Because of the dense population in Connecticut, some routes historically were more like "interurban trolley" lines. Interurban railway routes generally did not have letters. In the bus era, surviving interurban routes were assigned letters. The Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. was leased by the Connecticut Co. (CC) from 1905 to 1936. Bridgeport was the largest city whose streetcar system was owned by Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. In 1936, after the Connecticut Co. was failing to make its lease payments to Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co., the courts allowed Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. to repossess the leased lines. And several interurban bus routes became jointly operated, with companies alternating with runs. Some interurban bus service was discontinued after Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. ceased operations in 1972. But most such service was eventually restored.
Historical information is sketchy for transit service in Bridgeport. The present route numbering system was adopted in 1980. Indicated are 1980 routes, along with streetcar route letters. Some bus routes were eventually discontinued, and some routes with higher numbers were later added.
Route Route Streetcar Streetcars Number Name Route Letter Discontinued 1 Barnum & State H 7/27/34 2 Fairfield Center B 5/ 2/37 3 Madison Avenue - new bus 4 Park Avenue H 7/27/34 5 GE-Seaside Park - new bus 6 Beardsley Park H 10/ 1/33 7 McKesson - new bus 8 Main Street A 6/20/37 9 East Main Street P 6/20/37 15 Derby 7/19/27 Interurban CL Coastal Link (E) 8/ 5/34 Interurban (CC) CL Coastal Link (W) 9/29/35 Interurban (CC)Coastal Link route historically included operation over New Haven Division east of Milford, and over Norwalk Division west of Fairfield. The New Haven Division was continuously part of the Connecticut Co. After Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. regained independence in 1936, interurban bus route to New Haven was jointly operated by the two companies.