SASKATOON — Saskatoon Transit is actively measures to provide a safe environment for frontline employees and customers, according to a City of Saskatoon press release.
Measures were announced Thursday that the city says will address increased incidents of aggressive and violent incidents involving transit employees, vehicles and facilities.
Saskatoon Transit is working with the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS), Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD), Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 (ATU) and other community stakeholders to address concerns with transit bus and facility safety.
Bus operators, supervisors and customer service employees have been exposed to more aggressive and violent incidents this spring, the city reports. Since the beginning of May, Saskatoon Transit has increased security patrols at the Downtown, Confederation Mall and Market Mall transit terminals along with additional supervisor ride-alongs with operators to have an increased uniformed presence on buses and at facilities.
Several other initiatives are underway as part of the Saskatoon Transit Frontline Employee Safety Plan to improve safety on buses and at terminals for employees and riders. The plan will enhance security, improve internal processes, expand employee training, augment mental health support for employees following an incident, strengthen co-ordination with emergency services and build a stronger culture of safety at Saskatoon Transit, the city says.
Initiatives include:
1. Streamlined process for reporting an incident to SPS to assist the incident investigation.
2. Deployment of the Fire Community Support team to bus terminals and on bus routes with a higher number of reported incidents.
3. Running a public marketing campaign featuring frontline employees from Saskatoon Transit to increase the profile of bus operators in the community.
4. Developing a process to ban a problem customer from Saskatoon Transit buses and facilities.
5. Exploring the feasibility of installing CCTV cameras at the Downtown and Confederation Mall terminals.
6. Implementing a new Workplace Violence Prevention Policy, updating Respectful and Harassment-free Workplace process and introducing the new Corporate Customer Conduct Standard.
7. Developing and delivering new customer service and de-escalation training for frontline Saskatoon Transit employees.
8. Enhanced mental health support for Saskatoon Transit employees.
9. Advocating for tougher sentences under the Criminal Code for assaults against a Saskatoon Transit employee.
In addition to these new initiatives, all buses have a protective operator barrier and CCTV cameras with visible signage to inform passengers that their actions are being recorded.
