ETS Bus and General Transit Improvements

[The_Cat]

Edmonton bus ridership hits pre-pandemic levels in January: city

After years of lagging ridership, Edmontonians are now taking the bus as often as they did during pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

edmontonjournal.com

 

[IanO]

I find that very hard to believe, but good to hear if that's actually the case.

 

[Greenspace]

I am also suspicious. I've heard the City Manager mention this in the past and find it hard to be true. I'd like to see how they're calculating ridership, for example most post-secondary students have a pass, but I know a lot of them are not using it due to safety concerns.

 

[occidentalcapital]

I think they were under counting prior to Arc. Still good news though.

 

[soupcrate]

I think they were under counting prior to Arc. Still good news though.

I don't think Arc should make a difference since they've always been counted manually for ridership. The drivers use a little clicker.

 

[occidentalcapital]

I don't think Arc should make a difference since they've always been counted manually for ridership. The drivers use a little clicker.

I don't think that's true anymore. They have automatic passenger counters by my memory. They are those small holes in the ceiling above the doors I thought. I'm pretty sure they were missing people.

For Arc, it was sold to council as allowing collection of much more detailed ridership data so I would assume that they are using Arc data to inform their ridership numbers now. That was a major selling feature of the system.

Maybe the ease of tapping on with a card has made a big impact.

 

[soupcrate]

I don't think that's true anymore. They have automatic passenger counters by my memory. They are those small holes in the ceiling above the doors I thought. I'm pretty sure they were missing people.

I spoke with a bus driver about this the other day. She was relatively new, but to her knowledge counts are still done manually with clickers.

 

[occidentalcapital]

I spoke with a bus driver about this the other day. She was relatively new, but to her knowledge counts are still done manually with clickers.

You have to hope they will start using Arc data.

 

[CplKlinger]

You have to hope they will start using Arc data.

They will be. The automated counters are a nice backup (especially since people will still be allowed to pay with cash when boarding buses), but they don't break down the numbers by fare group. That being said, Arc won't give a full picture until the other groups are onboarded.

 

[occidentalcapital]

They will be. The automated counters are a nice backup (especially since people will still be allowed to pay with cash when boarding buses), but they don't break down the numbers by fare group. That being said, Arc won't give a full picture until the other groups are onboarded.

Will cash fares be phased out? Seems archaic and leads to fare evasion.

 

[The_Cat]

When the Valley Line opens I think a route like the #6 (Davies to Southgate) would be a good connection/feeder for some residents in the South Side. For example, Grey Nuns to U of A, or Bonnie Doon to Century Park (and points south). The #6 has 15 minute frequencies. Likewise the #3 (Stadium to Kingway could save switching downtown. The 53 is a crosstown route that connects Coliseum to Mill Woods, but the frequencies are 30 minutes. If Edmonton wants to aspire to be a 15-minute city, one goal to set could be bus access within 15 minutes of the LRT.

 

[David A]

Will cash fares be phased out? Seems archaic and leads to fare evasion.

You mean evasion, like when the Arc cards don't work for some reason and they let the person on anyways, like I saw the other day?

 

[The_Cat]

Perhaps some of these fare officers should check these fare evaders if they have a card.

 

[occidentalcapital]

You mean evasion, like when the Arc cards don't work for some reason and they let the person on anyways, like I saw the other day?

That should be a one-off. What I meant is people dumping random change into the farebox and going on. There's no way for the driver to easily verify if full fare has been paid.

 

[Avenuer]

You mean evasion, like when the Arc cards don't work for some reason and they let the person on anyways, like I saw the other day?

It happened to me yesterday, came with my Arc card and no cash to catch the 9 on 101 Street. Got on (had to run to catch it) and saw the Arc reader was 'unavailable', but the bus driver let me on anyways, thankfully.