Winnipeg Transit still down 30 buses on routes, says official
Bus riders got a clearer idea on Thursday as to why Winnipeg Transit suddenly altered schedules last week and why there are 30 fewer buses on the roads and numerous delays on routes across the city.
There are currently 473 transit buses on the city's roads, but normally there should be 503, said Winnipeg Transit director Dave Wardrop.
Wardrop said an emissions problem associated with the Cummins engine, used on multiple Winnipeg Transit buses, has sidelined a total of 98 vehicles for repair.
While Winnipeg is not alone in experiencing problems with the Cummins engine, Wardrop said other cities maintain a larger supply of spare buses. Typically, transit agencies have a 20 per cent spare bus capacity, while Winnipeg Transit has 11 per cent.
Winnipeg Transit is working with Cummins on the engine problem, Wardrop told reporters, and the agency may consider doing more in-house maintenance. Sending engines out for repair is both time-consuming and expensive, he said.
A new revised transit schedule is expected in December, but bus delays could continue into the winter.