Public Transportation for Alberta
Workbook: Rural
Introduction
As one of our key partners, we are seeking your input on how the Government of
Alberta can best support public transportation across the province. Engagement with
Albertans and stakeholders, such as private industry, labour and social advocacy
groups, Indigenous leaders and municipal representatives, will be focused into two
streams – urban and rural.
The Government of Alberta is committed to hearing about the transportation needs of all
Albertans living in urban and rural communities across the province. This information
will help provide us with a better understanding of the varying public transportation
issues, challenges and opportunities.
Your feedback will be used to inform the development of program criteria for our new
municipal transit initiatives and rural bus service funding, and the development of a
provincial transit strategy.
The provincial transit strategy will set the vision for public transportation in Alberta and
outline key actions to ensure an effective, efficient and accessible public transit system
in and between communities to support a high quality of life. The strategy will also
support the Government of Alberta’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions as part
of the Climate Leadership Plan.
Please submit by email to publictransportation@gov.ab.ca by
April 29, 2016. If you have any difficulties accessing, completing or
returning the workbook, please contact the Strategy and Policy
Branch of Alberta Transportation at 780-427-0219.
This information is collected under the authority of The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
Act Section 33(c). If you have any questions, please contact Alberta Transportation’s FOIP Coordinator at
780-422-0021.
Cover: Image on cover courtesy of Calgary Regional Partnership
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Definitions
For the purposes of this engagement, we have adopted the following definitions:
Active transportation: Any form of human-powered transportation, including walking,
cycling, cross-country skiing, skating or skateboarding. There are many ways to engage
in active transportation, including walking or cycling to school/work.
Best practice: A proven technique, technology or methodology for planning, design,
construction, management, evaluation, and maintenance that takes into account
economic, environmental and social factors.
Public transportation: A transportation service available to the public, using vehicles
designed for use by multiple individuals with fares, schedules, and routes that are
planned and available in advance, including local public transit, accessible transit, and
regional transit.
Accessible transit: Specialized and barrier-free transportation services
available to people who are unable to access traditional local public transit,
such as for those with limited mobility, including seniors and people with
disabilities.
Local public transit: A local transportation service within municipal boundaries
available to the public, using vehicles designed for use by multiple individuals,
with fares, schedules and routes that are planned and available in advance.
Examples: Lethbridge Transit, Grande Prairie Transit, Edmonton Transit or
Calgary Transit.
Regional transit: Transit services beyond municipal boundaries in
coordination with two or more neighbouring municipalities, using vehicles
designed for use by multiple individuals, with fares, schedules, and routes that
are planned and available in advance.
Examples: Transit connections between St. Albert, Edmonton and Leduc or
between Airdrie and Calgary.
Intercity busing: A passenger transportation service that connects two or more cities
beyond neighbouring municipal boundaries, available to the public, with regular
schedules and/or on-demand service.
Example: Direct bus service from Calgary to Edmonton.
Rural: Communities with fewer than 10,000 residents.
Urban: Communities with more than 10,000 residents.
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GENERAL
1. Given your organization’s understanding of public transportation needs in your
community and surrounding area(s):
a) What public transportation options are available now? Do they meet the
public transportation needs of your community and surrounding area(s)?
Please explain.
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b) What are the current opportunities to improve public transportation options in
your community and surrounding area?
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c) What are the current barriers exist to implementing these improvements?
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FUTURE
2. Thinking about public transportation in your community 5, 10 and 15 years into the
future:
a) What is your vision for public transportation in Alberta?
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b) To meet this vision, what do you foresee as the greatest challenges for rural
centres?
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c) To meet this vision, what do you foresee as the greatest opportunities for
rural centres?
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3. What top three actions could the provincial government consider to meet the vision
you identified in question two?
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COLLABORATION
4. Given your organization’s understanding of transportation needs in your community
and surrounding area, and considering a range of aspects, such as governance,
operations, service frequency and maintenance:
a) What opportunities are there for greater collaboration between the municipal,
provincial and federal governments, non-profit organizations and/or the
private sector? Please be specific.
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b) What opportunities are there for greater integration of services between your
organization and neighbouring municipalities, non-profit organizations and/or
the private sector? Please be specific.
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BEST PRACTICES
5. What best practices for public transportation have been adopted by your
organization?
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a) What best practices do you recommend be adopted in Alberta?
