Winnipeg City Transit/Rapid Transit

[esquire]

^ Thank you, WPA.

I don't think you need a cop on every bus, you just need a few out there getting on at random points along whichever routes are troublesome to make it clear that the buses are patrolled.

It's kind of the same philosophy as with Checkstops... 9 times out 10 you could probably drive legally drunk and nothing will happen, but it's that 10% chance that makes people think twice before getting behind the wheel after a certain point.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

I've seen a lot of bus drivers argue with fare evaders, and it's so not worth it. They're not gonna pay anyway, and the drivers could get hurt, and it wastes time. Esquire's right, if fare enforcement is a concern, that's what cops are for. This isn't about I'm union, not my job, etc. I don't want buses slowed down and I don't want drivers getting hurt over $2.70

Saw it last week here in Regina. Same shit. Did they manage to collect a fare? Nope. Just a huge aggravation for the driver and uncertainty for the passengers if it is going to escalate.

I completely agree with the just do a few on the problem routes at some usual times and there will be a reduction in incidents without too much investment. You won't need to invest in a full enforcement system to make it work. Regina could add it to the parking enforcement group which they privatized. Those people are nasty when it comes to patrolling for parking and I wouldn't be surprised if tickets (ticketed but maybe not collected) isn't up 100% from what it used to be. They physically have no fewer than ten people just patrolling the bus lanes between 3:30 and 6:00 on 11th Avenue all the time in Regina. Insanity, but it keeps the bus lanes free and flowing.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by headhorse

jesus, the last things we need is more cops in this city. they already place a huge financial strain. not to mention putting cops on busses will make a ton of people feel unsafe riding them and lower ridership.

Fuck are you insane! Wife busses daily from downtown and tells me that there is usually at least one drunk on the bus every commute along with the usual boorish and belligerent entitled passengers who never pay!

[Riverman]

Headhorse, is what world does the presence of a police officer make you feel unsafe?

[Kinguni]

Originally Posted by headhorse

jesus, the last things we need is more cops in this city. they already place a huge financial strain. not to mention putting cops on busses will make a ton of people feel unsafe riding them and lower ridership.

I hope that was tongue in cheek. Probably wouldn't be riding buses other than to get from point A to B or while doing fare enforcement and available for quicker response to problems. Everyone will feel safer and ridership will go up.

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by Kinguni

I hope that was tongue in cheek. Probably wouldn't be riding buses other than to get from point A to B or while doing fare enforcement and available for quicker response to problems. Everyone will feel safer and ridership will go up.

No it won't.

There arem't enough buses to service the ridership demand. That's because we have a 100% bus-based transit system. That wouldn't change even if every single BUS were "electric".

WT isn't ordering any more 60 ft. buses anytime soon. And even IF they did, where would WT store 'em all? Best just to very minimally increase the fleet of 40 ft. buses over a generation (25 yrs.)

[Curmudgeon]

Rather than enforcing a $2.70 fare, I'd rather see police resources used to address the problem with drivers who continue to text while driving. I see this on a daily basis and studies show that these drivers pose a greater danger than those impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Traffic enforcement in general has declined in recent years, and that has resulted in an increase in dangerous and aggressive driving habits, such as excessive speed and failure to stop at stop signs, not to mention the unbrelievably high number of vehicles on the roads with burned out headlights, taillights, over-tinted windows, failing to display a plate, etc.

[bomberjet]

I guess my whole point was Transit is losing $3M per year on fare evasion. About the same amount of money they were short this year for funding. Seems like a win-win for Transit to enforce fares.

[LilZebra]

Some guy talks about how Denver, Colo. upgraded its Union Station, located in "LoDo", to serve LRT, BRT, and commuter rail.

Talks about a Railside type development up close to the tracks like Winnipeg is wanting.

• Video Link

[tree]

Originally Posted by LilZebra

Some guy talks about how Denver, Colo. upgraded its Union Station, located in "LoDo", to serve LRT, BRT, and commuter rail.

Talks about a Railside type development up close to the tracks like Winnipeg is wanting.

Saw that. That guy has a lot of good videos. Wish there were more like him on YouTube.

I hope one day Union gets upgraded could be incredible but still a long way. Must be on the long term plan somewhere for the city - having the BRT run through there just makes too much sense. With Forks development too it would make Union more of a hub. (I still think it could work now but would be better served by more people living / working in immediate vicinity.

