Protective barriers credited for drop in serious assaults against OC Transpo drivers
OC Transpo and the union representing bus drivers credit the installation of protective barriers on buses for a decline in the number of assaults involving Ottawa bus drivers.
However, the Amalgamated Transit Union says its members still face incidents of verbal assaults and spitting from riders on OC Transpo buses.
Statistics provided to CTV News Ottawa show there were 34 bus driver assaults in the first nine months of 2022, and 38 assaults in 2021. That's down from 65 bus driver assaults in 2020 and 87 in 2019.
"Over the years, the numbers were pretty high until we installed barriers, shields on the buses," Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279 President Clint Crabtree told CTV News Ottawa.
"After doing that, we've seen the number of serious assaults drop because the operators are behind the shield and barrier, but what we continue to see is verbal assaults and spitting at the operators – so they're spitting at the shield."
In 2020, the Transit Commission approved $6 million in funding to install permanent barriers on OC Transpo buses to protect bus drivers. The installation of more than 700 barriers started in April 2021, and was finished a few months later.
"Any assault on anybody shouldn't be happening, but the assaults have come down due to the fact we have shields and barriers on the buses," Crabtree said.
OC Transpo says there has been a "consistent reduction in the rate of assaults" against bus drivers since 2018, when 105 incidents were reported.
"A more pronounced reduction is seen from 2020 to 2022 when protective barriers were installed," OC Transpo Chief Safety Officer Paul Treboutat said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.
"Staff note that while there may be a correlation between ridership levels and operator assaults, isolating the operators as much as possible with barriers has resulted in positive impacts on the reduction in assault occurrences."
The Amalgamated Transit Union is calling for a national transit safety task force, as the union says violent attacks on public transit have reached "crisis levels". The ATU says the task force must include transit agencies and representatives of all levels of government.
The call for a task force comes after a number of violent attacks on Toronto Transit Commission buses and the subway system, targeting workers and riders. Police reported several incidents, including a TTC driver shot with a BB gun and two TTC workers assaulted on their way back to work.
"We don't want to see anybody get assaulted, that's all there is to it," Crabtree said, noting the ATU is looking at "all avenues" to improve safety for riders and employees.
"We need to do something to address it and fix it immediately."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.