Transportation

In Transit Newsletter - January 2012

The Every Day Way to get your personalized Travel Info

The latest edition of the ETS Trip Planner contains a number of new features designed to make trip planning easier and more convenient and increase your ability to get automated personalized travel updates.

New features include the integration and automation of alerts for planned detours and bus stop closures; improved usability and layout of the Trip Planner interface; a new Trip Planner engine to give quicker results and better trip solutions; and a school service summary that you can search by school session (regular school term vs summer).

We’ve also added some new tools like the Subscribe for Alerts that will send emails for planned detours and bus stop closures by route and/or bus stop as well as general service alerts for service changes and major delays/disruptions.

ETS Cold Weather Service

Low temperatures, snow and wind often make for a January commute that has a high teeth chatterrrr factor.

ETS Express buses except for routes 15 and 100 have been instructed to stop for customers at all bus stops on their routes in extreme weather conditions. (At ETS, we define extreme weather conditions as -20 Celsius including windchill.)

The decision to stop at all bus stops is made by the ETS Control Centre on an ‘as required’ basis.

Please dress for the weather, as buses are part of the traffic flow and are affected by road and weather conditions.

Another Successful Stuff a Bus

Edmontonians showed busloads of generosity with their contributions to the annual ETS Stuff a Bus campaign in December.

The donations stuffed 14 ETS buses, which will feed about 400 families for a month. In total, over 20,000 kilograms of food and nearly $14,000 in cash donations was collected.

“Thanks to everyone who donated during the ETS Stuff a Bus campaign,” says Marjorie Bencz, Executive Director of the Edmonton Food Bank. “We are very happy with the success of this campaign.”

ETS would like to thank Save-On-Foods, JOE FM, Edmonton Sun, Global TV, our many volunteers, and all the generous Edmontonians who made this year’s campaign such a success.

Donate a Ride in the New Year

Donating a ride is a great way to kick off the new year, both for you and someone in need in our community.

A donation of $2.85 will get someone to a medical appointment, job interview, training opportunity or access to basic services. Please pick up a DONATE A RIDE envelope from your Operator and give someone an opportunity for a new start in 2012.

Transit Bylaw Updated

The updated Transit Bylaw goes into effect January 1, 2012. It was approved by City Council in November.

The new version includes many of the comments, ideas and suggestions we received from you in the discussion on Facebook and through the online survey at takeETS.com. We appreciate your interest and input.

The new Bylaw is shorter and we believe it’s easier for customers and operators to understand and for Transit Peace Officers to enforce. You’ll find most of the updates in the Conduct of Passengers section. For example, food and drinks are allowed on buses and LRT provided they’re in sealed/sealable containers designed for travel and under the customer’s control. Customers using work or assistance animals or transporting an animal in an appropriate carrier don’t have to pay an additional fare for them. Customers harassing others or otherwise interfering with the comfort or convenience of others on ETS property can now be fined. Spitting on transit property is now considered an offence, and could result in a $250 fine for those who choose to spit in the direction of our staff.

We hope that combining these changes with the increased fine structure that went into effect in August 2011 will result in a more comfortable, safer system for all of us.

Health Sciences Platform Construction

Customers using Health Sciences LRT station will be encountering some construction on the station platform as preparation starts for the installation of an overhead pedway across 114 Street and along the west side of the station, connecting the new Edmonton Clinic South and the new Edmonton Health Academy.

Construction also includes an upgrade to the existing Health Sciences Station with the addition of a second floor connection to the station platform. The pedway will be located over the north end of the platform. Construction is expected to be complete in the fall of 2012.

Activity this month is mainly preparation for the construction of supporting structures for an escalator, stair and elevator connection to the pedway. Two glass shelters on the platform will be removed as openings are cut for the construction.

The contractor will maintain pedestrian access at both ends of the platform and to the trains on each side during the installation. Look for notices on the platform as the project goes forward.

ETS Customer Specials

Finding opportunities to say 'thanks' to customers committed to using public transit is a continual challenge, particularly when purchases are made using a variety of methods.

Right now we have three special customer ‘thank you’ offers available to those who purchase online or through a major vendor.

Until January 9, the first 1000 customers to buy a January Adult Monthly Pass through the online store earn 30 AIR MILES reward miles.

”Like” us on Facebook before February 2, and you have the opportunity to star on one of our 2013 monthly passes.

Safeway shoppers can earn 25 bonus AIR MILES reward miles by purchasing a February Adult Monthly Pass between January 13 and February 2.