Driving Durham was presented to the Transit Executive Committee on March 4, 2026. 

Driving Durham is Durham Region Transit’s (DRT) five-year service strategy to guide transit service expansion and investments over the next five years through 2030.

The plan focuses on making transit easier, and the preferred transportation choice for more people, while continuing to meet the needs of current customers.

The strategy is guided by four categories of initiatives:

  • Filling gaps in existing service. 
  • Extending routes to residential and non-residential growth areas. 
  • Building a more frequent and available network. 
  • Strengthening On Demand and connecting Durham's villages. 

The service described here reflects DRT’s vision for the network over the next five years. 

 Filling gaps

The five-year service strategy addresses gaps in existing service.

Improvements will focus on:

  • Introducing more two-way service where large one-way loops operate. 
  • Operating the same routing seven days a week.
  • Piloting Community Connector routes, and other off-peak limited services.  

These improvements will ensure DRT is operating a transit system that offers consistency, is easier to understand, and meets the needs of current and new customers. 
Keeping up with growth

Durham Region is growing, and Driving Durham proposes expanding scheduled service to reflect newly developed areas across the Region.

 

 Pickering and Ajax

Service changes in Pickering are primarily in Seaton and along the Brock Road corridor. Routes 101 and 211 would be modified to provide service along more of the Church Street corridor and provide connections between Pickering and Ajax. New trips on Route 224 would provide enhanced frequency along most of the route and new connections to the Audley Recreation Centre. 

Map of Pickering and Ajax service
 Whitby, Oshawa and Courtice

In Whitby, services would be extended farther North to reduce walk distances from newly developed areas. Services in northeast Oshawa would be extended as development continues north of Conlin Road. A new service on Thornton and Stevenson Roads would provide access to new employment areas. 

Map of Whitby Oshawa and Courtice service
 Bowmanville, Newcastle, Uxbridge and Port Perry

Scheduled service is expected to replace On Demand in parts of the Town of Uxbridge as demand grows, and routes will be modified to connect with employment areas outside Port Perry.

Service in Bowmanville will be reconfigured to provide all-day service to more of the town while maintaining connections to Downtown and non-residential areas in west part of town. 

Map of service in Bowmanville, Newcastle, Port Perry, and Uxbridge

 

 

 
Building a more frequent and available network

Driving Durham anticipates more frequent service that operates longer hours along main regional travel corridors.

Map of frequent corridors 

 

Service on these corridors will be improved to every 15 minutes during peak periods, and every 20 minutes during other times, seven days a week. Further service improvements would be made over time and in response to crowding.

These are also the corridors prioritized for more service earlier in the mornings and later at night.
 Building On Demand and connecting Durham's villages

On Demand will evolve to improve integration between scheduled service and On Demand to deliver service most efficiently and effectively. 

Scheduled service between Durham's villages will facilitate long-distance travel, and On Demand will provide a "last-mile" connection to areas far from bus stops.

Map showing service in rural areas