Winnipeg’s transportation union is concerned about violence after the bus driver pointed a gun at him

The executive vice-president of Winnipeg’s transportation union is raising concerns about an increase in violent incidents on buses after an operator reportedly pointed a gun at him outside police headquarters early Friday morning.

According to Derek Hanley of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1505, a bus driver picked up a group of passengers along his route toward Graham Avenue in the city’s downtown area around 12:30 p.m.

Hanley said when the operator turned onto Graham Avenue, the group got into an argument. The driver told him that one person pulled out a gun and started pointing it at other passengers before running to the front of the bus and pointing it at the operator.

“He pointed the gun at the shield and said, ‘Let me get off this bus right here.’ It was right in front of the police building,” Hanley recalled the driver telling him.

After being let off the bus, the operator said the person ran toward Portage Avenue.

“He couldn’t believe how quickly it happened and what had just happened,” Hanley said.

“He just hoped, ‘Please don’t shoot me.'”

Hanley said the driver was shaken after the incident and will take a leave of absence from work.

Although Hanley said the number of reported incidents is down this year compared to the same time last year, the severity is getting worse.

“The number of violent crimes on public transport is increasing,” he said. “It’s like the Wild West out there. Everyone seems armed.”

Hanley also said that most people who commit crimes on public transportation do not pay the fare.

“If they don’t pay a fare, they feel empowered,” he said.

Hanley also pointed to another incident that occurred earlier this week, where an operator picked up a person in distress who then chased the driver out the window of the bus.

“These are everyday events that happen on the buses,” he said.

When it comes to curbing the problem, Hanley said better enforcement is needed and riders can report crimes in real time.

“There are a lot of different technologies that can be used for these types of crimes,” Hanley said, pointing to Toronto’s SafeTTC app, where passengers can report crimes anonymously. “We’re even considering bringing it here to Winnipeg, but like everything else it costs money.”

Hanley also pointed to Winnipeg Transit’s fare education campaign, but said more needs to be done.

“This is not a free service. You must pay to use this service. But with that must also come enforcement, he said.

No arrests have been made in Friday’s incident. Winnipeg police are investigating.