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    Transit History

    1930 - 1969

    1933
    • George B. Dunn made a proposal to the city of Miami Beach to operate the local streetcar lines.
    1935
    • The Coral Gables high-speed service had lasted nine years. Damage to electric overhead power lines during the storm of 1935 was so extensive that the line was permanently shut down and the city of Coral Gables went to an all-bus system.
       
    1937
    • Voters rejected a ballot which attempted to unify all transit services in Miami except the jitneys.
       
    1939
    • A second attempt to have the public approve a new unified transit franchise was successful.

    • October 17: Miami Beach Railway abandoned its three streetcars in favor of 15 new "twins." This company continued as a subsidiary of Florida Power and Light until it was sold to William D. Pawley in 1941. Miami Beach became a military training base during World War II.
       
    • Miami discontinued using its streetcars. The city granted an exclusive franchise to Miami Transit Company.

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    1940
    • November 14: George B. Dunn, using the name Miami Transit Co., took over the city-owned lines and merged Dunn Bus Service into the combined operation, resulting in a fleet of 208 buses (half of them new Macks) covering 193 route miles.
       
    • November 16: Miami's trolley cars rolled for the last time.
       
    1941
    • Miami Beach Railway was purchased by William D. Pawley, thus increasing the local bus fleet from 18 to 43 buses.
       
    1948
    • Pawley bought Miami Transit Company upon the death of George Dunn, taking the significant step toward solving some of Greater Miami's transportation problems.
       

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    1956
    • Pawley bought South Miami Coach Line and the Keys Transit Company.
       
    1957
    • July 21: The Metropolitan Dade County government was officially established.
       
    1959
    • The County Commission tried to purchase the bus system for the first time. The plan was dropped because of the high cost.
       

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    1960
    • The County Commission passed an ordinance creating the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to unify the different transit operations into one countywide service. This ordinance provided for the purchase, development, and operation of an adequate mass transit system by the County. These companies included the Miami Transit Company, Miami Beach Railway Company, South Miami Coach Lines, and Keys Transit Company on Key Biscayne and would be managed by National City Management Co.
       
    1962
    • January 28: Bus operators opposed to a Dade County takeover of bus operations began a work stoppage protest.
       
    • February 9: Bus operators began returning to work. Dade County purchased Pawley properties. Buses began operating under Metro Transit Authority.
       
    • May: citizens of Dade County approved, by more than a two to one margin, the validity of the $9 million Revenue Bond Issue to finance a unified County transit system.
       
    1964
    • The Miami Urban Area Transportation Study (MUATS) began with a feasibility study on transit for Dade County.
       
    1969
    • Construction of the Central Division complex was completed at 3300 NW 32 Avenue, consolidating four separate garage facilities and the administrative offices of the Metro Transit Authority into one unit.
       
    • As population reached 800,000, the first stage of MUATS concluded that rapid transit would indeed be feasible and desirable for Dade County.


    < 1873 - 1929                 1970's > 

     

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    Transit Timeline

    View local transit history.

    Also learn about transit's Famous Transit Families.

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