ETS
Transit fares are set to rise for the first time in four years. Riders will pay 25 cents more per trip, rising to $3 for Arc cards and $3.75 for cash. Monthly Arc fare caps are increasing by $2 for adults to $102, and $1 for seniors to $36 and either $36 or $51 for people with low-income transit passes depending on income. Visitors and infrequent transit users can also take advantage of a new multi-day Arc pass valid for three days for $24 or five days for $30 for a single rider.
Young riders will be affected most by the transit fares changes. The age of youth passes drop to 18 from 24 and will have to pay adult fares.Students of a post-secondary institution may be eligible for transit passes, like the U-Pass.
Arc card maximums will be lowered to $66 from $73 per month for teens 18 and younger and children under 12 can take public transit for free when riding with a fare-paying rider.
Fare increases could have been much higher as ETS floated significant jumps for all fare types last summer but Edmonton city council ultimately approved different fares in December as part of the 2025 fall budget update.
By mid-2025 transit riders are expected to have the option to pay by tapping their phone, or credit or debit card on an Arc reader.
15 ETS buses were parked in front of a grocery chain's stores as a visible reminder and viable repository for donations to Edmonton's Food Bank. What started as a small ETS employee-led campaign and in its 29th year has grown to be one of the largest collectors of food donations and third-party fundraisers. ETS employees see the need everyday and the Stuff a Bus Campaign gives them another opportunity to help.
It's not easy to be a contrarian and go against the main flow but the contrarian role is very important. Although there has been a great importance attached to and investment made in the transit system, the article below questions if it will ever have the positive impact and produce a positive ROI that it was touted to.
Design students from MacEwan University devoted a semester in research and development of solutions that would improve safety and enhance ETS transit users experience. Students drew upon both ETS staff and transit users experience to create practical and workable solutions, some What do you think about the Design students assignment? will be put into use soon.
Providing public transportation requires much planning and a big budget so its understandable that communities around Edmonton would want to work with ETS to create a regional bus network. Many issues need to be addressed and obstacles overcome before a regional bus network becomes a reality so discussions continue among all involved.