Compiled by James Bow
With assistance by Mike Vainchtein and Jeffrey Kay
Map by John Calnan

See Also:

• 938 HIGHLAND CREEK EXPRESS

September 3, 2000

Service begins on the new 38 HIGHLAND CREEK route, replacing a portion of the eastern half of the 95 YORK MILLS route. Buses operate from Scarborough Centre station on the SCARBOROUGH RT and run via east on Triton, south on McCowan, east on Ellesmere, southeast on Military Trail, east on Old Kingston Road, south on the Highland Creek Overpass, east on Lawson, south on Port Huron and east on Lawrence to Rouge Hill GO station. Buses return via the return route, diverting to loop through the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus. This route operates from Malvern Garage.

Service operates every 11 to 12 minutes during rush hours and every 15 to 20 minutes during off-peak times, from approximately 6 a.m. to 1 a.m., Monday through Saturday. Service scheduled together with 133 NEILSON to provide evenly-spaced frequencies on Ellesmere Road between McCowan and Neilson.

November 19, 2000

Construction work on the Highland Creek Overpass, that had been going on when the route started operation, comes to a close, ending delays and diversions on this route.

January 7, 2001

Round trip travel time reduced after 10:15 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, speeding up service and better reflecting the travel time required. No change to the 20 minute service level.

September 2, 2001

The first westbound trip, Monday to Friday, now leaves Rouge Hill GO station two minutes earlier, at 5:02 a.m., to better connect with the first westbound 95 YORK MILLS bus at Ellesmere Road. Service is also reduced during the morning and afternoon peak periods and during the daytime on Saturdays. Service now operates every 13 minutes in the morning rush hour, 14 minutes during the afternoon rush hour and every 15 minutes during the daytime on Saturdays.

June 20, 2004

Service made accessible with the use of lift-equipped buses.

October 16, 2005

Sunday and holiday service added, with buses operating every 20 minutes during the day and 30 minutes during the early evening.

May 26, 2008

Bike rack service installed.

November 23, 2008

As part of the TTC’s Ridership Growth Strategy, late evening service installed on Sundays and holidays, with buses operating at every 30 minutes. Also on this day, service on Sunday afternoons increased to every 15 minutes.

November 24, 2008

Service begins on a new rush hour and Monday to Friday midday short-turn service between Scarborough Centre station and the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus. Buses loop in the U of T Scarborough campus.

This allows the TTC to significantly increase service between Scarborough Centre station and the university campus at the expense of service between the university campus and Rouge Hill SO station. During the morning rush hour, buses operate every 7 minutes 30 seconds west of the campus, and every 15 minutes between the campus and Rouge Hill GO station. During the afternoon rush hour, service operates every 6 minutes west of the campus and every 12 minutes east of it. During the midday, buses operate every five minutes west of the campus and every 10 minutes east of it. The new branch does not operate in the summer when travel to U of T Scarborough is much lighter.

September 1, 2012

On a trial basis, the TTC and GO enter into a special transfer arrangement. GO passengers, boarding this line at Rouge Hill GO station or the eastbound stop at U of T Scarborough can show a valid GO fare and be excused from paying the TTC fare. The transfer arrangement only applies to 38 HIGHLAND CREEK. The trial is slated to end on April 27, 2013.

September 4, 2012

A new short-term parking lot and bus loop opened on the south campus of U-of-T Scarborough in the area formerly known as the “Inner Lots”. This loop replaces the looping arrangements in the old Arrival Court. The new loop is located near the Athletics Centre further east on Military Trail and features bus shelters (to be installed soon) and enhanced safety features. In addition with the old TTC connections, additional connections are provided at the loop with the DRT Pulse service, other Durham Region Transit routes and GO Transit.

June 22, 2014

As part of a system-wide reorganization of route branch designations, eastbound buses on the regular 38A HIGHLAND CREEK branch to UofT Scarborough is redesignated 38B. This is an interim step to get passengers used to the new designation before redesignating the regular “Rouge Hill GO Station” branch 38A.

May 10, 2015

As a follow-up to its earlier route reorganization, eastbound buses operating to Rouge Hill GO station are now redesignated 38A.

September 7, 2021

With the expected launch of the new school year, service on the 38B (Scarborough Centre Station-UTSC) branch is restored for the midday and afternoon peak period, with new morning peak period service established. This is done in conjunction with the new 938 HIGHLAND CREEK EXPRESS route, established to operate eastbound only during the morning peak period, and westbound only during the afternoon peak period.

November 19, 2023

Following the closure of the LINE 3 SCARBOROUGH RT in July after a derailment, buses on the 38 HIGHLAND CREEK 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 14 on Platform B in the new terminal at Kennedy Station.

Service frequencies are adjusted Monday-Friday in the early evening and late evening periods, on Saturdays in the late evening period and on Sundays in the early evening and late evening periods to match scheduled capacity to demand.

38 Highland Creek Image Archive

	An official TTC map of the 38 HIGHLAND CREEK route, effective January 3, 2011.
	TTC Orion VII bus #1084 pulls into Rouge Hill GO station's bus terminal to pick up passengers on the 38 HIGHLAND CREEK route. This photo was taken on June 14, 2011 by James Bow.
	After laying over for a few minutes, TTC Orion VII bus #1118 re-enters service at the University of Toronto's Scarborough Campus on the 38 HIGHLAND CREEK route. This photo was taken on June 14, 2011 by James Bow.
	TTC Orion VII Hybrid #1149 departs Scarborough Centre RT station on 38A HIGHLAND CREEK as it sets out to U of T Scarborough on June 8, 2011. Photo by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC Orion VII "Next Gen" hybrid bus #1310 pulls up to its stop at Scarborough Town Centre station, in service on the 38 HIGHLAND CREEK route. This photo was taken around noon on March 14, 2019 by James Bow.
	TTC Orion V bus 7096 heads to Scarborough RT Station, about to turn to a dedicated busway. Photo by Roman Fomin on November 8, 2011.