Rollsigns from Cape Breton, NS
Public transportation in the region now known as Cape Breton began with the Incorporation of the Cape Breton Electric Tramway and Power
company on March 30, 1900, the company's name was changed shortly after to the Cape Breton Electric Company (CBECo.) in 1901. A subsidiary
of the U.S. based Stone & Webster traction empire for most of its existence, they provided a local streetcar service in Sydney as well as a separate
9.5km / 6 mile line from North Sydney to Sydney Mines. They also operated ferry service between Sydney and North Sydney. On March 27, 1902
the CBECo. in partnership with the Dominion Coal Company incorporated the Sydney & Glace Bay Interurban (S&GB), an interurban line from Sydney
to Reserve  Junction, Glace Bay and Dominion. From January 7, 1908 they also operated a local streetcar service in Glace Bay. In 1911, Dominion
Coal exchanged its stock in S&GB for CBECo. stock, separating the controlling power of the two companies. On March 23, 1931, CBECo. went into
receivership, and on June 15, 1931, it was set to abandon interurban service, but it was taken over by the Eastern Light and Power Company
(EL&PCo.), an employee owned venture to try and preserve the service. EL&PCo. also took over streetcar service in Sydney, but after just a few
months, streetcar service was abandoned in October of 1931. The Sydney and Whitney Pier Bus Services Ltd., a private operation, began service
on October 1, 1931 so there was no interruption in coverage. Shortly after on November 23, 1931, the interurban service was reincorporated as the
Cape Breton Tramways Company Limited. They eventually discontinued streetcar operation in Glace Bay in 1938, but continued interurban service
until September 30, 1944. Interurbans were reorganized as the Cape Breton Bus and Tram Company with supplemental bus service in Glace Bay
and other communities until May 21, 1947 when electric service was discontinued, and eventually going bankrupt and closing on March 4, 1957.
Over a dozen smaller companies came and went from the 1920s to the 1970s, providing various bus services specific to individual communities
in the region, as well as Sydney & Whitney Pier discontinuing service sometime in or after 1975. It wasn't until 1983 when the region began to
consolidate service coverage, creating the Cape Breton Regional Transit Authority (commonly known as Transit Cape Breton). On August 1, 1995,
the City of Sydney, and the Towns of North Sydney, New Waterford, Glace Bay, Sydney Mines, Louisbourg, and Dominion amalgamated into the
Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and Transit Cape Breton continues to provide service to this region to this day.
This mylar front route sign was designed for one
of Cape Breton's 2000 era Blue Bird TC/2000
model buses. The sign's print date is July of 2005.
It has 21 exposures. Its sign tag is seen below.
Transit Cape Breton 2000 built Blue Bird TC/2000 transit bus #739,
one of only five of this type of bus in the fleet and displaying a rollsign
similar to this one, is seen at the downtown Sydney transfer point,
westbound on Dorchester St. at George St. farside, on June 6, 2006.
(Photo by Luke Olszewski. Used with permission.)
CBRM  TRANSIT
PO  450008655
D-3301-MA  FRONT
7/05             TRANSIGN