in rush hours only as a branch of the O'Connor route. Looping in the A.M. via Curity Ave., Hollinger Road, Bermondsey Road and O'Connor. In P.M. the looping was reversed.

I.B.M. service was started from the Danforth and Coxwell to the I.B.M. plant on Don Mills Road.

EGLINTON route name replaced GECO name in August.

July 1954

Hollinger's properties, 8 routes and 56 buses were taken over by the T.T.C. although 24 of the 56 buses were deemed surplus to daily needs. There were two appraisals of assets of $803,230 and $804,420 with an estimated value including goodwill of $1,095,000 and $1,194,000.

Annual report December 31, 1953 showed revenue of $698,389.31 (local $643,169.46) operating expenses of $570,169.46 and a profit before depreciation of $96,879.96 after $133,814.69

 

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PROPERTIES

Hollinger's garage was located on a 200' x 310' property at 1485 Woodbine at O'Connor.
A bus Terminal was located on Danforth at Coxwell and included a restaurant operated by Terminal Grills Ltd. (owned by J.B.Hollinger). These properties had estimated values of $170,00 and $124,000

Other terminals were located at Strathmore and Woodbine, at 995 Woodbine, in Toronto, with a house rented as 2 apartments, and next door at 997 in East York was a waiting room and lunch counter operated by W.Corcoran, along with an apartment.

Loops were on property in the rear of 2772 Danforth Avenue and 54 Dawes Road, at Amsterdam and Victoria Park (100'x100') and on O'Connor, north of Holland at the Township Limit.

EMPLOYEES June 30,1953

3 Superintendents
3 Inspectors
1 Dispatcher
1 garage Foreman
1 Assistant Foreman
4 office staff (3 female)
18 garage workers
65 drivers
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96 in total

Roster of Buses

Map of Routes