Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission

The Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission (EMTSC) is a regional public transit service which serves eight municipalities within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of Alberta, Canada. The EMTSC is currently developing its operational and planning capabilities, with initial service delivery scheduled to begin in early 2023.

History

The Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission (EMTSC) traces its roots to 2017, when the cities of Edmonton and St. Albert signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the creation of a regional transit services commission. In February 2020, thirteen municipal councils voted to investigate the potential for a regional transit services commission (RTSC). Nine of these municipalities, including Edmonton, St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan, and Leduc, later submitted an application to the provincial government to establish the Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission. The town of Morinville opted out soon after the application was submitted, chiefly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commission was given ministerial permission to operate on 28 January 2021. The impetus for the commission's formation was the region's rapidly growing population, and the increasing interconnectivity of its member communities and their work forces. Paul Jankowski, formerly the Commissioner of the Transportation Services Department for the Regional Municipality of York, began his tenure as the EMTSC's first CEO on 17 May, 2021. In November 2021, the Board of Directors voted to move the planned commencement of operations from late 2022 to early 2023.

Service Area

The EMTSC serves six cities and two towns:

* City of Beaumont
* City of Edmonton
* City of Fort Saskatchewan
* City of Leduc
* City of Spruce Grove
* City of St. Albert
* Town of Devon
* Town of Stony Plain
Four regional municipalities are "non-voting, non-paying, advising stakeholders" which do not receive service from the commission:

* Town of Morinville
* Leduc County
* Parkland County
* Sturgeon County

Operations

A board of elected representatives from each member community is conducting the initial setup of the commission, and working with the commission's inaugural CEO to develop its operational and planning capabilities. The EMTSC will begin service in Spring/Summer 2023. Edmonton's local transit services and LRT network will not initially be transferred to the commission due to their size and operational costs. The commission's board will re-consider the inclusion of Edmonton's LRT network and local bus services, along with regional paratransit services, in 2026. Member communities are expected to save approximately $2.2 million on transit costs annually. Communities will continue to plan and pay for their local transit routes, while the commission will determine how those routes will be serviced.

Launch plan

The commission is currently in phase two of its launch plan, which contains five phases in total.

Phase one

Phase one, pre-implementation, was in effect from the time that the interim board was formed until the commission was given ministerial permission to operate. During this time, the interim board focused on gaining provincial approval of the commission, drafting transition assessments and recommendations, and recruiting a CEO.

Phase two

Phase two, also known as "formation and set-up," is when the commission will establish its initial workforce, infrastructure, policies and procedures. Phase two will last for the entirety of 2021 and into 2022, and includes goals such as the creation of the commission's strategic and business plans, establishing lease agreements for transit-related facilities, and finalizing the regional service design.

Phase three

"Preparation for service deployment" will occur in phase three, which is expected to be in effect for the first half of 2022. This is when the commission will onboard the remaining resources needed for it to roll out regional transit services in September 2022. Key objectives of this phase include the development of a brand and marketing identity, transitioning all municipal transit services to EMTSC control by June 2022 (with the exception of local ETS services and municipal paratransit services within the region), and planning fleet deployments.

Phase four

Phase four, which will start in early 2023, marks the beginning of transit service delivery by the EMTSC. It will occur in phases until the end of 2023. During this phase, the EMTSC will focus on maintaining customer service and communications, analyzing the successes and failures of the rollout as it progresses, and recruiting more staff as the commission expands its services.

Phase five

The final phase of the commission's launch will begin by the end of 2023, with a focus on improving its services in preparation for its absorption of ETS local services, and municipal paratransit services. During this time, the commission will focus on surveying riders, identifying service improvements such as the standardization of vehicle features (e.g. drivers' shields, Wi-Fi enabled buses, etc.), and revising local transit routes to meet specific guidelines. This phase will last until 2026, when the commission aims to adopt ETS local bus services and become the sole deliverer of bus transit services within its member communities.

Fares

Fare levels will be determined by the commission's board of governors, and the service will allow fare payments with Arc cards.

See also

* Arc card
*Edmonton Transit Service
* Edmonton Metropolitan Region
* Fort Sask Transit
* Leduc Transit
* St Albert Transit

References

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External links

Regional Transit Services Commission , City of Edmonton

Regional Transit Services Commission , City of St. Albert

Transit agencies in Alberta
Bus transport in Alberta