Transportation

In Transit Newsletter - June 2010

The Every Day Way to get to the game

Our very popular Green and Go program with the Edmonton Eskimos is back this year, giving Eskimo fans the ability to use their game day tickets to travel free on ETS to and from home games.

Riding on LRT or regular ETS service, your game day ticket is valid for two hours before the game starts until two hours after it ends. It’s also your ticket to ride on ETS Football Park & Ride service.

The Green and Go program is a collaboration between the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Eskimos to reduce football parking pressure in the surrounding neighbourhoods, reduce traffic congestion, and improve pedestrian safety around Commonwealth Stadium.

Enjoy the game, and remember to keep your ticket stub for your return trip.

ETS Launches Trip Planner Test

The newest version of the ETS Trip Planner is going public for testing this month. The test is available for the following ETS online tools -- Trip Planner, Bus Stop Schedule Search and Route Schedule Search.

The ETS website main page (takeETS.com) contains a link to the new Trip Planner test (beta) site where you’ll have the opportunity to test drive this upgraded version and provide feedback via a survey or the “report a bug” form.

The upgrades have been designed to make planning your trips more user friendly. Changes include improved ability to find a bus stop schedule, improved layout and access to information as well as improved tabbing to enter address, landmark, intersection or bus stop number to get trip plans or a bus stop schedule..

We look forward to your input to help us provide travel information tools that make taking transit quick, easy and convenient.

Use a Youth Pass for Summer Travel

Youth aged 6 - 17 years have the opportunity for unlimited travel on ETS during July and August using the ETS Youth Monthly Pass.

Priced at only $57.50 per month, the Youth Monthly Pass provides economical, unrestricted travel on ETS that can be used every day of the week. The passes are available at the ETS Customer Services Office on the mezzanine of Churchill LRT Station, or can be conveniently ordered using the ETS Online Store.

ETS Safe Drivers

Congratulations to the 996 ETS operators who achieved a Safe Driving Award for 2009!

These operators collectively spent nearly 1.7 million hours in service last year without a preventable incident.

In the 57 years Edmonton Transit Operators have been recognized for their driving skills, the day-to-day challenges of navigating our roadways have grown. It is no small feat to maintain the outstanding driving record they have set.

Twenty six operators have received more than 30 Safe Driving Awards throughout their career. Congratulations to John Wyllie (37 years); James Hansen Sr. (35 years); Paul Riches (34 years); David Fuller and Roderick Westlin (33 years); Gary Hrabec, Ronald Hrabec, John Kostelny, David Lewis, Terry Napora, Sardul Purewal, Greg Schultz, John Tait, Edward Warry, and Maurice Wolshlager (32 years); Kevin Frank, Douglas Leeds, Carmine Mazzuca, William McDonald, Vern Potter, Werner Redel, Barry Smith, Malcolm Somers, Robert Lynn Strachan, Joe White, and Kenneth Wright (31 years).

ETS Summer Service Changes

During July and August, it’s not unusual to have a reduction in transit ridership. Schools are closed for summer vacation and many Edmontonians take time away from work.

Starting June 27, we’ll be making changes to our service to make it more compatible with customer demand. Seasonal changes include removing school service for students and reducing the number of buses used for the weekday morning and afternoon commute.

These seasonal changes will be in effect until the end of August. Normal service resumes in September.

Check the ETS Trip Planner or call BusLink at 780-496-1600 for complete route and schedule details.

ETS Environment Week Activities

Celebrate national Environment Week from May 30 - June 5, 2010!

ETS will be highlighting our new bus routes equipped with bike racks at a series of events during the week. We’re in Churchill Square by 3 Bananas Cafe on Tuesday, June 1 from 11:30am - 1:30pm. We’re at the Clean Air Day event in City Hall on June 2, and at the Environment Week Information Fair in Commerce Place on June 3.

Visit our displays and enter to win a folding bike and other great prizes courtesy of ETS. Be sure to check out the other information displays from the City of Edmonton - Sustainable Transportation Branch, Climate Change Central, Carpool.ca, Edmonton Bicycle Commuters and others.

ETS Tests New Solar Powered Ad Panel

ETS Facilities staff installed one of the first solar powered LED ad panels in Western Canada in late April in a bus shelter on 82 Avenue at 81 Street.

Solar panels mounted on the roof power the LED lights in the ad panel. The amount and quality of light from the solar panels is comparable to panels powered by regular electrical hook-ups.

The ad panel will be tested through this summer and winter to assess its performance in Edmonton's outdoor environment. Depending on the test results, the prototype has the potential to replace existing bus shelter ads powered by regular electricity.

If these solar ad panels prove to be viable they will cost less and require much less planning time to be installed. Additionally, not needing to connect to a power supply will offer location options that are not currently available.

This prototype bus shelter ad panel was developed by Daytech Ltd. at the request of ETS and Pattison Outdoor Advertising. The project is cost-shared between ETS, Pattison, and Daytech.