Transit terminals

Please only use our terminals as transfer points for busing, and spend as little time as possible indoors. When using the terminals, please respect other customer’s personal space and maintain a reasonable physical distance.

Bikes, scooters and skates boards

Do not ride bikes, scooter and skate on the platform or in the terminal building for the safety of all pedestrians.

While we encourage transit riders to use multimodal forms of transportation including bikes, scooters and skate boards, and they are allowed on board our buses (safely secured), we ask that you do not ride them on the terminal platforms or in our terminal buildings as this increases the chance of collisions with pedestrians and property, especially during peak hours. We recognize that riding these vehicles allows you to get from one bus to another faster, however, if you are concerned that your bus will leave before you can transfer your bike from one bus to the next, please just let your operator know which bus you are transferring to, and they will radio to the next operator to wait for you. Everyone's safety is our first concern.

Improve your visibility

Everyday we encourage our passengers to be alert at bus stops, watch for their buses (rather than looking down at phones), and to step up or wave to the operators to help indicate that they want to catch the approaching bus. However, with the days getting shorter this becomes even more difficult. Darkness, poorly lit bus stop, reflections on bus shelters, trees and shrubs, and dark clothing all combine to increase the chances of an operator not being able to see a passenger standing at a bus stop. We need your help to ensure we don't miss you, especially as the days grow shorter.

Here are a few tips that can help Operators see you better:

• Watch for your bus rather than focusing on your phone, if you step out too late the Operator could miss you
• Step out of the shelter before the bus arrives to improve your visibility
• Wear lighter clothing or clothing with reflective bands
• If you are game, wear a safety vest or get a LED band you can wear the increases your visibility in the dark
• When the bus is approaching turn your phone on and wave it so the Operator can see the light and in turn, you!
• Don't just sit there, stand up! Get up, wave, let the Operator know you intend on getting on their bus, not that you are just taking a break on a walk.

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Making Transit more accessible to everyone

Strathcona County Transit's conventional bus fleet is 100% accessible. This means that all of our buses on the road are able to have individuals using mobility aids such as scooters, wheel chairs or walkers board our buses and safely restrain their mobility aid.

A tour of accessibility features

We had an opportunity to work with the County's Special Olympic Ambassadors to take a quick tour of our accessibility features. Take moment to join Declan and Madison and they go for a ride...

Fort Saskatchewan service

Service between Fort Saskatchewan and Sherwood Park begins July 2, 2024 from the Bethel Transit Terminal.

The new route travels between Bethel Transit Terminal and Dow Centennial Centre, improving resident access from both municipalities to local resources, services, businesses and amenities. Rides can pay using their arc card or cash. The Arc electronic fare payment system supports easier access to local transit in both municipalities for residents throughout the region. Fort Saskatchewan fares will be charged for this service. For more information on Fort Saskatchewan transit service visit Fort Saskatchewan Transit.

In November of 2023, Fort Saskatchewan Transit began the process of exploring the possibility of changing their commuter service from their current provider, Edmonton Transit Services (ETS), to service from Fort Saskatchewan into Sherwood Park’s Bethel Transit Terminal. On January 23, 2024 their Council voted to make this happen. Next steps will be for Strathcona County and the City of Fort Saskatchewan to enter into an agreement for the service, as this would be contracted services to Fort Saskatchewan. Strathcona County Council approval of the agreement will still be required before this new route can be finalized. We expect this to be completed this spring and for the route to go into effect in early summer.

 

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Tips for safer travel on Transit

While COVID-19 has become part of our everyday life, there are ways we can travel safer to ensure the spread of any virus is limited.Transit will continue to keep our increased our cleaning efforts both on buses and at our terminals and important part of transit protocols. But below are some tips that you can take that may be helpful to keep you just a little safer while travelling on Transit.

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Transit by-law update

On July 6, 2021, Council passed a new Transit Bylaw (25-2021) with updated provisions that meet current and future transit needs, including compatibility with the regional smart fare approach (Arc). It's been more than 30 years since the bylaw (Public Transportation System Bylaw 44-88) has been updated and customers will be excited to see that items such as food and drink restrictions have been removed.

A reminder to all residents and visitors at the transit terminals, section 3.1.12 states:

"Unless authorized, no person shall sell or offer any newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, leaflets, printed matter or similar devices, or merchandise of any kind, or beg or solicit for any purpose whatsoever in Transit vehicles, Transit stations or other facilities of the said System."

Campaigning restrictions on County property: 

The Transit Bylaw 25-2021 restricts campaigning specifically on transit property or in/ on transit vehicles. The following sections of the bylaw apply to campaign activities: 

• A person shall not interfere with the comfort or convenience of any other person on a transit vehicle or transit property. 
• A person shall not loiter in a transit vehicle or on transit property for longer than required to reach that person’s destination. 
• A person shall not distribute any printed material or other goods on a transit vehicle or transit property unless written authorization has been provided by the Chief Commissioner.

