Little appetite at city hall to take on Handi-Transit work

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This article was published 26/06/2023 (887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

City staff don’t appear set to provide accessible Winnipeg Transit rides, though other changes are rolling forward.

On Monday, council’s public works committee voted to rescind an October 2021 council decision to have in-house staff provide 22 per cent to 30 per cent of Transit Plus service by 2024.

A city report noted the service could start in 2026, which would require 56 more permanent full-time staff and three temporary positions.

“I think one of the major factors was we’d have to look for (many more) transit drivers. We’re already looking for 40 to 50 transit drivers (due to a shortage). So, if we brought it in house, I don’t even know if there would be a service. I think it’s important, obviously, to keep the service going,” said Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of the public works committee.

The change would cost about $2.1 million more per year, including operating and capital expenses, when compared to the current fully contracted-out service, a staff report found.

Lukes said feedback from councillors indicates the plan will likely be rejected in its final council vote.

However, public works did approve some changes, if council concurs. The committee directed city staff to create a plan to consolidate the dozen or so contracts for Transit Plus into a smaller number. Future contracts would also require drivers to be direct employees of the contractor (not a subcontractor) and mandate that any funding boost meant to cover wage increases is passed on to drivers.

City reports would also be expected to measure wait times and service delivery data for riders.

“This motion addresses concerns not only for the users but also for the drivers,” said Lukes.

The public works committee also voted in favour of a major boost to Winnipeg’s annual snow-clearing budget, which would raise it to $54.2 million from around $35 million .

It supported an option to increase snow clearing on residential sidewalks and pathways after a five cm snowfall (instead of eight cm) but begin only after plowing on higher priority walkways is finished. That would take effect next winter and cost about $541,000 more this year.

The city also expects to implement a “real time” plowing status map that uses automatic vehicle location technology in January 2024.

“There’s a lot of action items to improve snow and ice removal on the sidewalks (and) I’m very, very enthused about the technology,” said Lukes.

Changes to snow clearing require council approval.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga