In a recent opinion piece, Emily Stremel highlights the critical need for properly funded public transit in Edmonton. She shares her personal experience of a recent service cut in her neighbourhood, where a mere two-minute reduction in bus frequency has disrupted her daily commute. Stremel, who bought her home near a frequent transit route, now faces an extra 15 minutes of travel time due to missed LRT connections—a commute she could drive in the same amount of time.
The Impact of Service Cuts
Stremel responds to Lorne Gunter's April 30 article suggesting that Edmonton should reduce transit service. Gunter notes that only 10 per cent of Edmontonians use transit regularly, citing inconvenience as a major factor. Stremel agrees but argues that the solution is not to cut service further but to improve it. She emphasizes that 150,000 people rely on transit daily, including workers, students, families, and seniors who cannot drive for medical, financial, or personal reasons.
The Need for Reliable and Predictable Service
Edmontonians in all neighbourhoods deserve access to reliable bus routes, Stremel writes. She stresses the importance of predictability, noting that routes should not be cut to accommodate new developments. To ensure reliability, the city needs sufficient storage for its growing bus fleet.
Aging Fleet and Funding Challenges
Stremel points out that Edmonton's bus fleet is aging rapidly, with buses retired at 24 years, while the North American average retires 80 per cent of buses at half that age. Without funding for fleet renewal in the upcoming budget, service could be cut by over 13 per cent, adding an estimated 13,000 cars to roads and worsening congestion. A new bus garage is essential to acquire new buses and retire old ones, enabling more frequent and convenient service.
A Call for Smarter Spending
Stremel suggests that if the city is concerned about taxpayer cost versus usage, it should consider reducing spending on inefficient infrastructure like cul-de-sacs, which she describes as glorified driveways that do not serve citywide transportation. Instead, funds should be directed toward transit, a service that all Edmontonians can reasonably use and enjoy.
