What's New
Follow Winnipeg Transit on Twitter
Winnipeg Transit has two twitter accounts to provide passengers with our latest transit information.
Search for Winnipeg Transit for all the latest transit news, upcoming events, and special service. Winnipeg Transit will send out messages for upcoming service changes, advising of when we will be running holiday service, and letting you know about special service such as Bomber fan fare, Folk Festival service, and Red River Ex service.
Search for Transit Alerts for all the latest re-route or service advisory information. Our transit alerts advises passengers of all re-route information and sends a follow up tweet to let you know when the re-route has finished and service has returned to regular route.
Winnipeg Transit launches BUStxt
Winnipeg, MB. – Winnipeggers can now access Transit information anytime, anywhere with a simple text from their cell phone. Winnipeg Transit has introduced BUStxt, a Short Message Service (SMS) that lets transit users get real-time Transit information on their mobile devices.
Transit customers can use texting features on their standard cell phones or web-enabled ‘smart’ phones to find Transit stops nearest them, bus departure times at stops, or find out when the bus they are on will reach a location further along the route. BUStxt can be accessed at 287898 (bustxt). Standard text messaging rates may apply.
As SMS messages are limited to 136 characters, all messages are presented in a condensed form. BUStxt allows customers to access information using a variety of search commands and simple keywords. Within a short time of receiving a text message inquiry from a customer, BUStxt automatically returns service information based on the customer’s search parameters.
For example, a customer can send a message to BUStxt to:
- Find the stops closest to an address, intersection, or major landmark specified in the customer’s text message.
- Find the bus departure times for any of Winnipeg Transit’s 5,000 bus stops. The 5-digit bus stop ID number or the stop intersection (eg. ‘10171’ or ‘nb osborne@river’ for the stop at northbound Osborne@River) must be specified in the customer’s text message. BUStxt will automatically reply with a message listing the departure time, route number and the destination of the bus (or buses) departing from that stop.
- Find information about the service of a bus they are riding on. For example, passengers can find out when the bus they are currently riding on will reach a specific location on its route which can helpful when passengers are planning to transfer to another bus.
BUStxt returns ‘real-time’ information based on schedule updates automatically reported to the Transit Control Centre by the GPS-equipped iBUS technology recently installed on the Winnipeg Transit fleet.
Complete instructions on how to use BUStxt are available by clicking on BUStxt User Guide. Condensed instructions can also be obtained by sending the text message “HELP” to 287898 (bustxt).
University of Manitoba Service Disruption
On January 4th as construction begins at the University of Manitoba on two major buildings Winnipeg Transit’s access to the U of M Dafoe Road terminal will be impacted.
Some service that normally operates to the Dafoe terminal will now operate to MacLean Crescent. Below is a list of which buses will continue to use Dafoe and which buses will use the terminal on MacLean.
Dafoe Terminal
37 Richmond Super Express
51
62 Richmond Express
70 Richmond
72
78 Crosstown West
Temporary terminal on MacLean
36 Northwest Super Express
60 Pembina
61 University Super Express
75 Crosstown East
76
The stop on Freedman at Maclean (60716) will also be cancelled during construction.
To view a map of how transit will be impacted by construction click on the U of M Dafoe Terminal Construction map.
On-board cameras ensure safer trips for Transit commuters
WINNIPEG – December 18, 2008 – Mutually committed to improving public transit infrastructure in Winnipeg, the Honourable Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board, on behalf of John Baird, Canada’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, together with Steve Ashton, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs for Manitoba, and Acting Deputy Mayor Gord Steeves on behalf of Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz today announced that a state-of-the-art audio/video surveillance system is being installed in City buses.
The new surveillance system has already been installed on 130 buses to assist Winnipeg Transit in providing a safer environment for their customers and employees. It is anticipated that the City’s entire fleet of 535 buses will have the cameras installed by the end of 2009.
“The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the safety of Canadians,” said Minister Toews. “The investment in on-board surveillance cameras will better protect both Winnipeg transit users and City bus drivers, as well as deter potential criminal activity.”
“Public transit supports the province’s vision for a clean and green economy by providing Manitobans with alternative transportation choices,” said Minister Ashton. “The presence of cameras should help to ensure safe, quality transportation on Winnipeg’s busy transit system.”
Audio/Video surveillance on buses is part of the City of Winnipeg’s ongoing “Transit Improvement Program”.
“Winnipeggers need to have confidence in a safe and reliable transit system. With increased ridership, we must continue to improve our existing transit system to capture that increase and provide positive transportation alternatives to our citizens,” said Acting Deputy Mayor Gord Steeves. “By providing our transit network with this effective tool, we can provide a safer environment for both our citizens and employees.”
The audio/video surveillance system is expected to increase safety on buses by acting as a deterrent to anyone with criminal intentions. It will also aid in the investigation of incidents that may have taken place. Each bus will be equipped with up to five cameras and a digital recording device to continuously monitor on-board activities from a variety of angles. The system also has the capability to continuously record audio. Signage will be posted inside the buses to advise occupants their activities are under audio and video surveillance.
The funding of $2.9 million for the installation of the audio/video surveillance system is made possible through a federal-provincial partnership.