Month-long transit challenge wins over councillor

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This article was published 05/02/2018 (2783 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After a month-long experiment where he commuted to work only by bus, one city councillor swapped his parking pass for a monthly bus pass permanently.

Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said he not only survived his self-imposed transit challenge in January, but thrived.

“Generally it’s been a pretty good experience. I feel good because I’ve been walking a little bit — not too much, but a little bit — which is more than the not at all that I was walking prior to my bus challenge,” Allard said Thursday. 

“I’ve also been working on the bus with my smartphone. Though it takes me a bit more time sometimes… depending on the schedule to get to city hall, in the time that I’m waiting I can generally keep working. So it’s really not lost time.”

Allard said he’s been having productive conversations with drivers and other riders about transit issues and has been mistaken for a tourist at least once.

“The other day I was taking a selfie at the front of the bus because it was one of those sardine buses,” he said, referring to a bus packed with people. “I think it was a Southdale bus, so they were mostly St. Boniface residents. And they were like, ‘What are you, a tourist taking selfies on the bus?’ And I was like, ‘No, actually I’m your city councillor.'”

Transit drivers consistently brought up the issue of fare evasion as well, which is one of the primary drivers of conflict with passengers when they do erupt, Allard said. 

“It begs the question of why we’re not doing fare enforcement like other major cities are doing,” he said, adding he plans to bring up the topic with city administration. 

In late December, the Free Press challenged all members of city council to ride the bus to and from work once per month in 2018.

Most were on board, but three opted not to participate: Mayor Brian Bowman, transit advisory chair Coun. Marty Morantz and Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry). Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) has yet to respond to the initial request.

Coun. Scott Gillingham (St. James-Brooklands-Weston) said he’s taken transit periodically over the last two years and hopped on a few buses in January. 

“In each instance the bus was on time, the driver friendly and the passengers acted respectfully. The bus was packed on the morning rush hour commute to downtown from St. James,” he told the Free Press via email, adding his rides home were less crowded.

“Though I won’t be giving up my parking pass any time soon, I will be keeping my commitment to ride the bus in the upcoming months,” Gillingham said. 

Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) said she took the bus regularly in university, so riding again was a bit of a throwback. 

“Interacting with other riders was worthwhile as you get to hear their specific views on transit, which are important as they are actually riding the bus,” Sharma said, calling her experience riding the 17 route “relaxing and educational.”

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @_jessbu