City kicks off campaign to improve transit accessibility

It costs $3.25 to ride an Edmonton Transit bus, but even that seemingly small fare can prevent some people from getting to work, running errands or attending medical appointments.

The City of Edmonton kicked off its annual Donate a Ride campaign Wednesday to improve transit accessibility for vulnerable populations. The program has been providing free transit tickets to community agencies for 22 years.

"There are many people in our city who are living in poverty, who need that support to be able to get to where they need to go," Coun.Andrew Knack said.

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The free tickets offer people a short-term solution for their transit troubles by helping them get to job interviews or the first few shifts at a new workplace, Knack said.

"You need to have something that lets you get to the job for the first couple of weeks, so that you can get your first paycheque," he said, highlighting how the program helps people working their way out of poverty.

Once people get those first few paycheques, they can apply for theRide Transit program, which sells bus passes at a reduced price.

"It's costly for those who are struggling to be able to afford a monthly bus pass each and every month, when they've got other bills and other priorities," Knack said.

Increased need for accessible transit

The demand for accessible public transportation has been growing steadily.

"We've seen more and more money get donated each and every year, but we've also seen the amount of people needing to access transit tickets grow each and every year," Knack said.

In its first year, the campaign raised $2,000. More than $200,000 was raised last year.

Donations made online or on the bus support organizations such as the Bent Arrow Healing Society, which hands out the free tickets funded by the program.

"We've never had a year where we've had tickets left over. Ever," said Cheryl Whiskeyjack, Bent Arrow's executive director. "The need is big."

She said the program has had a profound impact on the people she works with.

"Things could end very different for people we're serving if they don't get those tickets," Whiskeyjack said.

Missingjob interviews, medical appointmentsor court appearances can have dire consequences, she said.

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The free tickets also encourage social inclusion in Edmonton.

"We have so many opportunities in this city for people to engage and connect, but that way to get there is often a barrier," Whiskeyjack said.

People who want to help remove that barrier can donate to the program year round. It has raised $2.8 million worth of transit tickets since its inception.