Windsor, ON, January 8, 2025 – Transit ridership has seen a tremendous increase over the past two years, something most cities across Canada have strived to achieve since the pandemic. However, Transit Windsor has not kept up with the pace of growth as the number of available working buses on the roads are not enough to handle the volume of passengers. Any Windsor transit rider can tell you that buses are consistently overcrowded, wait times for buses are too long, several buses are cancelled daily without notice, and despite what the city claimed in their December 18th statement to the press - people are getting left at bus stops in the cold weather.
With 36 bus cancellations just over the last three days – that’s a small snapshot of a deeper problem. If City Councillors were waiting at any of these bus stops when buses were cancelled, they would clearly understand what we are talking about.
City Council doesn’t like when we take aim at how they manage services – but transit is a public service that we all pay for as taxpayers. Elected city officials work for us the people and they need to remember that when they plan, spend, or cut our vital public services that many rely on to get to work, school, and medical appointments.
Despite the increased ridership numbers, Mayor Dilkens tabled plans to cut $1.4 million in transit services including the tunnel service that many rely on to cross the US border. When speaking with the media about possible cuts – Dilkens said everything will be looked at “there are no sacred cows” but public transit is not a sacred cow – it’s a mobility right for all people.
“I have never seen any transit agency across Canada make cuts to services at a time when ridership numbers have this type of growth. The ATU is calling on all Windsorites and transit riders to contact the Mayor and City Councillors and demand that they reject the proposed transit cuts and ask for increased funding to accommodate the growth in ridership – or risk being held accountable by voters for failing to provide safe and reliable transit services,” said Manny Sforza, ATU International Vice President.
It's very strange that there has been no mention of the surplus revenues generated from the increased ridership numbers over the past two years. It’s also strange that the only proposed cuts the city has tabled are cuts to Public Transit. Taxpayers deserve to know about any planned cuts that will impact their daily lives. Where is the transparency?
ATU transit workers pride themselves on providing safe, reliable, affordable, and accessible transit services to all our riders. “We speak with passengers on a daily basis and we hear their challenges and frustrations. It’s difficult to be face to face with riders that are not being served efficiently. Overcrowding leads to many problems and angry passengers. City Council and Transit Windsor must increase operational funding to get more buses on the roads,” said Dragan Markovic, ATU Local 616 President.
