Bus drivers union wants off-duty police officers to ride transit for free

The bus drivers union is calling on TransLink to restore free rides for off-duty police officers.

Nathan Woods, the President of the bus drivers union, says that bus drivers and passengers would feel much more secure knowing an off-duty police officer would be there to enforce security. He adds there are less incentives for them to hop on transit for a cost.

“Every transit operator that has the chance to see an off-duty police officer flash a badge would feel 100 per cent secure,” says Woods.

There have been more than 40 reported assaults on bus drivers so far this year. The latest attack on a bus driver happened on April 16 when a woman in a wheelchair allegedly punched the driver in the head. The suspect, a 42-year-old woman, has since been arrested and underwent a psychiatric assessment at St. Paul’s Hospital. 

“We’ve been screaming and yelling for enforcement on buses. Now they’re required to pay a fare, it’s insane.  I think that ridership as a whole would benefit to see police officers ride for free,” says Woods.

Last year, TransLink scrapped free rides for off-duty police officers, fire fighters, and transit employees.