York Region Transit route 58 'Mount Albert'

58 Mount Albert is a local, "small community" route operated by YRT in East Gwillimbury and Newmarket, ON.

Basic
Routes 58 mainly serves Leslie St. north of Davis Dr. and Mt. Albert Rd.

This route has 2 main branches:
 * 58 Mt. Albert - 404 Town Centre (Weekday rush hours and evenings only)
 * 58 Mt. Albert - Newmarket GO Bus Terminal via Sharon (Weekday midday only)

This route serves the communities of Mount Albert, Sharon, and eastern Newmarket. It also serves Mt. Albert Library, Mt. Albert Community Centre, EG Sports Complex, Sharon Temple, Huron Heights Secondary School, Southlake Regional Health Centre, Tannery Mall, Newmarket GO Station, Downtown Newmarket, and Upper Canada Mall. Some trips also serve Mt. Albert Foodland and East Gwillimbury GO Station.

Route 58 connects to Viva Blue at Newmarket Terminal.

History
In 2004, YRT started expanding service to smaller communities that did not yet have access to public transit other than GO Transit. Before, it's main focus was maintaining and increasing service operated by the former agencies it had acquired, and communities that did not have service before amalgamation largely went unnoticed. Sharon, a small community a few kilometres north of Newmarket, needed service, and in September 2004, YRT decided to implement a new route to serve this community.

Route 58 operated from 404 Town Centre north on Leslie to Farr Ave., looping via Farr, Donlands, Mt. Albert, Howard and Colonel Wayling, the same as the current route 58 looping during rush hour. Some trips operated to the (at the time) new East Gwillimbury GO Station. Additional rush hour service in Newmarket was offered in the form of route 58A, operating from Stonehaven Ave. to Ringwell Dr., south of Green Lane. Route 58A disappeared in Spring 2005, but at the same time added special trips to Newmarket High School on Mulock.

Another small community in Northern York Region was also asking for service. Mount Albert, located east of Highway 48 on Mount Albert Rd., was isolated, having no YRT or GO Transit connection. In September 2006, route 58 was extended east along Mount Albert Rd. to Mount Albert. The extended branch was numbered route 58A, and full service was operated. Extra peak buses operated along route 58, providing extra service to Sharon.

On September 5, 2010, to prevent confusion, the 'North' suffix of Leslie was removed from route signs.

On April 22, 2012, service on route 58A was extended during weekday midday from 404 Town Centre to Newmarket GO Bus Terminal, in order to provide a connection with Viva.

Routes 58 and 58A were declared fully accessible in December 2012.

The 2013 Annual Service Plan had route 58 discontinued and rush hour route 58A frequency improved to every 70 minutes and improved midday frequency, however the changes were modified to have route 58 not serve the Sharon community, but still operate weekday service. Both branches were merged to create a single route 58, operating every 64 minutes during rush hours. The 10:20 pm northbound trip and 10:45pm southbound route 58A trips were replaced by Dial-a-Ride service. Finally, the route was renamed to "Mount Albert".

The 2014 Annual Service Plan will introduce Saturday service on route 58 in the form of a Dial-a-Ride, operating hourly between 8:00am and 8:00pm. The 2015 Annual Service Plan will eliminate service on route 58 between Newmarket Terminal and 404 Town Centre to compensate for Viva Yellow launch.

Vehicles
Route 58 is primarily a 30ft route, and use E-Z Rider II/BRT/MAX. Rarely New Flyer D40LF may provide service.

Major Stops

 * Centre/King: Northern terminus.
 * King St.
 * Highway 48
 * Mt. Albert Foodland: Served during midday.
 * Sharon Arena
 * Conn Dr.
 * Leslie St.: Connection to route 50.
 * Green Lane: Connection to route 50.
 * East Gwillimbury GO Station: Served during GO Train meets. Connections to routes 50, 52.
 * York Region Transit 404 Town Centre: Southern terminus for rush hour and evening route 58 trips. Connections to routes 50, 55/55B, 56, 57/57A, 222, 520/521.
 * Davis Dr./Huron Heights: Served during midday. Connections to routes 50, 54, 55/55B, 520/521.
 * Tannery (Newmarket GO Station): Served during midday. Connections to routes 44, 50, 54, 55/55B, 223, 520/521.
 * Newmarket GO Bus Terminal: Southern terminus during midday. Serves Bay 5. Connections to Viva Blue/Blue A and routes 22A, 44, 50, 52, 55/55B, 56, 57/57A, 98, 520/521.