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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
6. To the best of your organization’s knowledge, what do you see as the current and
future roles and responsibilities of municipal governments in the development,
funding, and operation of public transportation? Please consider both financial and
non-financial support.
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7. What do you see as the current and future roles and responsibilities of the private
sector and other providers, such as non-profit operators and volunteer organizations,
in the development, funding, and operation of public transportation services? Please
consider both financial and non-financial support.
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8. What do you see as the current and future roles and responsibilities of the provincial
government in the development, coordination, funding and operation of public
transportation services? Please consider both financial and non-financial support.
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FUNDING/CRITERIA
Provincial funding programs generally have criteria, including procedures and guidelines
that eligible proponents must follow in order to submit an application for funding. For
example, criteria for the existing Green Transit Incentives Program can be found on the
Alberta Transportation website at: http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/5409.htm.
9. What specific criteria would you suggest for provincial funding to best support
municipal transit initiatives, building on your previous input? Please describe how the
criteria will help your organization achieve your public transportation goals.
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10. What specific criteria would you suggest for provincial funding to best support rural
bus service, building on your previous input? Please describe how the criteria will
help your organization achieve your public transportation goals.
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RURAL BUS SERVICE
For municipalities:
11. Is intercity bus service currently available in your community?
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a) If intercity bus service is currently available:
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i. How frequent is the bus service currently provided?
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ii. Is this service fully accessible for people with limited mobility, such as
seniors and people with disabilities?
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b) If intercity bus service is not currently available, was service previously
provided by a private operator, non-profit or volunteer operator, and/or by
shuttle vans?
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i. On average, what is the distance community members travel to the nearest
bus terminal or stop?
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12. From your perspective, do you recommend additional public transportation services
within your community? If so, where?
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a) Have you conducted or are planning to conduct a feasibility study on intercity
bus services?
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b) Have you conducted or are planning to conduct a feasibility study on local
transit or regional transit with neighbouring municipalities?
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13. Are you currently working with all service providers in your community, including
private industry, volunteer and non-profit service providers? Please provide specific
examples of how you are collaborating.
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14. What types of data does your municipality collect related to intercity bus service and
regional transit?
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a) What performance indicators and measures does your municipality use to
evaluate these services?
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b) Are you currently working with all service providers in your community,
including private industry, volunteer and non-profit service providers? Please
provide specific examples of how you are collaborating.
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For all intercity bus service providers:
15. On which routes do you currently provide intercity bus service?
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a) Do you currently own and operate your own terminal locations?
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i. If you own and operate your own terminal locations, are they integrated with
other public transportation services?
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b) Have you added/abandoned any routes in the past year?
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c) What is the average number of passengers per route?
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16. Do you offer any additional intercity services, such as cargo? Please explain.
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17. What percentage of your fleet is fully accessible for those with limited mobility, such
as seniors and people with disabilities?
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18. Are you currently working with municipalities, volunteer and non-profit service
providers? Please provide specific examples of how you are collaborating.
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For all other organizations
19. Describe the role of your organization.
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20. Describe your organizations interest in public transportation.
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21. Do you offer any public transportation services? Please explain.
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a) If you offer public transportation services:
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i. What communities do you service?
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ii. Do you receive funding from external sources? Please explain.
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b) If you do not offer public transportation services, describe the relationship
between your organization and public transportation service providers?
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22. Are you currently working with municipalities, private industry, volunteer and
non-profit service providers? Please provide specific examples of how you are
collaborating.
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Demographics
Which of the following best describes the respondents of this workbook?
(Please select all that apply.)
Representative(s) of a business in
the transportation industry
Representative(s) of an
association or non-profit
organization
Representative(s) of a local authority
(municipality, school board)
Other, please specify:
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What is the name of the municipality, business, association and/or organization
you/your group represent(s)?
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Where is your municipality, business, association, or organization located? Where do
you operate? Please list all represented cities, towns or regions.
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Please submit by email to publictransportation@gov.ab.ca by
April 29, 2016. If you have any difficulties accessing, completing or
returning the workbook, please contact the Strategy and Policy
Branch of Alberta Transportation at 780-427-0219.
This information is collected under the authority of The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
Act Section 33(c). If you have any questions, please contact Alberta Transportation’s FOIP Coordinator at
780-422-0021.
Thank you for taking the time to complete this workbook.
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