TRUE (Transit Riders' Union of Edmonton)

TRUE is APIRG's newest Working Group. Welcome!

Go to the group's website at www.true.apirg.org
We need your voice!  It’s TRUE!

Contact us at true@apirg.org

The Transit Riders’ Union of Edmonton (TRUE) is a new committee established in April 2007. Our goal is for Edmonton citizens, especially those dependent on public transportation to get involved by sharing their ideas and concerns so that we can all develop a serviceable transit system for everyone.  TRUE is currently formed of ETS riders who are researching and developing strategies to improve the quality of public transit in Edmonton, Alberta.  TRUE wishes to champion an effective movement and wants to provide a unified voice towards efficient affordable public transit.

General meeting on Monday, January 12th at 5:30 PM at the APIRG OFFICE (HUB MALL - 9111 112 St)

ALL WELCOME!

TRUE now meets every second Monday of the month at 5:30 at the APIRG office unless stated otherwise on our website at www.true.apirg.org

 

News item!!!

As the necessity for better public transportation across Canada becomes evident and the frustration of current riders increases, TRUE has set an example for aspiring activists well beyond the doors of APIRG or the confines of Edmonton.

TRUE has been featured in Toronto's SPACING magazine as an example of progressive movements in canada that are organizing around rider-focused transit service improvements. Check out the revolution:

http://spacing.ca/wire/2008/08/17/edmonton-riders-union-starts-transit-revolution/

 


TRUE Six Point Platform

  1. Transit Friendly City: Improve built environment, fight sprawl
  2. Cost: Ensure transit is affordable and cost effective
  3. Efficiency: User-friendly routes and scheduling; 24 hours
  4. Environment: Reduce emissions and car dependency
  5. Safety: Transit police in touch with needs of riders
  6. Ridership: Encourage more usage, effective promotions

Current Projects:

  • Late Night Transit Campaign
  • GETS 2040 (Accelerated and coordinated LRT expansion)
  • Transit Experience Reports
  • Documentary Project
  • Collaborative Route Redesign

As part of our campaign, TRUE has collected experience reports from transit riders at workshops since January and via our website.  TRUE members are available for comment on this and other transit related issues. Please write true@apirg.org to set up an interview, or contact Brendan Van Alstine at 909-1891 for more urgent inquiries.


Past Successes: TRUE Transit Challenge

Quotes
Members:

“With no plan for how the end system will look or operate, it’s not good enough to place the potential impacts on area residents and vehicular traffic above the long term interests of the city as whole.”

“There wasn’t any information on how long the trip would take, how the bus connections would change, how often the trains would run...  I find this very troubling.”

“TRUE wants councillors to understand what it means to be dependent on transit for everything from getting to work to grocery shopping, and to get insight on the needs of transportation users.”

Media:

“A new city councillor says he’s appalled after it took him twice as long to get to work by bus as it takes by car.”

“It was the best of rides, it was the worst of rides – four city councillors say they saw the good and bad sides of public transit when they gave up their vehicles to take the bus.”

 

Patrons:

“I've lost jobs and been turned away from jobs because of my dependence on transit, but it was because of the lack of early morning service rather than late night service, particularly on the weekends.”

“I like that it’s good for the environment, and I don’t care to own a car.  I don’t like it because you’re often treated like you and your schedule don’t matter, that missing a scheduled transfer is not a big deal. I don’t like being treated like I don’t have a choice and like I’m not a paying customer.”