Getting to school was quite a bit weird today.

To get the school, I usually take the #7 bus to King and University and then swap on to one of the 5 buses that run down University Ave to get to the school. While walking to the bus stop 5 minutes earlier than usual today, I see a bus zipping down King street. I thought to myself. Aw what the heck, how can the bus leave the bus terminal 5 minutes early?! (My stop is only about 2 stops from Conestoga Mall where it comes from)

I stood in the bus shelter and waited for a few minutes when another bus comes by.

Oh that’s weird… I swore I was going to have to wait half an hour for the next one

Excited by the fact that I don’t have to wait or walk in the cold, I hopped on the bus without paying much attention. The bus was completely empty on a Sunday morning, when old people like to go out. The bus travels down its usual route on King Street, passes the stop at BMO… I hit the switch for next stop, and all the sudden, the bus swirves into the left turn lane at University (where its supposed to stop usually… on the right lane).

I ran up to the driver and asked, isn’t this the #7 bus?

The driver then said, Nope, not any more! But I’ll drop you off by the Royal Bank when I make the turn.

In all of the confusion, I got off the bus and looked back at the LED marquee, which read “7 University and King“. This route does not even exist on the bus schedule. I saw the bus driver flip a few switches, and then marquee changed into “7C Conestoga Mall“. The driver then hits the gas, makes a left turn on Regina and followed the 7E route down Regina that usually goes to the school.

University and King is only about 5 stops away from Conestoga Mall. It still very much puzzles me as to why they have an unlisted bus service between Conestoga Mall and University and King off the regular routes at unscheduled time.

Well… I guess if you are the GRT, it makes perfect sense.

Aside: Compilation of random GRT… stuff

• Bus driver pulls over in the middle of King Street to grab a cup of Tims
• Bus driver running a regular route drops off passengers at a regular stop, but refuses to open door to let passengers on
• Three buses run back to back at half hour interval. Make that two and a half empty buses.
• Bus stops less than 20 metres apart
• Bus driver picks up passenger at wrong stops
• Bus… just didn’t come