Compiled by Pete Coulman

May 11, 1968

Coincident with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY to Islington station, service begins on a new route serving Bloor Street West, replacing a portion of the old 50 KINGSWAY bus. Buses on 49 BLOOR WEST operate from Islington station via west on Bloor, looping at Mill Road via north on Mill, east on Toledo and south on Markland Drive to Bloor, returning via the reverse route. All buses operate out of Queensway Garage.

Around January 1969

Between 1967 and 1972, the freeway section of Highway 27 was extensively rebuilt from the Queen Elizabeth Way to Highway 401, transforming it into Highway 427. Coincident with this construction, the Bloor Street bridge over Highway 27 had to be rebuilt. When construction shut down the Bloor Street bridge, buses were diverted to run via west on Bloor, north on East Mall, west on Burnhamthorpe and south on West Mall to Bloor, returning to route. Eastbound buses reverse this diversion.

June 22, 1969

With work on the Bloor Street bridge over Highway 27 nearly finished, 49 BLOOR WEST buses are reverted to their regular routing.

February 7, 1971

Service is extended west of Mill Road. Buses operate west on Bloor to Markland Drive and then loop via north and east on Markland and south on Bloor.

November 22, 1980

Coincident with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY to Kipling station, service is revised. Most buses operate out of Kipling station, with new service provided between Kipling and Jane station, replacing a portion of the 3 KINGSWAY route.

Buses on the main branch operate from Kipling station via north on Aukland and Jupiter and west on Bloor to loop at Markland Wood operate Monday to Friday, 18 hours a day. Service on the 49B branch include this route and then proceed north on Kipling and east on Bloor to loop in Jane station and operate 7 days a week whenever the subway is open.

In addition to this, service begins on a new night bus service, operating from Jane station after the subway closes via west on Bloor to loop via north on West Mall, east on Burnhamthorpe and south on East Mall to Bloor.

February 8, 1981

Service on the 49 BLOOR WEST operate as follows:

• Morning Peak: 5 minutes (7:30 on the 49 and 15:00 on the 49B) with 8 vehicles
• Midday and Evenings: 15 minutes (30:00 on all branches) with 3 vehicles
• Afternoon Peak: 4 minutes, 40 seconds (6:00 on the 49 and 18:00 on the 49B) with 8 vehicles
• Saturday Daytime: 30 minutes (on the 49B branch) with 4 vehicles
• Saturday Evenings, Sundays, and Holidays: 30 minutes (on the 49B branch) with 3 vehicles

April 14, 1984

Service during all periods is cut back to Kipling Station resulting in the elimination of the 49B “Jane Station” branch. The 49A “Night” branch remains unaffected.

February 8, 1987

Service on the 49A “night” routing is replaced by the new 300 BLOOR-DANFORTH BLUE NIGHT route.

February 14, 1999

To provide partial late-evening service on Burnhamthorpe route, service begins on a new branch of the route, operating after 11:00 p.m., seven days a week via west on Bloor, north on Markland, north on Mill, east on Burnhamthorpe and south on West Mall to Bloor. Eastbound service on Bloor west of West Mall and on Mill Road south of Markland after 11:00 p.m. is discontinued.

January 2, 2005

Service is rendered accessible operating with the New Flyer D40LF low floor buses imported from New Eglinton Garage.

November 28, 2008

As part of the TTC’s Ridership Growth Strategy, full service is restored on the 50 BURNHAMTHORPE bus. Late evening service returns to the main branch looping via Markland Wood and south on Mill Road to Bloor.

August 2, 2009

Bike rack service launched.

October 8, 2023

Due to construction at Kipling Station, the route is interlined with 40A JUNCTION-DUNDAS WEST, during all periods.

June 23, 2024

Interline with 40A is discontinued.

49 Bloor West Image Archive

	TTC GM New Look bus #8791 (in service on 49B BLOOR WEST) awaits passengers at Kipling Station while New Look #8669 (in service on 111 EAST MALL) pulls past. Richard Glaze took this photograph on October 30, 1982.
	An TTC advertisement, taken before or after November 21, 1980 shows major route changes in relation to the opening of Kipling station that affects the 3 KINGSWAY, 30 LAMBTON, 32B EGLINTON WEST, 44 KIPLING SOUTH, 45 KIPLING, 46 MARTIN GROVE, 49 BLOOR WEST, 80 QUEENSWAY, 87 MALL CIRCLE, 111 EAST MALL, and 112 WEST MALL routes.
	A current map of the TTC's 49 BLOOR WEST operations, effective June 1, 2013.
	Two maps of the 49 BLOOR WEST route, as seen on the front page of the June 24, 1968 and January 3, 1972 timetables.
	A TTC Advertisement announces new night services on 93 DANFORTH EAST and 49 BLOOR WEST, effective September 6, 1974.
	TTC GM New Look bus #3987 pulls out of Islington station in service on 49 BLOOR WEST in this 1977 shot. Photo by Bob Hussey, from the Pete Coulman collection.
	TTC New Flyer D-40-LF #7324 bus picks up passengers at Kipling station in service on 49 BLOOR WEST. This photo was taken on January 29, 2013 by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC Orion VII bus #7916 picks up passengers at Kipling station in service on 191 HIGHWAY 27 ROCKET on the snowy afternoon of January 29, 2015. Its compatriot, Orion VII bus #8046, picks up passengers in service on 49 BLOOR WEST in behind. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC Orion VII #8080 waits to pick up passengers at Kipling station on January 29, 2013. Photo by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC Flyer D901 bus #8386 is posed somewhere in Etobicoke for this 1983 shot by Ted Wickson. Photo from the Pete Coulman collection.