SASKATOON — Saskatoon Transit continues to concentrate on improving safety for employees and customers on the buses and at terminals. It has addressed all the initiatives in the Saskatoon Transit Frontline Employee Safety Plan, announced in June 2024, and will present a progress report on Tuesday, April 1, at City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Transportation meeting.
In response to challenges with violence and aggression on buses and at terminals at the beginning of 2024, Saskatoon Transit management and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 committed to prioritizing 17 initiatives to improve workplace safety and foster a culture of safety within Saskatoon Transit.
The plan involves security measures, new processes for reporting incidents and protocols to maintain order on the bus, reduce negative interactions and prepare employees with the skills and resources they need to de-escalate situations. Transit will continue to focus on these initiatives, as many are new, and it can take time for noticeable differences.
Repeated customer surveys throughout 2024 in the Transit app support a correlation between the perception of safety and the number of negative interactions occurring. Saskatoon Transit will use employee feedback about what’s working or not to improve the programs and processes in the plan and continue to support the City’s Community Safety and Well-Being initiatives.
