Back to school with Transit - come along for the ride.

As summer winds down, Strathcona County Transit is gearing up to transport over 5,000 riders this fall.

Transit’s fall service begins August 31, 2015, when all routes return to full schedules.

Beginning August 17, additional customer service representatives will be on shift to help riders plan their back to school travel. Call 780-464-RIDE (7433) for schedule information, Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Locally, transit service is available for students attending Archbishop Jordan Catholic High School. Check with the school to obtain passes. Other students are also encouraged to take advantage of the local transit routes. All local routes are designed to connect with the commuter buses at their designated terminal. Depending on the route, service begins between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Transit service into Edmonton provides direct routes to the University of Alberta (routes 404, 414), NAIT (route 413) and MacEwan University’s downtown campus (routes 401, 403, 411, 413). On commuter routes, all designated bus stops on the map will be drop-off only stops on trips leaving Sherwood Park entering Edmonton boundaries.

Riders will notice a new design for commuter tickets. Based on customer feedback, Transit redesigned its commuter tickets so they can be easily validated on the machines at the Edmonton LRT stations.  Between October 1, 2015 and January 31, 2016, customers are encouraged to exchange their current commuter tickets for the new design, at no additional cost. Please note - effective February 1, 2016, commuter tickets of the old design will no longer be accepted for use on Strathcona County Transit, Edmonton Transit or St. Albert Transit.

Beginning for the month of September, 100 reservable parking spots are available for purchase as part of Transit’s Advantage Parking program (first come, first served). Monthly passes are available for $30. Construction will begin this fall to install power for the reserved stalls. Please respect all signs. Over 1,000 free parking stalls are also available at the Bethel Transit Terminal.

Strathcona County Transit passes and tickets are available for purchase at Bethel Transit Terminal, Ordze Transit Centre (during specified hours), most 7-Eleven outlets in Sherwood Park, and Shoppers Drug Mart at 5-1020 Sherwood Drive.

More information or call 780-464-RIDE(7433) for pass, fare, route and parking options.

Set in the centre of Alberta’s energy and agricultural heartland, Strathcona County is a thriving, successful and vibrant community of more than 92,000 residents. Strathcona County is made up of the urban area of Sherwood Park and a large adjacent rural area of farms, acreages and smaller hamlets. It is home to 75 per cent of refining in Western Canada. With a focus on economic, governance, social, cultural and environmental sustainability, Strathcona County is committed to balancing the unique needs of its diverse community.

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Contact:

Strathcona County Communications, 780-410-6595