Bus Network Redesign - First Kilometre / Last Kilometre Study

ETS is looking at options for some neighbourhoods that will have longer walking distances or limited service as a result of the proposed bus network.

Edmonton’s proposed new bus network identifies communities, with a low number of riders, low density and geographically difficult to service due to the road network design that are better suited for alternative service delivery options other than a fixed route.

For communities are losing service or will have excessive walking distances, ETS is committed to finding a transit alternative for them. ETS has put forward a recommendation to City Council for a first kilometer/last kilometer solution.

First km/Last km Transit Challenge

Read the full report.

Pilot project recommendation

ETS is recommending on-demand service, such as a shared vanpool, which would take passengers to the nearest transit connection. From there, riders would board a regular ETS bus to continue their journey. The recommendation includes concepts of what could be done and is subject to further review and approval by City Council.

Communities identified as potential pilot project areas

Cameron Heights and Wedgewood
Aspen Gardens, Lansdowne and Grandview Heights
Brander Gardens and Brookside
Northwest Industrial

Implementation

The goal would be to have the on-demand service start at the same time as the Bus Network Redesign implementation in mid-2020. ETS would work with these communities to match the service with their residents’ transit needs.

Evaluation

ETS proposes to gather feedback during the pilot project to evaluate its success and determine how it might be implemented in other communities in our city

Next steps

The recommendation will be presented to City Council’s Urban Planning Committee in early 2019 for consideration. If approved, ETS will develop an implementation plan and budget to bring forward to Council later in 2019. Details about how the service might work and how residents can use it will be part of the implementation plan development.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are transit resources allocated?

Public transit benefits both the community and individuals, so transit costs are covered 60% through municipal taxes and 40% through customer fares.

In order for ETS to provide best value to all taxpayers, it regularly evaluates the performance of its routes. If a route has a low number of passengers, buses will be moved to another location where the travel demand is higher.

Why will my community not have regular bus service in the future?

The recommendation to remove service from a community is a difficult one and is based on a number of factors. Buses from areas of the city with fewer riders are often re-assigned to other areas where the demand for service is significantly higher. There are three primary reasons behind the recommendation to remove service:

Low population density - transit needs a minimum number of riders to justify the subsidy provided by Edmonton taxpayers.
Geography - some communities only have one road in and out, which means the bus must backtrack to get out of the neighbourhood. This is an inefficient use of time and resources.
Road network design - not every road in Edmonton is built to accommodate a 40’ bus. Roads must be wide enough for a bus to navigate and curves in the road must allow for the bus to maneuver through them.

How were communities recommended for the pilot project?

Four areas of the city are being recommended for a first kilometer/last kilometer pilot project. These communities were selected based on the following criteria:

Number of residents
Number of paratransit trips originating from the community
Current number of riders
Changes in service frequency and walking distances
Cost of providing regular service

I live in a newer community that doesn’t currently have transit service. Will I get to participate in the pilot project?

The pilot project would be focused on communities that currently receive transit service and will not have service when the Bus Network Redesign is implemented in mid-2020.

Once the pilot project is concluded, it would be evaluated to see if it could be implemented on a broader scale across the city.

Telephone	In Edmonton: 311 Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311
TTY	780-944-5555
Email	311@edmonton.ca