Compiled by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos With Assistance by Mike Vainchtein

March 23, 1985

Coincident with the opening of the SCARBOROUGH RT, service begins on a new route on McCowan Road replacing a portion of the BRIMLEY 21 route between Ellesmere Road and Steeles. Buses operate from Scarborough Centre station via east on the bus access road and north on McCowan to just south of Steeles, looping counter-clockwise via east, north and west on Alton Towers Circle to McCowan, returning via the reverse route. Service operates seven days a week, eighteen hours a day.

This route operates out of Malvern Garage, rather than Birchmount Garage as the previous 21 BRIMLEY buses had.

September 2, 1986

Service extended north of Alton Towers Circle with buses operating in both directions on McCowan Road to Steeles Avenue, looping through a new off-street loop on the east side of McCowan Road, north of Steeles Avenue.

September 8, 1987

At the request of Markham Transit, service begins on a new branch providing service on McCowan Road north of Steeles, Mondays through Saturdays until 11:30 p.m. (10:15 p.m. on Saturdays). Buses run north on McCowan past Steeles to 16th Avenue, looping via east on 16th Avneue, south on Cairns and west on west on Raymerville to McCowan, returning via the reverse route.

October 14, 2001

At the request of York Region Transit, service on McCowan extended north of 16th Avenue to Major Mackenzie Drive and then west on Major Mackenzie Drive to loop via south on Ridgecrest, west on Castlemore and north on the Bridle Walk to Major Mackenzie, returning via the reverse route.

May 12, 2002

Sunday and holiday service established on the 129A “Major Mackenzie” branch.

February 17, 2008

Accessible service established using Orion V lift-equipped buses. At the same time, service increased during most times of the week to reduce crowding.

May 26, 2008

Bike rack service installed.

September 6, 2009

Accessible service now provided using low-floor Orion VII buses.

June 22, 2014

As part of system-wide changes to the TTC’s route branch designation system, all northbound buses bound for Steeles are redesignated 129B from 129. All southbound buses continue to show 129.

March 28, 2021

Operations of this route is moved from Malvern Garage, the division that had operated this route since its inception, to the newly-opened McNicoll Garage.

November 19, 2023

Following the closure of the LINE 3 SCARBOROUGH RT in July after a derailment, buses on the 129 McCOWAN NORTH are extended from Scarborough Centre Station to Kennedy Station along the priority route southbound on Midland Avenue and northbound on Kennedy Road. Stops on Midland/Ellesmere, Midland/Lawrence (southbound) and Kennedy/Lawrence (northbound) are added. Buses on this route board Bay 13 on Platform B in the new terminal at Kennedy Station.

Monday to Friday frequencies improve in the morning peak period from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. on this route with buses now scheduled to arrive every 21 minutes. The frequency of service are also be adjusted by approximately one to three minutes in most time periods to match scheduled capacity to demand.

129 McCowan North Image Archive

	A view of the Scarborough Centre bus platform level, with pedestrian link to the mall on April 18, 1985. Note the original bus platform arrangements viewed from east such as the 134 TAPSCOTT, 129 McCOWAN NORTH, 16 McCOWAN and 133 NEILSON. Photo courtesy of the Toronto Transit Commission, via City of Toronto Archives.
	An official map of 129 McCOWAN NORTH operations effective June 2011.
	TTC bus 1119 (Orion VII HEV) on route 129A McCOWAN NORTH heading to Major Mackenzie at Scarborough Centre station on October 21, 2010. Photo by, Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC Orion VII NextGen Hybrid 1283 at Scarborough Centre Station on the 129B McCOWAN NORTH route to Steeles. Photo by TorontoTransportGuy.
	TTC Orion VII bus #1743 pulls out from its bay at Scarborough Centre station in service on 129 McCOWAN NORTH. This photo was taken on June 14, 2011 by James Bow.
	TTC New Flyer D-40-89 bus #6443 drifts in the cold winter at Scarborough Centre Stn. on route 129A McCOWAN NORTH heading north to 16th Avenue. This photo was taken on January 12, 1993 by Paul A. Bateson
	Felix Tse captured TTC New Flyer D-40-90 bus #6594 at McCowan and Steeles loop on route 129 McCOWAN NORTH dated December 20, 1997.
	TTC GM T6H 5307N "Fishbowl" #8058 heads north in service on 129 McCOWAN NORTH. Photo donated by Pete Coulman.
	TTC Novabus LFS Artic 9086 arrives at Scarborough Centre Station terminal from Steeles along the 129 McCOWAN NORTH route, September 18th, 2014. Photo by Toby Oronos.