Regina city transit bus drags traffic light post
Eight passengers suffered minor injuries, city’s Vision Zero framework still in the works
On the evening of Feb 2, a Regina Public Transit bus carrying approximately 24 passengers collided with a traffic light post at the intersection of Wascana Parkway and Kramer Boulevard, just outside the University of Regina (U of R).
The bus was running on the #30 University-Rochdale Express route when it collided with the northbound traffic light post on Wascana Parkway shortly before 4:30 p.m.. After colliding with the post, the bus dragged it up to 150 yards before finally coming to a stop at an angle on the side of the road past the intersection.
Regina Police Service (RPS) was seen at the site of the accident shortly after.
In a press release on Monday, Feb 5, the RPS claimed that, “Underneath the bus was a traffic light, which had been struck by the bus and dragged… before the vehicle came to a stop.”
Witnesses on the scene recalled images of metal pieces being strewn over the sidewalk and the street, which was blocked off for some time.
The bus, headed north towards the university, was not at capacity, however, of the approximately 24 passengers, eight suffered minor injuries. Five of the eight passengers suffering injuries were taken to the hospital by EMS as a precaution.
The bus driver was also taken to the hospital as it appeared to the RPS that he was in medical distress. It was later determined by RPS investigation that the bus driver had suffered a medical emergency while driving. This medical emergency resulted in the Feb 2 collision.
“[The] investigation determined the driver suffered a medical emergency resulting in the collision. No charges will be laid and no ticket will be issued as a result,” explained the RPS in a prepared statement.
Regina Transit is the oldest public transit system in Saskatchewan and which has been city-owned since its inception. With 123 actively running buses and 21 routes, including express routes and specialized school routes, the transit services website reported an annual ridership of 7,368,050 rides in 2019.
For many in Regina, the city’s transit services are a main mode of transportation, especially university students who benefit from a discounted UPass during the semester. During winter, when walking to even nearby distances becomes difficult due to below-freezing temperatures and wind chills, more people make use of the city transit system and ridership increases.
Although accidents and mishaps associated with the transit services are not frequent by any means, incidents such as the Feb 2 crash still concern riders. Thankfully, the most recent data, which was released in 2017 on Regina Transit’s website recorded a slight decline in the number of collisions from 210 collisions in 2011 to 198 collisions in 2015.
Since no published data can be found after that period, it is difficult to say whether the numbers have changed. Nonetheless, the Feb 2 crash comes nearly four months after a press release by the City of Regina stating their commitment to developing a new “Vision Zero Road Safety Framework” with the goal of “eliminating all collisions resulting in serious injury or fatality.” The city plans to release their proposed framework will be brought to City Council later this spring.
In light of the crash, now is an appropriate time to remind riders that it is always recommended to people on transit services to be as cautious as they can. This includes having emergency contacts on speed dial in case of emergencies.
