TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2011 - The union representing more than 200 drivers and mechanics who operate the buses on many of the routes offered by York Region Transit will go on strike as of 12:01am Tues. Feb. 22, 2011.  The strike will cause transportation problems for some 28,000 transit users in Vaughan, as well as some routes serving riders in King Township, Markham, Aurora, Newmarket and Richmond Hill.

For a full list of all affected routes, visit the YRT website. In particular, the following transit routes bringing riders to York's Keele campus are affected by the strike action:

YRT Route 3 - Thornhill/York University
YRT Route 10 - Vaughan
YRT Route 20 - Jane/Concord
YRT Route 77 - Highway 7 (This route does not come onto the Keele campus, but it does provide service for a number of York students, faculty and staff.)

The labour interruption does not affect York Region's Viva buses as they are operated by a different contractor.

Faculty, staff and students who use YRT routes to commute to the Keele campus are encouraged to seek alternative means of transportation, such as carpooling, car sharing, cycling, driving to the University, taking a taxi or using alternate transit, including GO Transit, York Region Transit Viva Service and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).

The following information provides some alternatives available to YRT riders affected by the strike:

• Transit alternatives, where available, could be used to commute to the Keele campus. These include the TTC's north/south routes that extend into York Region; GO Buses or Train service; and Brampton Transit's Züm Service.
• Smart Commute – North Toronto, Vaughan has a free carpool ride-matching service available to all community members. The Carpool Zone can provide community members with carpooling options.
• Daily parking will be available on a first-come, first-served basis in the visitor parking lots on campus. For more information about visitor parking lots and the daily rates, visit York University's Parking website.

To obtain assistance in alternative trip planning or more information, transit users can get advice from the Smart Commute office located in the York Lanes colonnade, adjacent to the bus loop.

Additionally, they can contact the York Region Transit Customer Contact Centre at 1-866-MOVE YRT (668-3978) or e-mail Transportation Services at York University at transit@yorku.ca or Smart Commute-North Toronto, Vaughan at info@SmartCommuteNTV.ca to receive assistance.

For specific route and transit information, contact:

• TTC: www.ttc.ca or call 416-393-INFO
• GO Transit: www.gotransit.com or call 1-888-GET-ON-GO (416-869-3200)
• YRT/VIVA: www.yrt.ca or call 1-866-MOVE-YRT (668-3979)
• Brampton Transit: www.bramptontransit.com or call 905-874-2999

YRT transit riders should continue to monitor the YRT website for updates. They should plan ahead and allow extra time to get to their destination. Local newspaper, television and radio stations and their associated websites will also have more information on the disruption to YRT service.