City will consider taking over some Winnipeg Transit Plus service from private contractors

A decision Tuesday moves Winnipeg a step closer to changing the way it provides public transportation for people with disabilities.

Coun. Brian Mayes introduced a motion asking the city's standing policy committee on innovation to consider bringing 30 per cent of Winnipeg Transit Plus, formerly called Handi-Transit, back in-house by June 30, 2022.

"It's a matter that I don't think we've debated in my years here, and it's time we did," Mayes (St. Vital) said Tuesday after city council's executive policy committee meeting.

"Our own internal figures show cost per ride is up 53 per cent between 2009 to 2016, and that suggests keeping it privatized maybe isn't keeping the costs down," said Mayes.

Winnipeg Transit began to contract out service delivery of Handi-Transit in 1988. The proportion of private contractors increased until 1997, when the entire service was outsourced to the private sector.

The councillor hopes bringing some of the service back into the public sector will also improve service for riders. Transit Plus has been the subject of human rights complaints, as well as an ombudsman report which recommended changes. 

Mayes's motion was supported by all members of the committee except Mayor Brian Bowman and Coun. Scott Gillingham (St. James), who both said they did not want to vote on the matter while bargaining talks are ongoing between the city and the union representing Winnipeg Transit drivers.

The city's contract with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 expired in January and the two parties have yet to reach an agreement.

Mayes's Transit Plus motion would come into effect 30 days following a ratification of a new collective agreement.

Any subsequent agreement to bring Transit Plus back in-house would require the union to agree to a cost per ride that is "roughly comparable" to what the city is paying to contract out the service, Mayes's motion says.