Compiled by Jeffrey Kay
Additional contributions by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos

Operations Overview (as of May 7, 2017)

• Type: Local
• Established: April 24, 1967
• Distance: 23.43 km
• Blue Night Service: 334 EGLINTON EAST, 353 STEELES EAST
• Types of vehicles used: Orion VII, Orion VII NG
• Bus Length: 40’ standard low-floor
• Division: Malvern.
• Ridership: 11,900 (2012)

This route operates with 1 branch:

• 57 Kennedy Station - Steeles

April 24, 1967

A new service on Midland is introduced between Kingston Road and Ellesmere. The south loop is west on Park, north on Heale and east on Aylesworth. The north loop runs east on Ellesmere, south on Oakley and west on Canadine.

May 11, 1968

Buses are rerouted at the south end to connect with the newly-opened Bloor-Danforth Subway extension to Warden Station. Buses now run from Warden Station via St.Clair and Midland to Ellesmere. Service south of St. Clair is now provided by the extended 20 CLIFFSIDE route. Saturday daytime service is added at this time.

September 8, 1970

Route extended north of Ellesmere to Sheppard, now looping east on Rural, south on Glen Watford and west on Sheppard.

December 7, 1970

Service is extended north of Sheppard to Finch, now looping east on Finch, south on Brimley and west on Huntingwood.

May 14, 1973

Evening service added Monday through Saturday.

September 7, 1976

Route split at Sheppard, one branch continues north via Midland to a new off-street loop in the hydro right-of-way approximately one half-mile north of Finch. The second branch runs east on Sheppard then north on Brimley to a new off-street loop in the hydro right-of-way just north of Finch.

August 31, 1980

Sunday/Holiday service is introduced on both branches.

October 3, 1980

Both branches are extended further north. Midland branch buses (57) turn back at a new off-street loop on the east side of Midland just north of Passmore, while Brimley branch buses (57A) turn back from an off-street loop on the west side of Brimley just north of Passmore. The route signs are not changed.

November 22, 1980

Service rerouted at the south end to connect with the Bloor-Danforth Subway extension to Kennedy and Eglinton. Buses run from Kennedy Station via Eglinton to Midland then north over the existing routings to Passmore. Service south of Eglinton is now provided by the extended 20 CLIFFSIDE route.

July 24, 1983

Operations transferred from Birchmount Garage to the newly-opened Malvern Garage.

March 23, 1985

In conjunction with the opening of the Scarborough RT and a Brimley Road bridge over Highway 401, service on Brimley is now provided by the new 128 BRIMLEY NORTH route from Scarborough Centre, and all MIDLAND buses run north of Sheppard via Midland. Buses now serve the RT’s Midland Station in both directions with on street stops. The route sign is changed to show “STEELES” as the north terminal, but it is believed that the same loop near Passmore is used as the turn-back.

March 15, 1987

Service is extended north to a new off-street loop on the west side of Midland just south of Steeles. Some sources indicate that this extension could have operated as early as May 1985.

June 26 to September 5, 1988

Due to the closure of the SCARBOROUGH RT, service increased daily over the entire route, supplementing service between Kennedy Station and Midland Avenue in the vicinity of Lawrence East, Ellesmere and Midland Stations. During Monday-Friday rush hours a special short-turn service (57A) was added to provide combined service every 3-4 minutes between Kennedy Station and Progress & Midland.

November 20, 1988

Service on this route transferred from Malvern Garage to Birchmount Garage. The opening of the new Arrow Road Garage significantly altered the route assignments throughout the system.

February 18, 1996

Route switched from Birchmount Garage to Malvern Garage. On this day, Lansdowne Garage closed, resulting in the alteration of many route assignments.

July 28, 1996

This line is designated as an accessible route and all off-peak trips and most peak trips are operated by new lift-equipped Orion V

January 10, 2000

The off-street loop at Steeles Avenue is closed. Buses now loop west on Passmore, north on Silver Star, and east on Steeles. Stops have been removed from Copthorne Avenue and Truro Crescent walkway.

September 3, 2000

Operations switched from Malvern Garage to Danforth Garage. Vehicles on the route are still designated accessible using the lift-equipped Nova RTS buses operating out of Danforth garage.

March 31, 2002

With Danforth Garage closed, route operations were transferred to the newly opened Eglinton Garage on Comstock Rd., operated once again by the Orion V buses.

August 31, 2003

Accessible service on this route is improved by operating new Low-Floor Orion VII buses at all times of the week on all trips.

October 2, 2006

As of this date, Monday-to-Friday service on 57 MIDLAND is operated at better than 10 minute intervals during rush hours, 11 minute intervals during the midday, 12 minute intervals during the early evening and 30 minute intervals after 9 p.m. On Saturdays, service operates at 15 minute intervals through the day, 20 minute intervals during the early morning hours and 30 minute intervals after 7 p.m. On Sundays, service operates at 20 minute intervals through the day and 30 minute intervals in the evening.

