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New Fareboxes on buses starting May 31

For Immediate Release
Thursday, May 30, 2013

New state-of-the-art fare boxes being installed on buses

Winnipeg, MB. – Starting today, Winnipeg Transit will begin introducing new, electronic, state-of-the-art fare boxes on all 565 buses in its fleet. The GFI-Odyssey fare boxes, supplied by Garival Inc. of Laval, Quebec, will be equipped with automatic coin counters, on-screen information displays, paper transfer printers and readers, a separate ticket slot and smart card sensors.

“We know that convenience and simplicity encourages more ridership” said Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux. “That is why we are pleased to partner with the City of Winnipeg to modernize our transit system, giving riders easier access to our buses”

“The City of Winnipeg is committed to providing Winnipeggers with affordable, accessible transit,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “Converting our fare boxes to a more efficient, user-friendly system will improve the transit experience for both rider and Operator. The investments that we are making now will serve us well into the future.”

New fareboxes more user-friendly and include improved security features.
Coins will now be validated and counted as they are dropped, one at a time, through the coin slot. As payment is made, information will be presented visually on the display screen that is mounted on top of the fare box. The fare boxes do not accept pennies or paper currency. Based on experiences in other markets that are already using the GFI-Odyssey system, the new fare boxes represent a minor change to most transit customers who pay with cash or tickets.

Ticket paying customers will need to drop their tickets into a clearly marked ticket slot located on top of the new farebox. Pass holders will encounter no change at all to their current payment and boarding method.

Transfers now printed, issued and read by the new farebox
When paying a fare with cash or tickets, riders can still ask the Operator for a transfer, however, now the transfer will be printed and issued by the new fare box, not the operator. The printed transfer will include a bar code that will be automatically validated by the bar code reader when scanned by the new fare box on a connecting bus. The fare box will indicate both audibly and visually if the transfer is valid. The transfer is good for up to 75 minutes from the time it is printed, up from the 60-minute transfer guarantee offered by current transfers.

The conversion process is expected to extend over the next few weeks. During the installation phase, passengers may encounter both types of fareboxes. Passengers with an old style transfer will still need to show their transfer to the operator when boarding. Passengers with a new bar code transfer boarding a bus with an old farebox will also need to show the operator their transfer.

Smart cards to be introduced in the near future
The next phase of the project will be the implementation of a new smart card fare payment system that will provide transit customers with a more convenient way to pay for their bus rides. Transit will still accept cash on buses with the new system; however, all paper pass and ticket products currently in use will be replaced once smart cards are introduced. Transit will continue to offer special fare discounts for seniors and students. More details about the new smart card system, including an implementation timeline will be available in the late summer or early fall of 2013.

For more information about the new Fare Collection System, visit winnipegtransit.com or click on our Winnipeg Transit’s new Farebox information brochure.

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Summer Service change

On Sunday June 23rd Winnipeg Transit will implement our Summer Service change. There are several route changes that are being implemented to accommodate long term construction projects as well as a new terminal for the University of Winnipeg routes. In addition to these route changes several schedule changes will occur. See below for details on route and schedule changes.

Sherbrook Terminal – Routes 50, 53, 55, 56, 57, 68 will all travel west on Portage, south on Maryland, east on Broadway, and north on Sherbrook to the new Sherbrook Terminal located mid-block. See Sherbrook Terminal map for details

Sherbrook Terminal – Routes 54 and 59 will terminal at westbound Portage and Langside in the morning and will go into service at eastbound Portage and Langside in the afternoon. See Sherbrook Terminal map for details

Plessis Underpass Construction – Routes 49 and 87 will see revisions to accommodate construction of the new underpass under the CNR mainline (on Plessis just north of Dugald) – See route 49 Plessis re-route.pdf and route 87 Plessis re-route.pdf maps for details.

The following routes will see adjustments to their schedules

Route	Day of Week	Day of Week	Day of Week
14 Ellice – St. Mary’s	Weekday
19 Marion – Logan – Notre Dame	Weekday
21 Portage Express	Weekday
22 Assiniboia Express	Weekday
24 Ness Express	Weekday
25 Ness Super Express	Weekday
28 Brookside Express	Weekday
48 McMeans Express	Weekday
49 Dugald	Weekday
50 Archibald	Weekday
53	Weekday
54 St. Mary’s Express	Weekday
55 St. Anne’s	Weekday	Saturday	Sunday
56	Weekday
57 Southdale Express	Weekday
59 South St. Anne’s Express	Weekday
65 Grant Express	Weekday
68 Crescent	Weekday	Saturday
87	Weekday
92	Weekday

On-line schedules available: June 14

Timetable home delivery: June 12 and June 19

Race Track Shuttle Service

Winnipeg Transit will not be operating the Assiniboia Downs Race Track Shuttle in 2013.

Reminder – no pennies or bills beginning February 1

Winnipeg Transit reminds all customers, effective February 1, 2013, pennies and bills will no longer be accepted on buses. The new policy goes into effect as the Department begins the first phase of a comprehensive fare collection system replacement project.

