Large swaths of York Region were running without the help of public transit on Monday after York Region Transit and VIVA bus drivers walked off the job amid contract negotiations.
Commuters across the Toronto area were spared further headaches, however, when GO Transit reached a tentative deal with its union and avoided similar job action.
York Region Transit workers walked off the job at 12:01 a.m. Monday, affecting dozens of routes operated by employees from various unions.
Fifty-one routes operated by Miller Transit were cancelled in Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan, while 29 northern York Region routes operated by First Canada Transit were not running either.
About 340 Amalgamated Transit Union 1587 employees are affected by the walkout.
Five express routes through Markham, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket and Vaughan were also cancelled as another 220 VIVA bus drivers represented by ATU 113 walked off the job.
A union spokesperson said workers would not form picket lines on Monday but picketing could begin on Tuesday.
About 40 per cent of York Region Transit run by other unaffected union workers is still operational.
In unrelated contract talks, Metrolinx said they reached a deal with the Amalgamated Transit Union late Sunday to ensure service was unaffected.
Metrolinx, which is GO Transit's parent company, said details of the tentative agreement will not be released until the deal is ratified.
With files from CTV Toronto's Colin D'Mello
