Winnipeg, MB – Better bus stop locations, bendy buses on the right routes, and beefed up On-Request. These are just a few tweaks we’ve made since the new bus network launched – and they’re all thanks to passenger feedback.
The launch of the Primary Transit Network was the biggest change in Winnipeg Transit history, and from the outset, the plan was to respond to gaps observed in the new network as soon as possible.
We made the first round of changes late last month when service switched to the Fall schedule.
We:
- Relocated bus stops at six locations for easier access (reducing walking distance, putting stops closer to controlled crossings)
- Added articulated buses to reduce crowding on Route F8 (Pembina-Henderson Highway)
- Expanded On-Request service to serve growing communities with additional buses to Zones:
- 101 (South St. Vital), 102 (Sage Creek/Windsor Park)
- 103 (North West)
- 106 (North East)
- 111 (Waverley West) and
- 112 (Whyte Ridge/West Fort Garry)
- Adjusted schedules to improve poor on-time performance on the D12 Ellice, D13 Sargent, and D16 Academy-Notre Dame
- Full schedule changes to these routes will come later this year
We also restored Transit service to 100 percent for the first time since reducing it in response to decreased ridership during the pandemic. There are now more buses and operators on the road than have been for the past five years.
While September is often a challenging time for bus passengers, we expect this extra service will be felt once everyone settles into regular routines.
We continue to track feedback, and monitor travel patterns, capacity, and on-time performance. Our previous network had fundamental flaws that prevented some routes from staying on time. Our operators tell us they’re finding the new routes easier to drive and easier to keep on schedule.
What comes next
More schedule improvements will go into effect when we switch to our winter schedule in December. We also continue work on the infrastructure side, as we finalize our priorities for the Primary Transit Network Infrastructure project (bus stop upgrades, operational infrastructure, etc.)
Where you come in
Feedback on the Primary Transit Network is always welcome. Rider input is helping shape how the network evolves and ensures services reflect community needs.
We encourage Winnipeggers to share detailed information about what isn’t working. We also want to hear what’s working well, as we know some riders are finding their routes faster and more convenient.
All feedback will help us make tweaks in the short term, and bigger changes down the road. We need a full year to analyse travel patterns, because people use transit differently in different seasons.
After that, we will make major changes to our network on a regular cycle. This is called the Annual Service Plan Process. It starts with considering many potential options for changes, followed by an analysis, presentation to Council for approval, and then implementation.