WINNIPEG — A safety review has been ordered for Winnipeg Transit.
The city will look at ways to improve safety for drivers following the slaying of a veteran bus operator.
The report will take up to 90 days to complete but the transit union believes there are changes that could happen much sooner that would improve safety.
READ MORE: Winnipeg transit driver safety reviewed at city hall
“Immediately. There’s things that we could do immediately,” said John Callahan, president of the local chapter of the Amalgamated Transit Union.
He said most verbal and physical assaults against drivers begin with disputes over fares.
“Stop putting fare collection into the hands of the operators, we’ve got people on the streets now that could be doing fare inspections,” he said.
Callahan also said the city should look at Transit-dedicated police officers.
“I don’t think that that’s unrealistic for that sort of thing to happen here, we know of many safety concerns that Transit has raised,” said Maurice Sabourin, president of the Winnipeg Police Association.
Dave Wardrop, the city’s chief transportation and utilities officer, said the report the city is working on will look at all possible options to improve safety.