Saskatoon transit union calls for support to enforce mask mandate on city buses
Saskatoon’s transit union would like to see help for drivers who encounter riders not willing to comply with the City of Saskatoon's mask mandate on city buses.
"Our operators feel like they have been left to fend for themselves," said Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 president and business agent Darcy Pederson. "They’re stressed out, tensions are high, we’re getting worn out."
Transit drivers aren’t responsible for enforcing the mask mandate due to safety concerns, but they have a box of masks available at the front of the bus in case someone needs one. Drivers also have a button they can press that activates an internal message on the bus reminding passengers masks are required.
Still, Pederson said someone like a security guard should be enforcing and handing out masks on transit, allowing operators to focus on driving.
He said some drivers have witnessed passengers getting into altercations with each other over mask wearing, but the driver can’t do anything other than pull over, open the doors and call police.
"If you don’t have enforcement, you’re just creating an environment where the conflict is going to happen one way or another. Operators, they want to come to work, they want to do their job safely and they want to return home to their family safely," he said, adding confrontations can lead to assault or worse.
Pederson said he would also like to see the rest of the assault barriers approved by city council last November installed on city buses so that drivers have an extra layer of protection. He said only one bus has been retrofitted with the safety shield so far.
In a statement to CTV News, Saskatoon Transit said drivers are tracking when and where there is non-compliance so supervisors can closely monitor and provide education in those areas.
"We work to educate riders on the importance of masks and communicate the requirement in a variety of ways to help with compliance. It’s important to recognize there are exceptions, as some people may not be able to wear a mask," the statement said.
Saskatoon Transit said mask compliance is 95 to 99 per cent on any given day on city buses, but Pederson said he believes those numbers don’t truly reflect what is happening.
"I don’t know what portion of compliance they represent, but I can tell you that non-compliance is happening a lot more than five per cent," he said.
Robert Clipperton, steering committee member and spokesperson for Bus Riders of Saskatoon, said bus riders as a whole were happy to see the mask mandate come back into effect on transit after being lifted on July 11.
However, he said enforcement at the provincial level is needed to ensure those who aren’t compliant follow the rules.
"We’ve got a sector of our population that doesn’t believe that COVID is a danger, doesn’t believe anyone should have to wear a mask and they’re going to violate it over and over again unless there’s some kind of enforcement," Clipperton said.
He added that there should also be more clarification about what the expectations are as restrictions are lifted and introduced.
"It’s really confusing for everyone because the rules seem to keep changing, the mechanisms for spreading the information don’t seem to be the best and having different rules in Alberta as opposed to in Saskatchewan as opposed to in Manitoba … it’s tough to keep abreast of what’s going on."
In the meantime Pederson is reminding anyone who rides transit to be patient with drivers and be respectful of the rules in place.
"Respect the policy, wear your mask, respect each other’s space and we can all get through this."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.