Please click here for the complete 

transit bylaw (294.0 KB)

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Tips for being a courteous commuter - A Transit Code of Conduct

Strathcona County Transit has always promoted being a "Courteous Commuter." Taking care of yourself and the people around you is a hallmark of Strathcona County and its residents. At the end of 2024 CUTA, the Canadian Urban Transit Association formalized a Transit Code of Conduct that embodies all the same ideas as our tips, and so we have decided to join the rest of Canada's Transit in sharing the same message.  

The Transit Code of Conduct

• Respect one another
• Be inclusive
• Mind each other’s space and privacy
• Do not litter or deface property
• Communicate calmly
• Be kind and courteous
• Be safe for yourself and others
• Honour equality, diversity and the rights of all

Transit encourages the following customer behaviours:

• Have the correct fare ready ahead of time, whether it is having your arc card out or a cash fare ready before you board the bus.
• Allow people to get off the bus prior to your boarding
• Please stand behind the yellow line on the floor on the bus and refrain from lengthy conversations with your Operator
• Always move to the back of the bus when boarding and at the Operators request to accommodate as many passengers as possible
• Do not block or stand in the doorways this is for safety reasons and allows passengers to exit and enter quickly
• Share your seats: one bum one seat. Don't take up seats with your belongings.
• Keep the aisle clear and free of items to allow for easy movement.
• Please offer your seat to someone who may need it more than you; this may include seniors, children, pregnant women, or someone with a disability.
• Please keep your volume low, whether you're chatting with friends; a respectful considerate tone is appreciated by all.
• Respect those around you by keeping your cell phone conversations to a minimum an at a low volume. Please do not use your speaker phone.
• Use headphones when listening to music or personal audio and keep the volume low.
• Avoid wearing strongly scented perfumes and products for the sake of the passengers with allergies and scent sensitivities.

Prohibited behaviours - the following is not tolerated on public transit vehicles or on transit properties:

• Behaviours that threaten the safety of others or the safety of the operation of the transit vehicles
• Threats or assaults
• Harassment of any kind
• Discrimination based on protected characteristics such as age, race gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, disability or religion.
• Loitering or soliciting
• Use of profanity
• Excessive noise or disorderly conduct
• Consumption or distribution of alcoholic beverages or illegal substances
• Use of tobacco, cannabis, and E-cigarettes in a non-designated areas. (There is no smoking on our platform. Designated areas are marked at the platform entrances.)
• Carrying a firearms or dangerous materials
• Littering, vandalism, or graffiti

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Transit bus hold guidelines

Transit is committed to operating based on the advertised schedule under normal operating conditions. Sometimes due to outside influences such as: inclement weather and road conditions, construction and traffic, buses may run late and at times miss connections.

In order to better assist our customers in making connections Operators have been allowed to request another bus to hold as long as it does not negatively impact the overall efficiency of the routes. With the increase in road construction, changes to traffic patterns and passenger demands, Transit recognizes that in order to keep buses running on time, we need to make some minor changes to our current procedures.

As of December 1, 2024, Transit will no longer hold buses at the terminals between 3:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. weekdays. Operators will not be permitted to radio in for holds and no holds will be granted for any reason. The purpose of this change is to ensure that our buses run closer to the published schedules and to prevent those customers waiting roadside from being exposed to the elements longer than necessary.

Further, when major weather related  traffic issues/delays occur, or inclement weather situations occur such as major winter storms, temperatures falling below -20 degrees Celsius, or high wind chill factors, Transit Dispatch may make the decision to not allow requested holds at any time during the day to ensure service remains on schedule, and customers waiting roadside have limited exposure to the elements.

Transit recognizes that this change may result in customers having to wait at the terminal for their next bus, but feels that the safety of those waiting in the elements out weighs the minor inconvenience of a few extra minutes in the warm terminal.  Please remember that Transit works to support the needs of all our customers and that customer service is a priority. We will strive to assist customers in making their connections whenever possible.

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Transit lost and found

Lost and found is located at:

Bethel Transit Terminal, 650 Bethel Drive, Sherwood Park, AB
Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday: 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sunday: Closed

All items found on Transit vehicles or properties are turned into the Lost and Found within 48 hours and are kept for 30 days before removal.

Articles of clothing (mittens, hats etc.), water bottles, coffee mugs and lunch bags are placed in the green bins in the Bethel Transit Terminal lobby. All other items, including phones and keys, are kept in a secure location.

Please call 780-464-RIDE (7433) to claim a lost item.