Bus driver's 2017 murder still haunts Winnipeg operators despite upgraded safety measures

Five years after a bus driver was stabbed to death on the job, some operators say they still fear getting seriously hurt or killed at work.

"Sometimes you can have all hell break loose," said one bus driver whom CBC is calling Brian. With more than five years on the job, Brian doesn't want his real name used for fear of being reprimanded.

"You can have people that are intoxicated or they're on drugs or can be violent in general, so you're always on edge. Even though you may have nice people, you're always like 'what's going to happen?'"

Monday marks five years since Irvine Jubal Fraser asked a passenger to get off the bus at the end of his line near the University of Manitoba. He and the passenger got into a fight on Feb. 14, 2017. Fraser died from multiple stab wounds. The offender, Brian Kyle Thomas, was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 12 years in prison before he can apply for parole.

CBC News spoke with Winnipeg transit drivers who said they still fear getting hurt or dying at work.Brian, who drives night shifts, said COVID-19has only made things worse.

"You're dealing with people that are under the influence of some substance, and you have to engage with them differently. You have to play mental ball," he said. "It wasn't something that you were having to call 911 about almost every single day until COVID."

The drivers worry when their route takes them outside of the downtown area. If they need help, they alert the transit control centre. Staff there determinewho comes to help transit supervisors or first responders.

There's some days where I just go home and cry.- 'Brian,'transit driver

Brian detailed an incident last year when two people he believed were drunk became aggressive at a layover stop.

"I couldn't get any service, so I wasn't able to call control. I couldn't leave my seat because I was worried that I could get assaulted, so I had to play it cool," he recalled.

WATCH | Bus driver's murder still haunts Winnipeg operators:

Bus driver's murder still haunts Winnipeg operators

3 years ago

Duration 2:58

Five years after a bus driver was stabbed to death on the job, some operators say they still fear getting seriously hurt or killed at work.

Brian said he kept driving, and when he finally made contact he was told to continue driving and "watch for a supervisor."

"It seems we don't have the staff for our own safety," he said.

Brian said he hopes governments can do more to help people experiencing poverty, addictions or homelessness, since he said those are the root causes of issues he's facing. Todeal with his own stress, he's sought out counselling.

"There's some days where I just go home and cry," Brian said. "You're just mentally fatigued.

"When I talk to family members, they're always shocked. They tell me if you want, you should quit. But of course youcan't quit because you have bills to pay."

City upgrades safety measures

Since the beginning of 2017, there have been 300 assaults on drivers, according to city staff. That includes threats, assault attempts (which includes spitting), assaults causing bodily harm and aggravated assault.

City staff sent CBC an extensive list of measures being taken to keep bus drivers safe.

Since 2017, driver training has changed to include assault prevention, mental health and addictions training, de-escalation tacticsand ways to manage stress. The department started training with Main Street Project to understand working with vulnerable people, but thatwas paused duringCOVID-19.

Driver shields were installed onall buses in 2020, and acurrent pilot project allows the cameras to stream directly to the control centre during an emergency. Last year, the city added an emergency signal that operators can use that changes the exterior sign toread "Emergency Call 911" and "Do Not Board Bus."

The city also expanded its inspector programin 2017, designed tohelp with any difficult or dangerous situations.

Transit director Greg Ewankiw said he believes being a bus driver is a safe job in Winnipeg he did it for 14 years. But he said the pandemic has created a lot of challenges.

"I can't tell you how proud I am of our staff and the efforts that they've made to keep the level of service going for our citizens," he said.

The drivers CBC spoke with say they've recently noticed many people quit their jobs, retire early or take mental health leave. City staff say86 bus drivers were on sick leave as of Feb. 10, including COVID-related leave, bereavement and any illness.

Since the start of the pandemic, 146 drivers have left the job a number that doesn't include retirements. Staff say these numbers are "not inconsistent" with pre-pandemic numbers.

Ewankiw encourageddrivers to join any of the 11 committees the city has to improve transit.

"There is nothing more that I could possibly want thana happy operator workforce," Ewankiw said. "That, to me, is the epitome of success."

Safety measures are 'window dressing'

Yet, some drivers say all that work isn't making much of a difference.

"It's just been window dressing," said another driver we're calling Ken who has almost 30 years on the job. He didn't want to use his real name because he feared being reprimanded by management.

"How does a camera stop an assault? It'll help catch the assailant, potentially, but it doesn't stop an assault," he said, adding the shields are inadequate because someone could still reach around and grab the driver or the steering wheel.

Fraser's murder still comes up in conversation among operators, Derek Bilansaid. The Winnipegger drove transit for almost 29 years, but retired early in November because of stress.

"Take St. Charles Loop," Bilan said, referring to a bus stop in Winnipeg's Glendale neighbourhood.

"It's completely dark there. If you have two or three people hanging aroundand you've got one operator there, anything can happen," he said.

"People will say 'I had somebody at one in the morning at St. Charles Loop', and we all bring up the fact of 'look what happened to Jubal.' The tragedy with him is never going to be forgotten."