Chatham Coach Lines
Chatham Coach Lines or Cha-Co Trails began operations in 1948 and was owned by J.I DeNure. Chatham Coach Lines was acquired by Greyhound Canada in 2000.
History
July 1948 - J.I DeNure started Chatham Coach Lines supplying bus service to Chatham and purchased 6 new Fitzjohn City buses and 2 x-TTC Twin Coaches.
June 1949 - Acquired Thames View Bus Lines (Licensed school bus carrier with 4 Reo school buses)
1949 - Purchased first charter bus, #490, a 1949 Fitzjohn Duraliner.
1950 - Fleet up to 5 school buses, 3 charter buses and 10 city buses.
1953 - Received running rights to the U.S from the I.C.C
1955 - Acquired Blue Star Coach Lines (Ridgetown) Line runs through Kent County. Blue Star leased buses from Greyhound and they were not acquired during the takeover.
1958 - First four GMC 3102s hit the streets (#580-583).
1965 - Acquired MacDonald Bus Lines (Blenhiem) (13 School buses and garage in Blenhiem).
1969 - Started CareFree Tours and purchased first MCI MC-7 with the company's new paint scheme.
1970 - First 35' GMC transit bus (#148)
1971
- Acquired GRYP Bus Lines in Merlin (School Buses).
- Acquired Turner Bus Lines in Wallaceburg (School Buses).
- Acquired Cameron Coach Lines in Wallaceburg (School Buses).
- First Wheelchair Bus (#282).
- Started Limousine Service.
1972 - Started Airport service to Windsor and London airports
1973 - Fleet up to 110 School buses
1974 - New downtown terminal on Wellington St. (still in use)
1975 - Started Good Time Travel
1977
- Fleet grows to 170 buses, 130 were school buses.
- New garage in Windsor on Walker Rd.
1978 -Acquired United Trails in Windsor (line runs in Essex)
1980
- Acquired Emery Bus Lines in Big Point (school buses)
- Started Breg Bus (Distributor for Wayne-Wells Buses)
1981
- Sold Blenhiem school bus fleet to Ken DeNure (Blenhiem Bus Lines - 29 school buses)
- Reg DeNure becomes President and General Manager of Chatham Coach Lines
1982 - Won a 5 yr contract to supply transit to Point Pelee National Park
1983
- Started Chatham Cruise Lines and purchased a Miniature Mississippi Paddle-wheeler called "The Lady Thames"
- Expanded into Detroit with Chatham Coach Lines Inc.
1986 - Acquired Metro Limo in Windsor.
1987
- CCL had 175 School Buses, 13 City Buses, 20 Highway Coaches, 7 Limos and 12 Wheelchair Buses.
- Had offices in Brampton, Windsor, Wallaceburg and the Head Office in Chatham.
- Acquired Great Lakes Lines in Oakville (Charter Fleet unknown)
- Moved garage from King St to the Old Libby's Factory on Richmond St.
- Acquired Charterways Transportation Highway Division
- Acquired Lewis Bus Lines in St.Thomas
1988
- Changed Name to Cha-Co-Trails
- Good Time Travel and Rispen join together.
- Acquired Lambco Leasing in Sarnia
1992 - Acquired Sherwood Coach Lines and Robin Hood Tours in Goderich.
2000 - Sold to Greyhound Canada (Laidlaw Canada)
Charter
All-time roster
Transit
Chatham Coach Lines operated transit service in Chatham from July 15, 1948 until 2002. From 1977 until 2002 they operated the transit service under the name Chatham Transit.
Fares
1948:
| Cash | |
|---|---|
| Adult | 10 cents |
| Children | 5 cents |
1955:
| Cash | |
|---|---|
| Adult | 15 cents |
| Children | 5 cents |
1965:
| Cash | |
|---|---|
| Adult | 20 cents |
| Children/Students | 15 cents |
Routes
1948:
- Operating hours: Monday-Saturday, 6:00 am till Midnight
- Frequency: 20 minutes
| Route number |
Route name | Route description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond | Start Fifth-School-Queen-Richmond-Hinde-Dauch Factory-Richmond-Inshes-Lorne-Raleigh-Harvey-Queen-School-Fifth-King |
| 2 | King St. East | Start King-William-Stanley-Lansdowne-Murray-Princess-Wellington-Duke-Park-Adelaide-Wellington-William-King |
| 3 | King St. West | Start King-Phyliss-Tecumseh-Roberston-Harvey-West-Cross-Raleigh-Third-King |
| 4 | Brock | Start King-Fifth-Thames-Victoria-Barthe-Grand-Sandy-Cornhill-Sheldon-McNaughton-St.CLair-Barthe-Victoria-Thames-Fifth-King |
| 5 | Delaware | Start King-Fifth-Thames-Grand E-Taylor-Forest-Delaware-McNaughton-Forest-Victoria-Thames-Fifth-King |
| 6 | Queen | Start Fifth-School-Queen-Fairview (now Tweedsmuir)-Lacroix-Patterson-Queen-School-Fifth-King |
1959:
| Route number |
Route name | Route description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stacey |
|
| 2 | Simonton | Start King-Fifth-Center-Park St-Pine-Eugenie-Meadowlea-Tweedsmuire-John-Dolson-Freeland-Pavey-Tissiman-Queen-William-Park-Center-King |
