Dedicated Accessible Transit Service locations updated
Examples of Dedicated Accessible Transit Service signage on University of Alberta campuses.
Dedicated Accessible Transit Service (DATS) is a door-to-door, shared public transportation service provided by Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) for Edmontonians who cannot use regular transit.
Our community has shared that DATS access has been limited to the edges of campus, in part because of the layout of our campuses and lack of wayfinding signage. We saw this as an opportunity to improve accessibility and bring people using this service closer to their destination.
The university has worked with ETS to designate specific locations on North Campus, South Campus, Campus Saint-Jean and Enterprise Square that DATS can serve. Some considerations included locations with a high frequency of usage, locations that DATS vehicles can safely maneuver in and out of, and visibility and distance of passenger loading areas to accessible entrances.
These pre-defined locations have been assigned stop numbers and will appear in the DATS online booking system. Users can also access a list of campus DATS locations on the U of A website and view these locations on our Campus Maps.
This work was done in collaboration with the Office of the Vice Provost (ACB), a Built Environment Collaboration Table focused on Disability Cultures and Access, students and staff of Humanities 101 and the Community Service-Learning program in the Faculty of Arts. We’d like to recognize the contributions of these students and the community in making this work happen.
Tips for using DATS
Note that DATS is available to eligible users and you must register to use the service. Learn more about DATS, including how to check your eligibility, register or book a trip at https://www.edmonton.ca/ets/dedicated-accessible-transit-service.
We encourage you to review facilities and building hours before booking a trip to ensure you can access your building.
Bring your ONEcard with you and/or arrange for someone to meet you who can provide building access. You can also Contact Safewalk during their service hours for help travelling to or from U of A DATS stops.
For urgent access situations, contact University of Alberta Protective Services at 780-492-5050.
Sharing feedback
DATS is not a university service. To share a commendation or concern about the service, contact DATS directly.
We will be collecting feedback over the next year to measure how effective these locations are at reducing barriers to using DATS. We invite U of A community members who use DATS on our campuses to email fsp@ualberta.ca.