Some of our communities have very low ridership. This makes it expensive and inefficient to provide traditional bus service with set routes and fixed schedules. On demand, shared transportation service provides an opportunity to introduce more cost-effective and efficient transit service to these communities. 

For new communities under development where the population density is low, there aren’t as many transit customers as there are in established communities. This makes it expensive and inefficient to provide traditional bus service with set routes and fixed schedules. On demand, shared transportation service provides an opportunity to introduce cost-effective and efficient transit service sooner to developing communities. 

Rides are booked on demand, which means you should book your ride up to 45 minutes before you’re ready to travel.

Yes, you can call us at 403-262-1000, and we’ll assist you over the phone.

Monday to Friday: 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Sundays and holidays: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

On Demand service for University of Calgary Spy Hill Campus:

Monday to Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Sundays and holidays: no service

The On Demand app allows you to see exactly where your ride is while you wait, so you don’t have to worry that it has already come and gone or that it isn’t coming at all. Trips are planned by the app to take the fastest/best route for each trip or combination of trips. If there is a delay, you’ll get an update, so you always know what to expect.

Yes. Our vehicles seat five passengers. All customers must have valid fare.

Yes they can. Regular fares apply for youth taking transit. 

In accordance with Alberta car seat guidelines, you are responsible for providing a car seat or booster seat for children under 18 kg (40 lbs.), or under 6 years of age. 

We’ll assign you a “virtual bus stop” where you’ll meet the vehicle, usually at a nearby corner or no more than a block away. Check the app for directions and follow your driver’s progress in real-time so you know exactly when to head to your stop. 

There is no additional cost for you to take an on demand trip; your regular transit fare is valid for your ride. Just like any other time you ride on Transit, you’ll need to ensure you have the right fare for your trip. 

• A single ride ticket is valid for 90 minutes from the time it’s validated. 
• A day pass is valid until 2 a.m. the day after it’s purchased. 
• A monthly pass is valid for a calendar month.

Any Calgary Transit pass, ticket or transfer (including regular monthly passes, low income passes, senior yearly passes, and the UPass) – select the option in the app then show your pass/ticket to the driver.

Using the Transit trip planning app or My Fare, our mobile ticketing app.

Cash cannot be used for payment for On Demand service. We apologize for the inconvenience.

This is a shared transportation service. That means there may be up to five customers in the vehicle at one time, and rides may not be direct because the driver may pick-up/drop-off other customers on the way to your stop. 

For on demand bookings, you may wait up to 30 minutes. Wait times will vary depending on the time of day you’re booking your trip. During peak times there may not be a vehicle available for 30-60 minutes. In the middle of the day, the wait times will be shorter. 

Once you book a trip, the app will give you estimated times for pick-up and arrival at your destination. These times are estimates, and may change by up to six minutes. You will receive updates on arrival times in the app, and get a text message when your ride is close. 

If we’re unable to provide a ride within 60 minutes of your requested time, you’ll be notified that we can’t provide a trip at this time. 

When a ride is requested, you’ll be given a 10-minute pick-up window. If you have a smartphone with the app, you’ll be able to see where the van is and where it is expected at the pick-up location. This means less waiting in the cold winter. However, please don’t be late. You should be at your pick-up location at the beginning of your pick-up window. 

The maximum time the vehicle will wait for you at your pick-up location is one minute.

Yes, you can cancel your ride directly from the app or by calling us at 403-262-1000. Remember, canceling at the last minute can negatively impact the timing for other customers, so remember to cancel as soon you know that you don’t need a ride. 

This will depend on your origin and destination. If you’re traveling within the service area only, you won’t have to transfer; your On Demand vehicle will take you to your destination. If you’re traveling beyond the service area, you will need to transfer. 

To improve service for everyone, we ask customers to: 

• Plan your trips well and allocate adequate time in between transfers 
• If you can’t make a trip, make sure you cancel it versus keeping the trip and not showing up 

The app will give you a pick-up location. It will be at a street curb; you cannot wait inside your house. 

Re-book directly in your app, and contact us at 403-262-1000 to let us know what happened.

All vehicles are branded with On Demand Calgary Transit’s logo and colours, so they should be easy to spot. 

Yes! Please let us know you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle when you book your ride by tapping your profile picture or image at the top of the app menu. Tap the Wheelchair Accessibility toggle to turn it on. Over the phone, let us know you require a WAV. 

As with regular public transit service, the driver does not assist you in entering or exiting the vehicle, or from door-to-door. 

If you require door-to-door accessible transit service, please contact Calgary Transit Access.

Once you start a ride, the destination cannot be changed. If you have not yet boarded the vehicle, you can cancel the ride and re-book with a new destination.

You can bring luggage or grocery bags on board, but they cannot be placed on seats if other passengers require them. 

You are responsible for loading/unloading your belongings. 

Pets are allowed in a small carrier, which must fit in the back of the van. Service animals do not need to be in a carrier. There is no cost for pets. 

There are currently no bike racks on vehicles and bikes are not permitted in vehicles, except for folding bikes folded in a bag. 

The route for each trip is planned based on the needs of customers on that vehicle. For example, if there are five customers on a vehicle who are all going to North Pointe transit hub, the On Demand van will take the most direct, fastest route to the hub once those five customers have been picked up. 

This means that On Demand vehicles will sometimes take different routes to make each trip as efficient as possible. So you may see On Demand vehicles on smaller, residential streets, if they are the best route. 

Yes. Tap the Favourites tab in the app menu, then tap Set Home Address, Set Work Address, or create and name a new favourite. 

These are locations we believe will be popular origins and destinations for rides. Select them to easily choose where you need to go to or from. 

Feel free to fill out the feedback screen in the app after your ride. 

No. Our drivers do not accept tips. 

Open the app and select “Get Started.” In the password box, select “Forgot your password?” and follow the prompts. 

Please call us at 403-262-1000 with a description of the missing item. 

Please contact us at 403-262-1000 to report a complaint.