[bomberjet]

The Union Station thing is being looked at right now as part of the Eastern Corridor study. I know the City is aware of it and looking at it. I mentioned it at one of the open houses as a must have for RT.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Rather than enforcing a $2.70 fare, I'd rather see police resources used to address the problem with drivers who continue to text while driving. I see this on a daily basis and studies show that these drivers pose a greater danger than those impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Traffic enforcement in general has declined in recent years, and that has resulted in an increase in dangerous and aggressive driving habits, such as excessive speed and failure to stop at stop signs, not to mention the unbrelievably high number of vehicles on the roads with burned out headlights, taillights, over-tinted windows, failing to display a plate, etc.

That's it. They can work on two issues at the same time. Regina police officers started riding the bus because it was easier to spot the texters. They can work in tandem with someone in the cruiser, spot them and then get the cruiser to pull the offender over. The great part here is you clean that up and now you've got some officers riding the buses to work on enforcing fare payment and just making the bus a nicer place to be.

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

The great part here is you clean that up and now you've got some officers riding the buses to work on enforcing fare payment and just making the bus a nicer place to be.

What kind of police uniform should these be?



Like the Downtown BIZ uniforms, or more like Rambo-style?

You don't want to create a "fear" energy across the board and scare away the good passengers.

[Curmudgeon]

Winnipeg continues to fall farther and farther behind. But hey, lets build a half a billion dollar BRT line through Whittier Park where no one lives and run it to new suburbs full of stucco double-wide trailers on streets with no sidewalks. What a terrific plan. That should increase ridership tremendously. Are you laughing, crying or both?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRgIdMxVQAEc4gL.jpg

Hamilton is getting a LRT line. The 13.4 km (8.3 mi) line will have 17 stations and will cost $1 billion, including brand spanking new rolling stock and it may be built by French manufacturer Alstom rather than Bombardier.

Kitchener-Waterloo's 19 km (12 mi) LRT line should open by spring 2018. It will utilise Bombardier's Flexity Freedom. I'm looking forward to going east to see it.

And the province is bleeding population rapidly once again as "can't do" parochialism once again becomes the dominant local ethos.

[plrh]

I have to wonder about costs. The city is in the process of getting 2 km of 9' diameter land drainage sewer tunneled in by Grant Park. How much more would subway be? What is the tunnel diameter required for a subway? I know 9' wouldn't do it but 12-15'?

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by LilZebra

What kind of police uniform should these be?



Like the Downtown BIZ uniforms, or more like Rambo-style?

You don't want to create a "fear" energy across the board and scare away the good passengers.

Haha. I could make the joke that in Regina and Winnnipeg probably the right, but definitely the left. Even plain clothes. This is really about having someone there that can get them to pay the fare or issue the ticket. Ideally just get them to pay or work something out on that front. Visibility of enforcement and a reduction in offenders is really the goal. And if they are helping nab the distracted drivers it might not seem as wasteful in the long run for some people.

[GreyGarden]

That is so frustrating that small cities like Kitchener are investing in LRT and Winnipeg is still bumbling around with an incomplete BRT system. I’m not saying that Winnipeg needs LRT, but if Kitchener can implement a 19km LRT system, Winnipeg should be able to create a good bus system. Backwards thinking at both levels of local government, looking around it’s like all the other cities and provinces understand something that ours does not.

[LilZebra]

^^^

"than surely"?

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by GreyGarden

That is so frustrating that small cities like Kitchener are investing in LRT and Winnipeg is still bumbling around with an incomplete BRT system. I’m not saying that Winnipeg needs LRT, but if Kitchener can implement a 19km LRT system than surely Winnipeg should be able to have a good bus system. Backwards thinking at both levels of local government, looking around it’s like all the other cities and provinces understand something that ours does not.

WPS and WFPS take up 47% of the city budget. Until that's addressed/fixed nothing will change.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Haha. I could make the joke that in Regina and Winnnipeg probably the right, but definitely the left. Even plain clothes.

No.

Every person in every workplace is required to wear PPE to protect from the dangers of the job. Police are no exception. With the amount of edged weapon use is this city, body armour and a weapon are a must. Handcuffs too.