Transit safer in Brandon than Winnipeg: Union

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This article was published 16/02/2022 (1494 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While the safety of bus drivers in Winnipeg is a major concern, the difference in Brandon is “night and day,” says a union representative.

Over the weekend, a Winnipeg Transit driver was allegedly threatened with a knife while working, but not hurt, according to the Winnipeg Free Press. Monday also marked the five-year anniversary of driver Irvine Jubal Fraser being fatally stabbed on the job.

But the situation is much different in Brandon and transit drivers don’t face nearly the same level of violence or threats, said Adam Wozney, the Brandon chair of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505. The union represents the 34 drivers employed by Brandon Transit.

“Violence-wise, Brandon hasn’t escalated to anywhere near the level that Winnipeg has. We don’t see the knives, we don’t see the weapons at all,” he said.

Drivers sometimes find knives or needles left on buses, but they get picked up either by police or by the private security patrollers downtown. He estimated drivers find knives left on buses only once a year.

“I can’t remember when there was an actual assault with a weapon,” he said.

“It’s night and day compared to Winnipeg.”

In response to the violence in Winnipeg, the ATU is calling for a dedicated security presence on buses, which could respond to emergencies when they happen.

The union is also calling for Winnipeg Transit to replace its bus radio communications system to eliminate dead zones and is asking for full driver safety shields on buses.

Despite Brandon drivers seeing some issues, those measures aren’t currently needed in the Wheat City, said union president Romeo Ignacio.

“It’s a relatively safer place,” Ignacio said of Brandon.

“We don’t want to impose something that will require additional costs because, at the end of the day, if that is something we could avoid, that is something that could be put towards better service. Policing shouldn’t be part of transit,” he said.

Brandon drivers do see some issues with harassment and verbal altercations, but not the same violence. Wozney said he believes 90 per cent of the disputes that do happen are over passengers paying fares.

Asked why there is such a difference in Brandon, Wozney said it’s difficult to pinpoint a reason, but it’s partly due to the city’s smaller population. There are fewer people in Brandon who bring weapons onto buses and fewer issues with poverty and addiction.

Ignacio said the safety situation is much better for drivers in Brandon, but some risk remains.

“There’s really nothing big happening in Brandon, but as cities grow they face more and more of the same problems … hopefully, it’ll be controlled before it gets to a point where you run out of any other options,” he said.

The City of Brandon also installed plexiglass shields on all 17 city buses in May 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The shields were meant to separate bus drivers from riders, so accepting payments is safer.

While the shields are not meant for driver safety, they could deter some problems, Wozney said.

“We’re doing all right in Brandon for safety.”

The Sun contacted Brandon Transit Tuesday afternoon for comment but did not hear back by deadline.

» dmay@brandonsun.com

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