The drivers of TTC,Durham Region Transit, Grand River Transit, Guelph Transit, MiWay, York Region Transit and other Greater Golden Horseshoe Area transit vehicles pause their buses, streetcars and trains at 11 a.m., Remembrance Day, this Monday, November 11.
The drivers “stop and stay” at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month for two minutes to honour the veterans of Canada’s wars. (One hundred and three years ago, at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918, the Allies and Central Powers signed the Armistice — the formal document ending the First World War.)
The stop and stay allows passengers and drivers two minutes to reflect on the sacrifices that members of the Canadian armed forces and other Canadians have made for peace.
TTC drivers usually stop subway and Scarborough rapid transit trains at station platforms. Bus and streetcar drivers pause their vehicles at a regular service stop just before 11 a.m. and remain there during the stop and stay. Wheel-Trans operators will stop their vehicles at a safe location.
Service resumes at normal levels immediately after two minutes of silence.
In previous years, GO Transit has honoured the stop and stay by halting all communications during the two-minute silence, but for safety and operational reasons, GO drivers can’t halt express buses operating along freeways or trains sharing tracks with freight trains.
This year, Grand River Transit says, “GRT buses and ION trains will pause service for two minutes at 11 am; please join us in a moment of silence to mark Remembrance Day. For safety reasons, any buses travelling on a highway will not pause. Route 301 ION light rail [trains] leaving Conestoga Station at 9:50 and 10 a.m. will be cancelled and replaced by a [train] leaving at 9:55 a.m. Light rail [trains] leaving Fairway Station at 10:40 and 10:50 a.m. will be cancelled and replaced by a [train] leaving at 10:45 a.m. This [train] will pause at Frederick Station for several minutes to ensure the cenotaph area is clear. Route 7 King provides alternate northbound service from stop 1888 (King / Frederick).”