Edmonton’s transit system saw a record 61.6 million trips in 2024, but safety issues remain a concern for many riders.
Edmonton: 2024 was a bustling year for the city’s transit system. They recorded a whopping 61.6 million trips on buses and LRT, which is a 15% increase from 2023.
Carrie Hotton-MacDonald, a branch manager with ETS, mentioned that ridership on frequent transit routes has been really strong, especially on crosstown routes.
This year also saw a big expansion in transit services, with more buses added and a rise in the use of ARC cards. Now, about 70% of riders are using them.
However, safety is still a major worry for many riders. Hotton-MacDonald noted that they’re working on increasing the number of transit peace officers and getting more police support.
They’ve ramped up surveillance and have more staff on the ground. With more people using transit, it naturally helps keep an eye on things, which can deter bad behavior.
Opinions among Edmontonians are mixed when it comes to safety improvements. One person felt that perceptions might be skewed, while another pointed out issues with older trains and security concerns.
Looking ahead to 2025, they plan to upgrade ARC readers to accept debit and credit cards by summer. More bus services are also expected by April, with details coming in February.
They’re also adding multi-day passes to ARC cards and new trip-planning tools. But what do people really want? One rider thinks things are going well, while another wishes for better communication about delays.
