Image credit Meghan Mast
Since the launch of the “Next Stop: 50-50” campaign in May, we’ve been connecting with bus riders and community members in Winnipeg and Brandon about the need for the provincial government to restore the 50-50 transit funding agreement.
A common question is how the additional operating funding should be spent. Given that many transit riders have poor experiences with existing systems—with Winnipeg’s new Primary Transit Network a major source of frustration—it’s understandable that there’s some hesitation in increasing spending without more specifics about how it would improve rider experience.
A large share of transit operating spending goes toward salaries and benefits for transit workers (drivers, mechanics, cleaners, dispatchers, administrators, and others), along with fuel, maintenance, parts and other day-to-day costs. Increasing operating funding can allow transit agencies to hire additional workers, operate more buses, and extend service, provided there is sufficient fleet and garage capacity. (To be sure, this infrastructural capacity is not a given, and municipalities also require much more support from higher levels of government to invest in these assets.)
Here are three priority areas for transit service that additional operating spending could help with. While the focus of these recommendations is Winnipeg, they will likely have at least some applicability to existing and future transit systems in other Manitoba municipalities as well. Brandon, for example, has approved a new transit master plan, but it hasn’t yet been fully funded. Restoring the 50-50 transit funding agreement could help the city implement and even expand the plan, provided that capital funding can also be secured to accelerate purchasing of buses and infrastructure.
1. Run More Buses on Busy Routes
Insufficient service can manifest in several different ways, depending on route, time, and municipality. For example, in Brandon, one of the big challenges that transit riders face is long wait times for buses, which usually come only every 30 minutes. On many of Winnipeg’s busiest routes, a common frustration is the dreaded pass-up: when a bus finally shows up but is maxed out on riders, meaning the driver doesn’t stop and the rider has to wait for the next bus (or the next one, or the next one).
Winnipeg Transit data shows that the Blue Line, the rapid transit route which runs between St. Norbert or the University of Manitoba and Unicity Shopping Centre, is by far the worst offender for pass-ups, totalling more than 5,000 (or almost 14 per day) over the past year. Other routes plagued by pass-ups include the F9 (Lagimodiere – Abinojii Mikanah), F8 (Henderson – Pembina), F5 (McPhillips – Donald), and FX2 (Main – St. Mary’s). While pass-ups have declined in recent months, potentially in part due to added service on the F8 and F5 routes, we should expect a major spike in September as students return to school.
Along with long wait times, pass-ups are the clearest sign that there isn’t enough service on a given route. With more operating funding via a reinstated 50-50 transit funding agreement, transit agencies can run more buses on them to improve frequency and ensure riders receive the service they’ve been promised. At the same time, reliability issues like late buses and bus bunching have to be tackled through dedicated transit infrastructure and planning that prioritizes buses on the road.
2. Provide More Off-Peak Service
High-quality bus service is needed not only for commuting to nine-to-five jobs—but also for shift workers, people running after-work errands (like groceries, appointments, care work, or recreation), and students with evening classes.
Off-peak service on evenings and weekends is typically the first on the chopping block when transit agencies are looking to save some money. For example, the City of Brandon responded to the loss of the 50-50 transit funding agreement by cutting transit service on Sundays and statutory holidays.
Unfortunately, the recent bus network redesign in Winnipeg saw the number of stops accessible after 11 p.m. drop from more than half to one-third, with disproportionate impacts in the city’s North End. Evening and nighttime ridership has plummeted, reaching a nearly 50 percent decline on weekday nights.
Winnipeg Transit has taken some steps to remedy these shortfalls, with the last municipal budget increasing transit staff to extend late-night service. Likewise, Brandon’s new transit master plan will expand evening and weekend service. But much more has to be done to provide frequent service during off-peak hours so riders can be confident getting around without a private automobile.
As Winnipeg Transit has clearly stated: “Extending service comes with an annual operating cost.” The 50-50 transit funding agreement could help provide the funding for this, improving service for people who need to ride the bus at all hours of the day.
3. Improving Transit Accessibility
Along with benefiting conventional fixed-route transit, restoring 50-50 funding could also help improve accessible transit options like Winnipeg Transit Plus and Brandon Access Transit.
Winnipeg Transit Plus has benefited from significant changes in recent years, including eliminating restrictive policies and introducing a new booking system that has reduced wait times. It’s also moving to change rules around service eligibility, no-shows and late cancellations, and the number of bags allowed on a trip, along with better integrating Transit Plus with conventional and on-demand transit. While City Council voted to accept the recommendation to advance these rule changes, they haven’t yet been funded and will take years to implement fully.
There are several other necessary changes, especially as Winnipeg Transit prepares to meet the requirements of Manitoba’s Accessible Transportation Standard Regulation, which comes into force at the start of January, including expanding Transit Plus service hours, accelerating decision-making about eligibility, and eliminating fares for support workers on both conventional and accessible transit. Winnipeg Transit has said that “it will need millions of dollars in new funding and additional staff” for this to happen.
All of these updates are urgently needed, especially as the new Primary Transit Network has changed stop locations and spacing, creating longer walks and new accessibility challenges for some riders. In Brandon, Access Transit lacks the capacity to meet rider demand, requiring increased funding for both operations and capital expenses. The 50-50 transit funding agreement would help share the financial load of accelerating the implementation of vital improvements to transit accessibility, ensuring that all riders have equal access to reliable transportation.
To 50-50 and Beyond
Restoring the 50-50 transit funding agreement isn’t a silver bullet. Much else will be needed to improve transit in Winnipeg, Brandon, and throughout Manitoba, especially by prioritizing buses on roads using infrastructure like dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority and queue jumps, and in-lane bus stops. Major capital funding is also necessary to buy buses, build sufficiently large transit garages, and upgrade stops to meet accessibility requirements. This will require all levels of government to collaborate on making transit the most desirable transportation mode available.
But significantly increased operating funding is a key piece of the puzzle. Without it, Winnipeg, Brandon, and other municipalities could end up with fleets of brand-new buses but be unable to run them at full capacity due to a lack of funding. Rebuilding trust and confidence in transit service requires increasing service on busy routes, expanding off-peak service, and improving transit accessibility. Restoring the 50-50 transit funding agreement can help move these goals forward and raise the bar for frequent and reliable transit throughout Manitoba.