| 3 | Sprucedale | Start King-Fifth-Thames-Victoria-Gregory Drive-St. Clair-Grand-Barthe-Thames-King |
| 4 | Queen | Start King-Fifth-Queen-Indian Creek-Lacroix-Patterson-Queen-Fifth-King |
| 5 | Delaware | Start King-Fifth-Thames-Grand East-#2 to B.A Service center-Taylor-McNaughton-Victoria-Gladstone-Delaware-Forest-Victoria-Thames-Fifth-King |
| 6 | Richmond | Start King-Fifth-Queen-Richmond-Keil Drive-Warwick-Orchard Heights-McKinnon-Kiel-Richmond-Lacroix-Lorne ave-Raleigh-Richmond-Queen-School-King |
| 7 | King St. East | Start King-Adelaide-Stanley-Lansdowne-Murray-Princess-King-Duke-Park-Hyslop-Park Ave-St. George-Adelaide-Witherspoon-William-King |
| 8 | King St. West | Start King-Phyliss-Tecumseh-Roberston-Harvey-Lacroix-Wellington-West-Harvey-Raleigh-Third-King |
| Peak | McGregor School |
|
| Peak | Tecumseh School |
|
1975:
- Operating hours: Monday-Friday 6:00 am-6:00 pm, Friday evening 6:30-9:00 pm, Saturday 8:00am-6:00pm
- Frequency: 30 minutes
| Route number |
Route name | Route description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond | Start TP-School-Queen-Wellington-Second-King-Merritt-Riverview-Orchard Heights-Kerr-Keil-Grand-Thames Towers-Grand-Kiel-Riverview-Richmond-Park st-TP |
| 2 | Sprucedale | Start TP-Wellington-Fifth-Thames-Victoria-Gregory Drive-St. Clair-McNaughton-Sandy-Cornhill-Sheldon-Poplar-St.Clair-Third-King-Fifth-Wellington-TP |
| 3 | Stacey | Start TP-Wellington-Fifth-Thames-Victoria-Barthe-Grand-Keil-Baldoon-Lark-McNaughton-Juliette-Parry-Northland-McNaughton-Craven-Coatsworth-Churchill-Grand East-Barthe-Victoria-Thames-Fifth-TP |
| 4 | Bloomfield | Start TP-School-Queen-Richmond-Bloomfield-Oriole Parkway-Bloomfield-Park Ave-Merritt-Tweedsmuir-O'Neil-Park Ave-Queen-William-Wellington-TP |
| 5 | Delaware | Start TP-Wellington-Fifth-Thames-Grand East-Woodland-Rosedale-Devonshire-Grand-Aberdeen-Vanier-Grand-Elizabeth-McNaughton-St. Clair-Third-King-Fifth-TP |
| 6 | Queen | Start TP-School-Queen-Mercer-Dolson-Freeland-Allen-Tissiman-Queen-Cecile-Lacroix-Indian Creek-St. Michael-Sylvestre-Vanderpark-Holland-St.Michael-Indian Creek-Lacroix-Richmond-Park St-Center-TP |
| 7 | Simonton | Start TP-Center-Fifth-King-Adelaide-Stanley-Lansdown-Murray-Princess-Park St-Hyslop-Park Ave-St. Anthony-Park Lane-Mercer-Pine-Park Ave-St. George-Price-Wellington-Harvey-Center-TP |
| Peak | McGregor School |
|
| Peak | Tecumseh School |
|
Route history
1955 - Service hours changed to Monday-Thursday 6:00 am-8:30 pm, Friday-Saturday 6:00 am-9:30pm & Adult fare increased to 15 cents
1956 - Eliminated route 3 King St. West during summer months and service hours changed to Monday-Thursday 6:00 am-6:50pm
1959 - Added two full-time routes and two peak routes and renamed and restructured all other routes to cover more area.
1965 - Fare increased to 20 cents for Adults, Students 15 cents.
1975 - Revamped all routes eliminating 1 route and going to 30 min service. Hours changed to Monday-Friday 6:00 am-6:00 pm, Friday evening 6:30-9:00 pm, Saturday 8:00am-6:00pm. Peak routes only operate during school months.
All-time roster
| Fleet number(s) |
Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Engine | Transmission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 148 | 
|
1970 | GMDD | T6H-4521 | Continued to be used on Chatham Transit. | ||
| 158 | 1971 | GMDD | T6H-4521 | Continued to be used on Chatham Transit. | |||
| 166-168 | 
|
7-8/1971 | GMC | TDH-3301 | Continued to be used on Chatham Transit. | ||
| 223-224 | 11/1972 | GMC | TDH-3302N | Continued to be used on Chatham Transit. | |||
| 245 | 10/1973 | GMC | TDH-3302N | Continued to be used on Chatham Transit. | |||
| 278 | 1975 | GMDD | T6H-4523N | Continued to be used on Chatham Transit. | |||
| 282 | 1971 | Volkswagen |
| ||||
| 288 | 1/1975 | GMC | T6H-4523A | Continued to be used on Chatham Transit. | |||
| 308-309 | 1975 | GMDD | T6H-4523N | Continued to be used on Chatham Transit. | |||
| 362-363 | 
|
Twin |
| ||||
| 480-485 | 1948 | Fitzjohn | Cityliner | ||||
| 500 | 6/1950 | Fitzjohn | Cityliner 310 | ||||
| 580-583 | 
|
7/1958 | GMC | TGH-3102 | |||
| 591-592 | 5/1959 | GMC | TGH-3102 | ||||
| 5061 | 11/1961 | GMC | TGH-3102 | Continued to be used on Chatham Transit. |
References
- All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems (history)
- CPTDB
- Personal notes and sightings
Website
- www.chacotrails.com (no longer available, links to archive.org saved site)