Transit union president calls for inspectors, not drivers, to mediate fare disputes
Fare disputes main source of verbal and physical assaults on drivers, John Callahan says
The president of the union representing Winnipeg Transit employees wants inspectors to deal with the fare-collection disputes that he says form the basis for most of the verbal and physical assaults on drivers.
John Callahan, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, told council's public works committee on Tuesday that verbal assaults against drivers take place daily, dozens of physical assaults occur each year and more than 100 transit employees — roughly one in 14 — are on leave for what he described as "psycho-social issues."
Callahan, who addressed the committee in the wake of the killing of transit driver Irvine Jubal Fraser, said the assaults are largely the result of disputes with passengers who refuse to pay fares or who are confronted over fares. Some drivers don't even bother to report incidences of insufficient fare payments, he said.
"A simple confrontation can quickly escalate into a physical assault," he told reporters following the committee meeting.
Callahan said he would like transit inspectors to take over the work, but too many of them are tied up dealing with problems with the city's new electronic fare-collection boxes, he said. There are 1,000 to 1,500 calls a month to deal with the fare boxes, he added.
"Take fare collection out of the hands of their operators. Stop using the people, that they have, the inspectors," Callahan said.
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Callahan spoke before the public works committee approved a motion by chair Marty Morantz (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Whyte Ridge) to commission a report about transit-driver safety. That report is due in no more than three months.
Morantz said he agrees in principle with Callahan, but the city must first address the cost.
"It would be better if we had a system where drivers were not responsible for collecting fares," he said. "There are questions about all kinds of different traffic safety measures we will also have to address when the report comes back."
Dave Wardrop, Winnipeg's chief transportation and utilities officer, said Winnipeg Transit's operational model doesn't allow for on-board fare-checking. He acknowledged the new electronic fare boxes have added to the duties for transit inspectors.
Wardrop said the city may deploy more transit inspectors to work later in the evening. Winnipeg Transit is also preparing to review a number of other driver-safety options, including shields for transit drivers and the feasibility of a transit security force.
Ideally, Winnipeg Transit would have its own dedicated police service, Callahan told the committee. The presence of undercover police on buses likely played a role in a reduction of physical assaults on transit drivers from 62 in 2015 to 45 in 2016, he said.
There are steps the city can take right away to improve transit safety, Callahan said, including public education about fare collection methods and the proper way to exit rear doors. Disputes over difficulties opening rear doors also lead to verbal assaults on drivers, he said.
"We could sit down in an afternoon and address probably half the issues," said Callahan, noting there are five or six different ways to operate rear doors on Winnipeg buses. "We don't have to break the bank doing it."
Wardrop said the city is already preparing instructional videos about how to operate rear doors.
Council's public works committee also voted to shelve a motion by Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt, who wanted Mayor Brian Bowman to call a special council meeting on transit safety.
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