Team 1-B Proposed Solution - Addressing Post-Pandemic Commuting Challenges: Enhancing Mobility Choices for Environmental Resilience in Edmonton

Using the existing transit app will reduce development costs as well as leverage university-level innovation. Using the application to as not only a transit resource but also a way to support climate change beneficially. Should we be able to further the app's reach to those who own personal vehicles, this will add to the overarching goal of reducing carbon footprints by reducing idle drive. Collaborative funding through municipal grants, and others, along with partnerships with companies benefiting from customer access through rewards, is crucial. We propose an initial collaboration between the Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission and Universities such as NAIT or the University of Alberta to develop the Edmonton transit app to provide a platform that can capture a user’s choice of one of the top four change mobility for climate options versus driving.

Problem Statement

The problem is after the pandemic, there was an increase in the number of people driving to work. Edmonton experienced the fourth-lowest reduction in commuting time as a major city between 2016-2022. This is important because the increase in driving is in contradiction to the City of Edmonton's Mobility choices that align with the city’s environmental and climate resilience plan.

Key Stakeholders (1)

Design (Success) Criteria

  1. Percentage increase in consumer engagement/spending with companies that are participating.
  2. Quantitative measurements of the download, usage and repeat usage of the proposed app

Video

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AIdAm5c5W1ZKGScvazdp7pM8qO1KoGVT?usp=drive_link

Project_Presentation.mp4

Our Team

Summary Section

Problem Summary

The problem is after the pandemic, there was an increase in the number of people driving to work (The Globe and Mail, 2022). Edmonton experienced the fourth-lowest reduction in commuting time as a major city between 2016-2022 (Globe Mail, 2022). This is important because the increase in driving is in contradiction to the City of Edmonton's Mobility choices that align with the city’s environmental and climate resilience plan (Edmonton.ca, n.d.).

The challenge focuses on SDG 11 which speaks to sustainable cities and communities in particular transportation challenges such as traffic congestion. In alignment with the City of Edmontons change Mobility for climate mobility choices (Edmonton.ca, n.d.) we hope to collaborate with Edmontonians, the municipal, companies and universities to further put into action sustainable mobility choices such as e-bikes or ride-sharing and the reduction of idle driving.