Saskatoon Transit seeing more people riding bus with nowhere to go

Saskatoon's transportation service is asking that only people who need to get somewhere use the bus.

Last month, Saskatoon Transit announced that in an attempt to protect drivers from COVID-19 it would no longer be collecting fees from riders and would only be loading buses from the rear entry.

Seating on buses is now strictly limited. The front half of the bus is blocked off from travellersand half of the rest of theseats are blocked off, in an attempt to practice physicaldistancing.

If buses are full, drivers will not stop for new people, continuing along their route until more space is available.

Transit officials said they're seeing an increase of people riding the bus with seemingly no destination, leading to some buses being at capacity unnecessarily.

"We would really recommend that unless they do have a destination, that they not use these limited seats for those people that have an essential visit or essential trip to do," said Jim McDonald, director of Saskatoon Transit.

McDonald said people are using the bus for everything from medical appointments to grocery trips and commuting back and forth to work.

He also said more people are using the bus to access services at the Friendship Inn, which has switched its daily meal service to pickup only.

Stabbing concerns

McDonald applauded one driver's response after a stabbing on a city bus Monday night. Two people suffered serious but non-life threatening stab wounds when an altercation broke out.

One man was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and breach of conditions.

McDonald said the driver did the right thing by immediately pulling the bus over and calling emergency services over the radio.

"I think when our operators follow those procedures, they work," he said.

"When they absolutely try not to get involved and just give those people that are having an altercation on the bus a way of getting off of the bus, that tends to work."

McDonald said the attack was a rare occurrence.

Meanwhile, he said drivers are getting used to working during COVID-19 as best they can.

"Our people are just the same as everybody else in society," he said.

"Some are scared. Some are not. Some are riding it as they would normally ride a general situation."