Bus
Object
2003.4.1
Green Fleury minibus painted flat lime green with the "Minibus With Us" logo on both sides, and a Whitehorse Transit logo decal on both sides of the cab. There are license plates on front and back, (the 'gold panner' type) DCK-8, DMV registration 56231 expired March 31, 1987. Interior painted green, back wall of bus covered with carpet, bench seats and 4 jump seats all have floor-mounted seatbelts. Black metal handrails on the ceiling. Engine cover padded, driver's seat has black naugahyde covering cushions and black floor-mounted seatbelt. No Smoking sign in middle of front of bus, both sides of cab are mounted with sliding windows (cracked), Hobbs Total Hour gauge shows 3177.8, Odometer reads 22566.7. The entry has a wheelchair lift operated by a button inside. Fuel fill cap on driver side. Silver manufacturer's plate beside door: Manufactured by Fleury Industries: VIN 1855B2000L 6060; Date: 7/1/76;GVWR: 9800; GAWR front: 4500; GAWR rear: 5500. Ruined tire with gaping hole stored in truck.
Joyce Hayden was contacted about the history of this bus in July 2008. She said she was not very involved with the transit system by the time the buses were purchased and does not remember why this type of bus was chosen. However, her comment about the organization and implementation of the bus system was that it was a very rewarding experience and it was 'good to see something grow.'
In the early 1970s, the City of Whitehorse commissioned a transit and traffic study, apparently after local legwork was done by Mrs. Hayden for the fledgling Yukon Status of Women Council (YWSC). When this report was tabled at Whitehorse City Council, the Mayor stated his opinion that the city neither needed nor could afford public transit. Concerned citizens and most notably YSWC, believed this issue too important to shelve, pointing out at Council meetings that there were many people both young and old, including moms, who either had no car or no access to a vehicle during the day (traditionally taken to work by the family breadwinner.)
A Transit Committee was formed to examine the issues, and by 1975 the committee formed a society, the Yukon Women’s Mini-Bus society. Funding proposals were sent out to federal government departments and Transport Canada funded the project with a demonstration grant of $80K to buy buses and run infrastructure. There was little money to operate the system, but many volunteered to help out, working long hours to set up and manage it. An offshoot of the new transit system was that it offered non-traditional part-time jobs to women and introduced the idea of job-sharing.
By 1977, the federal government was citing the Whitehorse system as extremely successful. In July 1978, the Mini-Bus Transit system was taken over by the Whitehorse City Transit Commission. (Info from bus dossier file, including a report written by Joyce Hayden and newspaper articles.)
Greg Skuce came in with this brother Doug from Calgary. Doug says the Fleury company operated somewhere in Saskatchewan and made very good products. Greg says the motors in these vehicles are Chev 350s. MN, July 2008. Further internet research through Saskatchewan Museums has discovered thatFleury Industries Ltd. was a Saskatoon Company operating between about 1972-1978, building mostly motor homes and truck bodies and also providing 4 of these mini-buses for the Regina Transit System.
In the early 1970s, the City of Whitehorse commissioned a transit and traffic study, apparently after local legwork was done by Mrs. Hayden for the fledgling Yukon Status of Women Council (YWSC). When this report was tabled at Whitehorse City Council, the Mayor stated his opinion that the city neither needed nor could afford public transit. Concerned citizens and most notably YSWC, believed this issue too important to shelve, pointing out at Council meetings that there were many people both young and old, including moms, who either had no car or no access to a vehicle during the day (traditionally taken to work by the family breadwinner.)
A Transit Committee was formed to examine the issues, and by 1975 the committee formed a society, the Yukon Women’s Mini-Bus society. Funding proposals were sent out to federal government departments and Transport Canada funded the project with a demonstration grant of $80K to buy buses and run infrastructure. There was little money to operate the system, but many volunteered to help out, working long hours to set up and manage it. An offshoot of the new transit system was that it offered non-traditional part-time jobs to women and introduced the idea of job-sharing.
By 1977, the federal government was citing the Whitehorse system as extremely successful. In July 1978, the Mini-Bus Transit system was taken over by the Whitehorse City Transit Commission. (Info from bus dossier file, including a report written by Joyce Hayden and newspaper articles.)
Greg Skuce came in with this brother Doug from Calgary. Doug says the Fleury company operated somewhere in Saskatchewan and made very good products. Greg says the motors in these vehicles are Chev 350s. MN, July 2008. Further internet research through Saskatchewan Museums has discovered thatFleury Industries Ltd. was a Saskatoon Company operating between about 1972-1978, building mostly motor homes and truck bodies and also providing 4 of these mini-buses for the Regina Transit System.
"If you were brave enough to be out on the streets of Whitehorse in the middle of winter in 1976, you might have spotted a snub-nosed, lime green vehicle inching its way through the ice and fog, the words "Mini-Bus With Us" emblazoned along the side in groovy 1970s font.
Even more striking than the sight of the lime green bus was the fact that its driver was a woman, and that this bus was the first public transit vehicle the North had ever seen.
It was owned and operated by a group of young women, all in their mid- to late-20s, who called themselves the Yukon Women's Mini-Bus Society.
None of the women involved had any transit experience. But they knew they wanted to get around.
And despite some stiff opposition and big obstacles they found a way to do it. The experience changed their lives.
CBC producer Jessica Linzey grew up listening to stories about the Yukon Women's Mini-Bus Society. Her mother Joanne was one of the founding members.
Click on the player at the top of this page to listen to Jessica's documentary Women at the Wheel and go back in time to take a look at the mini-bus in action in the photo gallery below."
CBC documentary "Women at the Wheel" April 27 2018
Even more striking than the sight of the lime green bus was the fact that its driver was a woman, and that this bus was the first public transit vehicle the North had ever seen.
It was owned and operated by a group of young women, all in their mid- to late-20s, who called themselves the Yukon Women's Mini-Bus Society.
None of the women involved had any transit experience. But they knew they wanted to get around.
And despite some stiff opposition and big obstacles they found a way to do it. The experience changed their lives.
CBC producer Jessica Linzey grew up listening to stories about the Yukon Women's Mini-Bus Society. Her mother Joanne was one of the founding members.
Click on the player at the top of this page to listen to Jessica's documentary Women at the Wheel and go back in time to take a look at the mini-bus in action in the photo gallery below."
CBC documentary "Women at the Wheel" April 27 2018