(Photo: City of Mississauga)

The city’s ‘father of transit’ now has a building named after him.

“Under the leadership and vision of Ed Dowling, Mississauga Transit – now called MiWay, grew from 4.1 million rides in 1974 to 23.3 million rides in 1997,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie during the official renaming Tuesday morning.

She credited Dowling “for building a strong foundation” and leading the way “through its transformation into becoming a world-class transit system.”

The ceremony took place at 975 Central Pkwy. W., where the transit operations building is now called the E.J. (Ed) Dowling Transit Facility.

Dowling was the first general manager of transit and responsible for many contributions: Installing one of Canada’s first two-way radios on all buses; introducing Canada’s first articulated or ‘bendy’ buses for improved efficiency; equipping buses with electronic fare boxes to improve security; being the first nationwide to offer air conditioned buses.

Transit experienced high growth in the early 1970s when Mississauga Transit had two routes serviced by school buses, said Martin Powell, commissioner of transportation and works.

Now, there are more than 460 buses along 80 routes.

Dowling retired from municipal life in 1998 and was recognized in 2012 with the W.G. Ross Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Urban Transit Association.

-Kelly Roche

@qewsouthpost