'The Wild West': Winnipeg looking to put an end to bus fare evasion

A push is on to get more people to pay for their rides on Winnipeg buses.

Right now, the city is losing millions of dollars a year because of fare evasion.

"It's the Wild West. People feel like they can do what they want because there are no consequences,” said Chris Scott with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU).

In the city's preliminary budget this week there is a pledge to address fare evasion with programs or policy changes.

Public works committee chair Janice Lukes said the city is starting with awareness, letting bus riders know about the different subsidies they can apply for, like the low-income bus pass.

"It's not going to be a, you know, you can't get on the bus if you're not paying,” Lukes said. “It's going to be an education approach; there's a lot of programs folks could sign up for."

A recent finance report at city hall highlighted the issue

Transit continues to see lower levels of fare revenue due to ongoing challenges with fare evasion.

In 2022, a freedom of information request obtained by the ATU said the city estimated losses between $5.3 and $6.7 million for a 10-month period.

However, it's not just about money.

"Over 95 per cent of the acts of violence stem from someone who has evaded fare,” Scott said.

The union would like to see enforcement with inspectors or the community safety officers checking on fare payments.

"Then the resources contributed to it would pay for themselves and the city would have further revenue to improve service,” Scott said.

The city budget is adding another 15 safety officers to patrol transit.

Lukes said their presence alone is already helping with compliance, but she cautions about enforcement.

"This is where the most conflict occurs is with enforcement, so it has to be handled in a way that we don’t have massive explosions,” she said.

The city said drivers are trained to monitor fare payment and let riders know about the proper fare.

They are also trained not to refuse a passenger for not having a fare, but to consider asking them to pay double next time.