Brampton Transit is opening its new Brampton Gateway Terminal on the northwest corner of Main Street South and Steeles Avenue West — beside Shoppers World Brampton mall — this Monday, November 26.

It straddles the corner, with some buses stopping at platforms beside the traffic lanes along Main South and Steeles West, while most buses enter the terminal from Steeles. Bus-activated traffic signals at the entrance into and the exit from the terminal allow bus drivers to move their vehicles easily into and out of regular traffic and help keep the buses on schedule.

The new terminal serves passengers riding buses operating along Brampton Transit routes that currently drop off and pick up passengers routes at the Shoppers World Terminal, just west of the new terminal off Steeles Avenue West.

Brampton Gateway Terminal includes:

• 17 bus bays for current and future service;
• an improved passenger-service area, with an enclosed waiting area a concession kiosk, washrooms and real-time information displays;
• a bike shelter; and
• improved landscaping and lighting.

Brampton Transit buses operating along these routes serve passengers in the new terminal:

• 502 Z�m Main
• 511 Z�m Steeles
• 2 Main
• 3 McLaughlin
• 4 / 4A Chinguacousy
• 8 Centre
• 11 Steeles
• 51 / 51A Steeles West
• 52 McMurchy
• 53 Oaklea
• 54 James Potter

MiWay buses operating along the 103 Hurontario express route also loop through the terminal, then head southward along Main Street South, starting and ending their trips west of the curb lanes, beside the terminal building at platforms 13 and 14.

GO Transit buses operating along the 31 Guelph / Georgetown / Toronto and 33 Guelph / Georgetown / North York routes do not enter the new terminal. These buses continue to serve passengers at their current stops on Main Street South. Southbound buses pick up passengers on Main South across from Bartley Bull Parkway — in front of Shoppers World, just north of the new terminal. Northbound buses drop off passengers on Main South at Bartley Bull.

Commuters can’t park their vehicles at the new parking. Rio Can, the company that manages Shoppers World, has reserved all parking for mall customers and will tow away any vehicles whose owners are not shopping at mall stores. Rio Can will also reclaim the area which Brampton Transit’s current Shoppers World Terminal occupies for parking.

You can view information on Brampton Gateway Terminal, including a platform layout showing where you can board specific buses, here. (.pdf)

This may be the third terminal on the Shoppers World site. We seem to remember an early terminal on the north-east side of the mall property, with buses entering and exiting to and from Main Street South, rather than Steeles Avenue West. Perhaps long-time Brampton Transit passengers can confirm this — because we haven’t been able to.