FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Middlesex County Connect Announces System-Wide Service Improvements Effective August 17, 2026
MIDDLESEX COUNTY, July 7, 2026 – Middlesex County and the cities of London, Sarnia and St. Thomas are pleased to announce a series of service improvements to Middlesex County Connect inter-community transit, with updated stop locations and schedules taking effect across all four routes on August 17, 2026. These changes reflect an ongoing commitment to providing efficient, equitable, and rider-focused regional transit service.
The improvements are informed by a comprehensive third-party transit assessment completed in 2025, which included public and stakeholder engagement, ridership surveys, and transit best practices. Additional input was drawn from ongoing rider feedback received by email and phone, recommendations from the service provider, continued ridership analysis, and the need to adapt to infrastructure changes and multi-year construction projects affecting stops and corridors within the service area.
More Service Hours for Riders
As part of this optimization, total service hours across the Middlesex County Connect system will increase by approximately 9.4% — an additional 1,124 service hours annually. This expansion reflects the continued investment by Middlesex County and its municipal partners, including the City of London, the City of Sarnia, and the City of St. Thomas, with funding support provided through the Ontario Transit Investment Fund (OTIF).
What's Changing
Effective August 17, 2026, all four routes will see updates to stop locations and schedules designed to better serve riders and reflect where people need to go:
- Route 1 (Lucan – Ilderton – Arva – London): New stops and adjusted afternoon departure times to improve connectivity and access.
- Route 2 (Woodstock – Ingersoll – Putnam – Dorchester – London): Stop relocations and removals in Dorchester, and a stop adjustment in London, to streamline the route.
- Route 3 (Dorchester – London – St. Thomas – Southwold): New stops added at key destinations, including Victoria Hospital in London and the St. Thomas Fanshawe College campus. Saturday and weekday schedules will be the same for greater consistency. There will remain no service on Sundays.
- Route 4 (London – Komoka – Mt. Brydges – Strathroy – Sarnia): New stops added and stop relocations to improve coverage. Route 4 will increase from 2 round trips on weekends to 3 round trips on weekends, making the weekday and weekend schedules identical. Route 4 will also be integrated into the Blaise App, and credit and debit payment will be introduced as fare payment options on board.
Full details of all route and schedule changes — including updated maps, schedule tables, and stop-by-stop information — are available at middlesex.ca/ct.
Fare Information
The $5 one-way fare will remain in place for Routes 1, 2, and 3. On Route 4, fare structures will be updated to reflect new stop locations; the Sarnia to London fare will remain $20 one-way, and the shortest-distance fares will remain at $5 one-way. A full updated fare table for Route 4 is available on the website.
Looking Ahead
Middlesex County looks forward to continued collaboration with municipal partners, post-secondary institutions, employers, and public and private sector organizations as Middlesex County Connect grows and evolves. These service improvements mark an important step in strengthening regional transit for the communities and residents it serves.
For information on Middlesex County Connect routes, schedules, fares, and the Blaise App, please visit middlesex.ca/ct.
Note: The information provided in this media release is accurate as of the date of issuance and is subject to change as Middlesex County inter-community transit services continue to evolve. The views expressed are those of Middlesex County and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Province.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Middlesex County Media Relations
Legislative Services Division
@email