Safety concerns top of mind for some bus-riding students
Safety concerns are once again being raised among U of R students after a Regina transit driver was punched in the face while operating a bus headed for the university.
The man told CBC News he was driving on Route 30 (University Express) on Sept. 16 when he stopped near 14th Avenue and Broad Street to pick up passengers.
According to the CBC story, the driver said a young man boarded the bus without a pass or any other form of payment. After the driver spoke to him, the passenger became verbally aggressive and then punched the driver in the face.
Despite the incident, the driver continued on his route, telling CBC there were U of R and Saskatchewan Polytechnic students he had to drop off.
One of the students on the bus that day was second-year U of R psychology student Julia Walters.
“It was terrifying,” Walters told the Carillon. “I thought he was going to punch all of us. The worst part is, I was afraid no one would be able to stop him.”
It’s not the only incident of its kind on Regina buses. On Aug. 18, police received a report of three youths on a transit bus. One of them was observed waving a firearm around inside the bus.
Police seized homemade guns, ammunition and bear spray. They say the guns were loaded.
Two boys, ages 15 and 14, have made their first appearance in Youth Court. A third boy, age 11, was too young to be charged.
I was on the bus too, and it was terrifying. I thought he was going to punch all of us. The worst part is, I was afraid no one would be able to stop him. -Julia Walters, a second-year psychology major.
U of R students raise their concerns
For the past year, U of R students have been raising the alarm about bus safety. In July, the Carillon spoke with students who described concerns ranging from poorly lit bus stops, to unpleasant shelters to uncomfortable encounters.
“I’ve had moments on the bus where people are being violent,” said Niha Mitur, a second-year computer science major. “Sometimes people throw coffee at each other and yell at each other. I put my earphones on and try not to look at them but the bus is not safer in the day anymore.”
One transit user, Mackenzie Corby, a second-year social work major, says certain times of the day are a particular concern.
“When I take the bus in the evening, after 5:30 p.m., I just have to look around and be more aware of who is on the bus,” said Corby. “I feel a bit more safe in the day, when there are more students around.”
Corby currently lives off-campus, but says she is thinking about shifting to campus housing.
“Just because the bus makes me feel uncomfortable, ” she said.
Measures underway
Despite the recent incidents, the City of Regina says physical assaults against transit drivers are at their lowest level since 2020.
The city has also pointed to measures including de-escalation training for drivers, safety precautions, reporting systems, and critical incident stress management for employees. The city said new security measures approved in its budget are now being implemented.
For U of R students who depend on Regina Transit to attend classes, the question is how soon will these measures come into effect, and when they can get on a bus without having to worry about these things. The assault on Route 30 has put that question back into focus.
