EDMONTON TRANSIT SYSTEM DATS
2004-2005 Corbeil / Ford E-450 #5011-5089 


Since the inception of DATS in 1975 contractors have been heavily involved in it's operation. Initially contractors operated all sedan service, as well as providing drivers for City own DATS buses. By mid-1997 all DATS service was provided by contracted operators and their supplied buses, vans, and sedans. This included owner/ operator lift buses. Following a review of DATS, while the status quo was cheapest, the contracted owner/ operator fleet was identified as having reliability issues on account of each owner/ operators need for backup coverage, and as well as remuneration as ATU had successfully argued that the owner/ operators were City employees, and brought them into ATU 569. At the time this was a very unique model in the industry. In 2002 the decision was made to move to a hybrid model with lift buses owned by the City and operated and maintained  by City employees, while sedan and van services were contracted out. With 10 lift buses already City owned, in April 2004 the City approved funding for 81 new lift buses and renovation and expansion of the former Ed-Tel/ Telus yard and building across from Paterson Garage, to become known as Percy Wickman, to support the new delivery models implementation in July 2005.
These buses differ slightly from the previous order, with the most notable feature being the dual rear window rear door setup. All also feature the Ford E-450 diesel chassis. Most of these units were retired in 2013 after the arrival of new buses, however a few remained in service until late 2014. In mid 2013, #5027 was converted into a mobile training centre for Workspace Edmonton, only to be retired shortly after.


Thumbnail Bus # Date Description
5020 April 2nd, 2009 5020 Northbound on 114st at 87ave.
5021 September 11, 2008 #5021 with decals for ETS's Centennial arriving at Churchill Square for display during ETS Centennial Week.
5021 September 11, 2008 #5021 with decals for ETS's Centennial arriving at Churchill Square for display during ETS Centennial Week.
5021 September 11, 2008 #5021 with decals for ETS's Centennial arriving at Churchill Square for display during ETS Centennial Week.
5021 November 8th, 2008 5021 parked at the Shaw Conference Centre for an ETS 2008 Centennial event. Note the ETS Centennial decal.
5024 August 2005 #5024 on 87 Ave at 114 St during it's early days in service.
5026 December 18, 2012 #5026 departing Percy Wickman, turning South onto 86 St.
5027 June 5th, 2013 5027 Southbound on 107st at Westwood Garage after being converted to the Workspace Edmonton mobile training centre.
5027 June 5th, 2013 A rear view of 5027.
5027 July 23rd, 2013 5027 on display in the parking lot at Ferrier Garage.
5031 April 17, 2009 #5031 making it's way through the 107 Ave traffic circle.
5033 April 3, 2013 #5033 Southbound on 82 St at 112 Ave.
5043   #5043 Southbound on 124 St at 102 Ave.
5046 June 19, 2007 #5046 on the hook.
5048 July 13th, 2009 5048 Westbound on Jasper Avenue at around 121st.
5048 April 29, 2013 #5048 on the back of a flatbed truck on Argyll Road.
5050 June 22nd, 2010 5050 shortly after departing the fuel station near Percy Wickman Garage.
5053 June 16, 2011 #5053 Southbound on 114 St at 76 Ave.
5055 December 29, 2009 #5055 Southbound on 100 St at 102 Ave.
5066 October 4th, 2008 5066 parked at Stadium.
5067 March 12, 2013 #5067
5068 August 2005 #5068 at the University Hospital.
5071 September 1st, 2009 5071 Westbound on McDougall hill heading out of downtown.
5075 August 2005 #5075 on 112 St near 87 Ave.
5078   #5078 Northbound on 124 St at the Jasper Ave curve.
5089 August 2, 2009 #5089 in the Kingsway Mall parking lot.

This page last updated on May 9, 2025.

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