Whitecourt Transit debuting new express route to serve bus passengers and youth

Whitecourt’s public transportation service is continuing to evolve. Starting in August, Whitecourt Transit will have an express bus route to move quickly between popular destinations, bridging the valley and hilltop. “The express route will serve the majority of youth that utilize transit, as well as some of the highest use stops in our system,” Angela Mitchell, [...]

Article content Whitecourt’s public transportation service is continuing to evolve. Starting in August, Whitecourt Transit will have an express bus route to move quickly between popular destinations, bridging the valley and hilltop. Recommended Videos “The express route will serve the majority of youth that utilize transit, as well as some of the highest use stops in our system,” Angela Mitchell, community support services manager, said in a statement.

“The new route was deliberately launched in the summer so that students and parents could get familiar with the new service ahead of the new school year.” According to town communications, Whitecourt Transit’s regular hourly loop will stay the same throughout the day, using all bus stops. However, the new, half-hour express route will replace the current peak service.

The electronic message board on the front of each bus will clarify which service it is offering, according to the Town of Whitecourt. Town council had adopted the idea of the express route in January, following a Watt Consulting Group review in 2025. According to the town, Watt consultants looked at the current transportation network, spoke with staff and received user feedback.

The result was the development of route options intended to meet more of passengers’ needs. The current peak service is often used by youth. Chelsea Grande, town community services director, told council in January that an express route might encourage still more people to try the bus service.

“This is just one of many enhancements being made to Whitecourt Public Transit,” Mayor Ray Hilts said in a mid-July statement. “Whitecourt has been able to complete a number of infrastructure projects related to transit to enhance accessibility and connectivity.” Hilts noted the town is making the changes after securing funding through the federal Rural Transit Solutions Fund and the Canada Public Transit Fund.

Besides the express route, Hilts confirmed that the town will have new buses in early 2027, and that upgrades to transit shelters and sidewalks are coming. In November 2025, council voted to replace three buses at a cost of $2.1 million. According to the town, the express route will see departures at the Allan and Jean Millar Centre Mondays to Fridays, every half hour between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. and between 3:30 and 5 p.m.

Other stops include the Home Building Centre, Midtown Mall, 47th Street, Percy Baxter School, École St. Joseph, River Valley Estates, JDA Place and back to the Millar Centre. Public transit began in Whitecourt in 2014, though the Dial-A-Bus, an accessible, to-the-door service, is older. Whitecourt Transit provided 37,137 rides in 2024.

bquarin@postmedia.com