Would you buy an Edmonton Transit T-shirt?

Would you buy an LRT mug or a hydrogen-bus hoodie? In the near future, Edmontonians could get their hands on some Edmonton Transit Service merchandise. 

ETS branch manager Carrie Hotton-MacDonald says the organization is looking at an online store where public transit fans could purchase branded items.

"This is something that other transit properties do," Hotton-MacDonald told CBC Edmonton's Radio Active.

"People find it fun. It's a way to connect and show their pride over public transit."

Listen to the Radio Active interview here.

From bus stop to branded shop

Hotton-MacDonald said the idea was initially pitched in early 2020.

"We had been talking about creative ways to broaden the approach for revenue and also consider more community engagement," she said.

Pandemic restrictions put a stall on the idea, but the conversation returned at city council. Late last year, the launch of the long-delayed Valley Line Southeast LRT became a big moment, signalling an excitement over transit service.

When Valley Line service began on Nov. 4, hundreds of Edmontonians showed up as early as 4 a.m. to be first in line to board. Some brought cake, ribbons and even a pair of comically large ribbon-cutting scissors to mark the first ride. 

"We decided to have cake and do train," self-admitted transit enthusiast Troy Pavlek said in an interview.

Pavlek and co-organizer Mike Kunicki created the Valley Line launch party, which culminated in a trip to a Denny's on the south side. 

It was "to make sure that Edmontonians understood how many people transit affects, and how many people celebrate quality transit options," said Kunicki.

All aboard the online shop

Some transit agencies across Canada sell branded merchandise online, including TransLink in B.C., the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and Metrolinx in Ontario, and Société de transport de Montréal, in Quebec.

Most agencies work with a third-party provider and receive a percentage of sales. SVS Marketing, a Toronto-based company, manages the online stores for the TTC and Metrolinx.

An online provider means minimal upfront costs, "and on the revenue side," said Hotton-MacDonald, "we're estimating it'll be about $25,000 a year."

Existing online stores offer a wide range of items and price points.

The TTC website advertises socks, tuques, totes and an assortment of clothing for riders of all ages. A onesie with a TTC bus icon will set you back $25. On Metrolinx's site a GO Holiday sweaters sells for $65, and a GO mascot charm for Crocs shoes is $5. 

In terms of what Edmontonians could see, Hotton-MacDonald isn't sure. 

"We want to work with riders and with community members to understand what people are interested in," she said.

She mentioned children's toys or office supplies, and classic options like T-shirts and sweaters.

"I think we can have a lot of fun with this. We can make this specific to Edmonton in some contexts."

As for what ETS fans are hoping to see, Kunicki hopes for ideas rooted in the city. 

"There are so many talented artists and graphic designers that I would love to see be a part of this," he said. "In particular, one day I would love to see branded ARC cards."

The fare-payment cards could be connected to places like the Muttart Conservatory, and $1 from the card could go toward supporting the Muttart, he said.

"There's already a precursor where some of this free swag runs out really fast," he said. "Having that official branded stuff I think is important." 

Regardless of what's on offer, it's safe to assume Edmonton's LRT enthusiasts will be first in line when the shop launches.

"Where do I buy?" said Pavlek. "Can I ship my credit card to them?"

He's hoping for the classic ball caps, shirts and hoodies, but also a Valley Line plushie for kids — or cats, in his case — or even a key chain that uses an RFID chip to function as an ARC card.

For the love of the LRT

ETS is waiting for a formal motion from the city to move forward with the plan.

The next steps are getting feedback from the community, selecting a retail partner and hopefully having the online store in place before the end of the year. 

"This is more about connecting with the ridership and Edmontonians in a different way," said Hotton-MacDonald.

She said the idea of donning some branded gear herself is exciting.

"A lot of us [at ETS] are transit riders. We've been to different events in different cities and we see people with transit related merchandise and everybody seems to geek out a little about it."