Edmonton transit union president speaks out against ‘Uberization' of bus service

The city is mulling using ride-share companies in low-ridership areas to save costs

Metronews.ca
May 31, 2017
By Jeremy Simes

The president of the union representing Edmonton Transit drivers is fighting against what he calls the “Uberization” of bus service, as the city moves ahead with plans to overhaul the entire network.

The city is looking to reorganize the bus network to increase service in the core, which has prompted discussions about how to continue to serve more far flung routes. Part of that includes city officials wanting to discuss a potential partnership with ride-share companies, which could see Edmonton subsidizing Uber or taxis to drive people in low ridership areas, particularly in the suburbs.

“We’ve seen this in other cities, this interest from these companies, to provide a solution to areas where demand is low,” said Sarah Feldman, the city’s general supervisor of transportation, during an interview earlier this month.

But Mark Tetterington, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 569, which represents Edmonton drivers, said service should remain public.

“We feel we can provide a friendly, safer and more reliable service,” he said, noting some drivers are worried about losing their jobs. “If a police station doesn’t have many calls, do you close it down? No. Transit is essential.”

But subsidizing Uber or taxi rides could save Edmonton money, other cities have shown, as it's a cheaper option than building park-and-ride stations or running nearly empty buses.

In Montreal, for example, the city rebates taxis in areas where it’s not feasible to operate buses.

In response to Tetterington's concerns, Edmonton Transit spokesperson Jennifer Badry said the city will continue to work with the union, city council and the citizen-led transit advisory board on exploring new technologies and practices.

"What that looks like in the future, in terms of new technologies like rideshare, we don't know," she said. "What we do know is that we stand with each of our operators who provide over 87 million rides per year and we are listening our customers along with the evolving needs of Edmontonians in a growing, changing city."

The city will release a new report on the transit strategy in July, which will provide more details on how the routes will look.