Transit Plus booking system getting overhaul

(Josh Crabb/CTV News)

WINNIPEG -

Winnipeg Transit Plus is making some changes to its booking system in the hopes of making the system fairer for those who use it.

Starting on Oct. 6, Transit Plus will be moving to a first-come, first-served system, which the city said will get rid of an outdated system that limited access to customers.

"We're pleased to see this change going forward, as it will improve accessibility and lead to a more flexible service that can better meet customer demand," Coun. Matt Allard, the councillor for St. Boniface, said in a news release.

With the new system, the city said it will also be more efficient and will allow Transit Plus to move around resources if there are cancellations or no-shows.

"We're communicating with our customers and supporting them with training sessions to help them prepare for a few changes to how they book trips and plan their pick-ups," said Teresa Platt, the manager of Client Services with Winnipeg Transit, in a news release.

"Under the new system, Transit Plus customers will find out immediately if a trip is available at their requested time, or if we can offer an alternate time that works for them."

The new system will also give users a 30-minute pick-up window compared to an exact time for pick-up, which Platt says will allow for travel impacts. People will be able to get notifications on their pick-up windows.

The current booking process assigns priority to each booking and the city said a review by the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan found this process was outdated and that could be seen as discriminatory.