Winnipeg Transit (CITY OF WINNIPEG / FILE)
Winnipeg Transit has launched a three-month educational campaign to promote a new policy that prioritizes seating areas on buses for passengers with disabilities.
The city says the campaign will focus on the “importance of working together to help ensure persons with a disability have equitable access to transit.”
New signage will be posted on buses identifying priority seating areas and courtesy seating.
“For some passengers with disabilities, access to priority seating can be the same as access to the bus,” said Councillor Matt Allard, chair of the standing policy committee on infrastructure renewal and public works.
“This policy outlines the important role of all passengers to keep transit accessible to everyone, by being prepared to move to another place on the bus if called to.”
Under the priority and courtesy seating area policy, which takes effect on October 5, passengers will be asked to save seats in the priority seating area for passengers with disabilities. When a passenger with a visible or invisible disability who requires a seat in the priority area boards a bus, passengers who don’t have a disability sitting in that area will be asked to move to another location on the bus.
An automated message will be played upon boarding to remind passengers to directly vacate the area.
Online information sessions will be held in the coming weeks for passengers wishing to learn more about the new policy. Dates and times will be posted on winnipegtransit.com.