January 3, 2010

Service transferred from Eglinton (Comstock) garage to Birchmount garage.

May 7, 2017

Service transferred from Birchmount garage to Malvern garage.

June 24, 2018

Service is transferred from Malvern garage to Eglinton garage.

March 28, 2021

Service is transferred from Eglinton garage to the newly-opened McNicoll garage.

May 8, 2022

The northern terminus of this route is changed from Midland Avenue and Steeles Avenue to the Redlea Avenue cul-de-sac to mitigate anticipated problems from the Metrolinx Passmore grade separation project. Three northbound stops are restored on Copthorne Avenue and Truro Crescent walkway that was removed in 2000 with a new stop added Steeles Avenue East. Service is discontinued from Passmore Avenue and Silver Star Boulevard.

The changes was originally planned to be implemented in November 2021, but due to the temporary cuts stemming from the TTC’s COVID-19 vaccination policy and rising cases, they were deferred to a later date with the northern terminus retaining its previous routing.

57 Midland Image Archive

	TTC GM bus 7130 pulls into one of the bus platforms at Warden station on the eve of the opening of the Bloor-Danforth extension to Warden. Note that it still bears its original rollsign for Kingston Road.
	TTC GM "New Look" bus #3118 enters Warden Station running westbound off of St. Clair Avenue East in 57 MIDLAND service. This photo was taken by Richard Glaze circa August 1970.
	TTC Canadian Car & Foundry bus #1954 heads northbound on Warden, approaching St. Clair having left Warden station in 57 MIDLAND service. This shot was taken by Richard Glaze circa May 1971.
	TTC GM New Look bus #7123 poses at Birchmount again bearing the 57 MIDLAND sign in this 1970s shot. Photo courtesy of Bob Hussey, from the Jelo Gutierrez Cantos collection.
	TTC GM TDH-5105 "Old Look" bus #2142 heads westbound on St. Clair crossing the tracks at Scarborough GO station in 57 MIDLAND service. This photo was taken circa April 1976 by Richard Glaze.
	TTC GM New Look bus #8694 as seen parked at Birchmount garage bearing the 57A MIDLAND sign in this June 1983 shot. Photographed by Bob Hussey, from the Jelo Gutierrez Cantos collection.
	TTC GM New Look bus #3933 poses at Malvern Garage bearing the 57 MIDLAND sign in this April 1984 shot wearing the original maroon and cream colours. This photo is taken by Bob Hussey, donated by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	Another view of TTC GM New Look bus #3933 poses at Malvern garage, bearing a 57 MIDLAND rollsign exposure. Photo taken on April 8, 1984 by T.E. Dorsey, courtesy the Gilbert Ebling collection.
	TTC GM New Look bus #8980 waits for passengers at Kennedy Station on the 57A MIDLAND service in this June 1984 shot. This photo is by Bob Hussey from the Jelo Gutierrez Cantos collection.
	TTC GM New Looks #8961 and #8924 lay over at Kennedy station, signed for 57 MIDLAND and 86 SCARBORO respectively. This early-to-mid 1980s photograph is by John Calnan.
	TTC GM New Look bus #8963 departs Kennedy station on the 57 MIDLAND at South Service Road West and Transway Crescent in December 1985. Photo by Bob Hussey.
	TTC New Flyer D-40-89 bus #6466 is seen in service on route 57 MIDLAND at the former Midland-Steeles loop. This loop was later replaced with a Wendy's and Tim Hortons in 2000. Photo taken by Paul A. Bateson on April 14, 1993.
	TTC GM New Look bus #8082 is seen on route 57 MIDLAND at Midland Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East. This photo was taken in November 1994 by Fred Tang, when that bus was less than a year before retirement.
	TTC Orion VII #7485 heads southbound, in service on the 57 MIDLAND route, on a rainy day in November 2009. Photo by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC Orion VII bus #8102 crosses the bridge over SRT and railway tracks on its way to Kennedy Station. Photo by Roman Fomin on May 10, 2012.
	TTC Orion VII "Next Gen" diesel bus #8160 pauses at Kennedy station on the 57 MIDLAND service on this June 18, 2013 photo. Courtesy of Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	An official TTC timetable map of 57 MIDLAND service, effective August 10, 2014.
	The TTC advertisement on the Toronto Star shown on the Thursday, November 20, 1980 edition shows major changes related to the Kennedy station opening affecting the routes 9 BELLAMY, 20 CLIFFSIDE, 21 BRIMLEY, 34 EGLINTON EAST, 43 KENNEDY, 57 MIDLAND, 69 WARDEN SOUTH, 86 SCARBORO, 102 MARKHAM ROAD, 113 DANFORTH, and 114 KINGSTON ROAD EAST.