Many commuters were vocal about their frustrations with Winnipeg’s new transit system when it was implemented earlier this summer.
Now, with school back in session, Winnipeg students are voicing their own concerns. Buses getting them to school late or passing them altogether because they’re full, they say, have become regular occurrences for many students.
Grade 11 student Rylee Cammaert used to be able to take a single bus to school, which would take about 40 minutes. Under the new system, there would be a transfer in her commute which would now be over an hour.
The changes have led to Cammaert hitching a ride with a friend until she gets her license, rather than managing the new system.
“I find people really don’t like the change,” explained Cammaert. “I personally liked how it was before where you could get to school a little bit earlier to settle in and get to your class.
“It honestly might be better if there was buses that took you directly to school instead of those transfers.”
Many other students are also opting to drive or take their bikes to school, and the Louis Riel School Division has taken note of the challenges. It sent a letter out to families asking them to fill out a survey explaining how the new bus system has impacted them.
They quickly received hundreds of responses.
“The timing is not always aligning with the start and end of a school day with respect to the bus,” said LRSD Supt. Christian Michalik. “They’re often arriving at the bus stop and the bus is passing them by because it’s full.”
The division is planning to work with the city and transit to come up with some solutions for students. That’s something officials are hoping can be done before the snow returns, with concerns for students that are opting to walk or bike rather than take the bus.
The city is currently considering rider feedback, with the Public Works Committee meeting on Thursday to discuss some of the concerns they’ve been hearing.
Councillor Janice Lukes chairs that committee, and previously stated transfers are one part of the system that won’t be going anywhere, but she remains hopeful students will better manage the system as they become more comfortable with it.
“We’ve seen, historically, those first two or three weeks are extremely busy and then all the students find out when their classes are, when they need to be on the bus and when they don’t.”
But for now, many students are deciding to find a more convenient way to get to school.
