Frankly I think the campaign falls a little short. It’s like preaching to the converted using a slogan like “The Every Day Way” since the people who relate to this ARE the ones using the service already. Second, I think it’s impersonal, a little corporate and uninteresting. The photos don’t really capture the mood of the experience or really have anything to do with transit in general besides stereotyping the kind of people who use ETS.

I’m a design student at the U of A, and I’d love to get my hands on reimaging ETS. I think the smartest route would be to follow the EPL rebranding, which it seems you have also discussed. It’s a step for ETS, but I’d say, not a big enough one.

We talked about Sobey’s Urban Fresh last weekend. It’s great that there’s one downtown and by the University. I have to drive a min of 20 minutes, or bus a min of 45 to get to either one. I’d rather drive.

Honestly though, I really like taking the bus. There’s so many positives that I never realised until I started taking it again (I’ve been driving everywhere since I was about 17-18…now 23).

The most important thing is the fact that you’re not liable for accidents on the bus. Given my crappy car history (this and one past accident) I appreciate that piece of mind, especially in the winter.

Second, GoogleMaps integration makes taking the bus SIMPLE, and it shows you just how much slower it really is than driving – often times for shorter trips the bus lags behind by about 10-15 minutes. For longer trips, the difference in time it takes to bus versus driving grows much much larger usually. Regardless, for your daily commute it’s quite fine IMO.

Third, if you’re on a longer bus ride without a transfer it gives you some time for yourself to do whatever. Personally I started using my laptop on the bus, something I could never do while driving.

There are downsides to the bus too, namely having to make your schedule fit with that of the bus, and hoping that the bus won’t be too late (or even worse, EARLY, which has happened very rarely for me).

Regardless, it’s worth it especially during the school year if you have a U-Pass.

I ride the bus everyday to work and every spring I get a bit sad when I start to ride my bike or walk to work instead. I miss all the regulars on the bus and the convenience that I don’t actually have to wake up until I get to work because someone else is in control! I most love the bus when I walk outside and see my car covered in snow and other people scrapping their windows. All I have to do is get onto a warm bus.

I do think, however, that to change from driving to using public transport requires people to shift their habits, something not everyone is ready and willing to do: you have to leave for your destination earlier (ensuring enough time to account for early arrivals and to make transfers); you get used to walking a fair bit (no door-to-door service more often than not); and you learn quickly the necessity of dressing seasonally.

At the end of the day, it’s about making public transportation a part of your lifestyle. That’s what the next phase of the campaign should capture.

The Wifi buses are a start, but until employers are also transit friendly with start/end times, there has to be a rethink as to how early to start routes. There is no bus that leaves early enough for me to get to work for when I need to be there.

I hope you’ve marked May 30th down in your calendar!

I love the design of these ads, but I feel the system has a long way to go. I hated taking the bus. The not knowing what time it would ACTUALLY show up (because posted times seem to be only suggestions). The rude people on the bus. The random smells… I’m just not a fan.

I saw @ChrisLabossiere tweet yesterday that in 10 years he felt driving would be on the same level of ‘taboo’ as smoking. I don’t feel that’s the case for every city… especially not Edmonton. The LRT won’t be built going east to west until AT LEAST 2010, then it’ll be a few years to get that done. Bus service needs fixing, and then there’s the whole matter of getting people to give up the privacy and immediacy of cars for public transport.

I’m sorry, I’m not convinced. I’ll more than likely be a driver probably for most of my life.

ETS, the every day way for me! (Okay, not every day since I walk to work, but it’s transit the rest of the time)