Canada's first interregional public transit system celebrated 40 years on the go Wednesday as 200 people gathered at Toronto's Union Station to commemorate the anniversary of GO Transit.
The GO network of trains and buses carries more than 195,000 passengers every weekday from the suburbs into Toronto.
"I have watched GO go from almost nothing to what it is today," said Bill Howard, who was the managing director when the company's first train departed Oakville station for Union Station in 1967.
The operation, which started out as a three-year experiment, hasn't been without its growing pains. The system has had to deal with funding shortfalls from past governments.
Most recently, riders faced delays last winter when GO's 56 trains failed to run properly when temperatures dropped and switchers froze.
GO chairman Peter Smith said almost $500 million has been set aside for improvements, but getting results will take time.
"The cost of capital construction is funded by the province and the money is there," Smith said. "It (takes) time to get through the process and time to actually do the building."
Ontario Transportation Minister Donna Cansfield said the provincial government is committed to making GO more reliable.
"The McGuinty government has made record investments in GO Transit," Cansfield stated in a press release.
"Since 2003, we have invested $1.8 billion in GO Transit, including $457 million this year, to improve and expand GO service for commuters."
With a report from CTV's Roger Petersen
