Transit drivers increasingly in peril, but city kicks safety upgrades down the road
Winnipeg Transit drivers are being assaulted with alarming frequency, yet the city continues to move at a glacial pace on a simple measure that could make their jobs safer. The […]
Winnipeg Transit drivers are frequently assaulted, yet the city is proceeding slowly on safety measures that could enhance their job security. The city has billed the first annual subscription for $205.00 + GST, which automatically renews at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks. Despite the recent incidents, including a driver being stabbed and another threatened with a hatchet, Winnipeg Transit is still debating the installation of full driver compartments.
These partial shields, installed in 2019, leave openings that allow passengers to still reach around and harm drivers. The city is revising cost estimates for full shields, which could cost $15 million, and potentially including a pilot project in the next year's Transit capital budget. The city and province must address the underlying issues of addiction, mental illness, and homelessness leading to violent altercations, but they must also prioritize immediate action for driver safety.
The city needs more Transit operators, and a better protective system could attract new drivers and improve service reliability.
Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
