Saskatoon unveils safety plan to protect transit riders and employees

On Thursday, the city of Saskatoon announced a safety plan for both transit drivers and riders.

The Amalgamated Transit Union has voiced concern after alleged assaults and altercations against transit drivers involving bear spray, kicking, and spitting increased during the spring.

“This plan will enhance security, improve internal processes, expand employee training, augment mental health support for employees following an incident, strengthen coordination with emergency services and build a stronger culture of safety at Saskatoon Transit,” the city said in a release.

Mike Moellenbeck, director of Saskatoon Transit, explained that some of the initiatives in the plan include a more efficient way of reporting incidents to police, developing a process to ban problematic riders and possibly installing cameras at both the downtown and Confederation terminals.

READ MORE:

• Two seriously injured after stabbing on city bus in Pleasant Hill
• Violent incidents, fare evasion escalating: local transit union president
• Bus passenger stabbed at intersection of 12th Street and Broadway: Police
• Saskatoon bus driver attacked by youths

The city will also advocate for tougher sentences under the Criminal Code for assaults against transit employees.

Currently there is no timeline as to when the initiatives will happen, as they are being worked on collaboratively with help from the Saskatoon Police Service, Saskatoon Fire Department, and the transit union.

A number of strategies from the city have already been put in place, such as increased patrols at the downtown, Confederation Mall and Market Mall terminals, which began back in May.

Starting July 1, six community support officers will be present on routes where incidents occur most frequently.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Yvonne Raymer, Saskatoon’s assistant fire chief, explained that the officers will provide a safety presence on the bus and will receive training to de-escalate conflicts.

While officers won’t have the authority to ban or kick off problematic bus riders, Raymer said an example of de-escalation from a community support officer could include asking a rider causing issues to have a conversation outside of the bus.

Darcy Pederson, President of ATU Local 615, says he wants safety officers on buses to have the ability to enforce the rules. (Mia Holowaychuk/650 CKOM)

The ability to enforce the rules is what Darcy Pederson, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615, has been calling for, and that’s where he believes the city’s plan falls short.

“It has to happen, for the safety of our operators and the safety of the riding public,” Pederson said.

“The severity and the level of violence that we’re seeing, I’m afraid that those (officers) are going to be just as at-risk as our operators,” he said, citing an incident where a 20-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl were stabbed while riding a city bus in Pleasant Hill last month.

Pederson said the transit union has had a voice in the city’s plan, which is on a good path.

“We’re moving the needle slowly,” he said. “I think that we need to go a little bit further and be able to keep order on the buses.”