Winnipeg Transit will soon begin replacing the old, manual fareboxes on all 555 buses in its fleet with new, state-of-the-art, electronic fareboxes. The new boxes will not accept pennies or banknotes. Only Canadian or US coins of at least a nickel or higher denomination will be accepted. Coins will be validated and counted as they are dropped through the coin slot, while payment information will be presented visually on a display screen that is mounted on the top of the farebox. The decision to not equip the new boxes with banknote readers was made to speed passenger boardings and avoid mechanical problems that are often associated with banknote readers. Customers are also reminded that operators do not carry or make change.

Also effective February 1, 2013, a Blue Loonie will be worth one dollar off any cash fare on all Regular and Hand-Transit service. Blue Loonies are available at participating Downtown Business Improvement Zone (BIZ) merchants. To learn more about the Blue Loonie program visit the Downtown BIZ. Winnipeg Transit will continue to work with the Downtown BIZ to promote the downtown as a vibrant commercial district.

Phase two of the fare collection system, expected to be completed in late 2013, includes the introduction of new Smartcard technology that will replace tickets and paper passes. For more information you can visit Winnipeg Transit’s new fare collection system

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University of Winnipeg Spence Street Terminal Closure

On Friday, February 1st, 2013, the University of Winnipeg Spence Street Terminal will be closed due to the construction of the University’s new Fieldhouse.

This re-route will be in effect until the summer when a new terminal will be constructed. Until that time Winnipeg Transit will run the following re-routes:

Buses to the University of Winnipeg

Routes 54, 57, and 59 (to Downtown) will reroute as follows:

Buses will operate regular route west on Portage to north on Balmoral Street and the on-street Balmoral terminal stop.

Routes 50, 53, 55, 56 and 68 (to Downtown) will reroute as follows:

Buses will operate regular route west on Portage turning south on Memorial to a temporary terminal in front of the Art Gallery.

Buses from the University of Winnipeg

Students leaving the University can catch Routes 50, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, and 68 (from Downtown) at stop 10579 – Eastbound Portage at Balmoral.

See our University of Winnipeg Spence Street Terminal Closure.pdf for details

Budget 2013: Funding for Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor made a priority

Additional budget set aside for Eastern Rapid Transit design work

Winnipeg, MB Mayor Sam Katz today announced that the City’s share of the funds required for the completion of the second phase of the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor will be identified in the 2013 Capital Budget and 2014-2018 Capital Budget Forecast.

The preliminary, high-level estimate for the completion of the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor is $350 million. The City of Winnipeg will set aside $10 million and $127.5 million over two years of funding in the 2014 and 2015 Capital Budget Forecasts, respectively, subject to funding commitments from the other two levels of government.

“I am committed to completing the second phase of bus rapid transit,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “Rapid transit is another way to reduce traffic congestion on regional streets while giving our citizens improved transportation options. In a growing city like Winnipeg, we need a balanced approach, which includes funding for regional roads and for rapid transit.”

The 2013 Capital Budget will also earmark a further $1.1 million to put towards design work of future rapid transit corridors, including the Eastern Rapid Transit Corridor, contingent upon matching partner funding from the Province of Manitoba.

“One of the concerns we’ve heard about previous Capital Budgets is that we have not formally allocated funds to continue the development of rapid transit in Winnipeg,” said Deputy Mayor Russ Wyatt, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Finance. “We have heard those concerns and are addressing them today with our commitment to finishing what we’ve started.”

“We are committed to improving the transportation infrastructure in our city,” said Councillor Dan Vandal, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Public Works. “With the first phase of rapid transit complete, it’s now time to demonstrate our commitment to completing the second phase of the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor and to start the planning for the Eastern Rapid Transit Corridor.”

Open houses were held in September for the public to review and provide feedback on the alignment options for Stage 2 of the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor.

The Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor extension is part of the City of Winnipeg’s Transportation Master Plan, a companion document to OurWinnipeg.

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Transitway By-Law/Rules

1) Transitway and Station

All persons shall comply with all lawful orders or directives of any Winnipeg Police Service officer or a Winnipeg Transit Supervisor.

No person, unless authorized by the Director of Transit, shall engage in the following activities:

- Operation, parking or stopping of a vehicle on the Transitway
- Walking on the Transitway, except at designated pedestrian crossings or entrance points
- Riding a bicycle on the Transitway roadway
- Rollerblading or skateboarding on the Transitway roadway
- Interfering with the operation or provision of Transit service
- Occupying or creating a physical obstruction at stations, platforms or Transit roadway areas
- Behaving in a manner that causes danger to another person
- Permitting a live animal within the Transitway (except service dogs)
- Commercial activity (such as the selling of food, clothing, newspapers or other materials)
- Filming or video/audio recording
- Distributing any leaflets or newspapers
- Posting any signs
- Behaving in a manner that causes annoyance, alarm or inconvenience to a reasonable person
- Smoking
- Panhandling or begging
- Disruptive sounds or loud noises
- Littering
- Consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs
- Loitering
- Parades
- Gatherings
- Throwing of projectiles
- Gambling
- Busking

2. Weapons and explosives

The following are prohibited anywhere in the Transitway and Stations:

- Weapons, including firearms, knives and incapacitating agents, or any other device intended for use as a weapon
- Open flames such as lighter or torch
- Explosives, including fireworks

3. Fines and Penalties

- Any person who contravenes the Transitway By-Law/Rules is subject to a fine of up to $500.

4. Ejection and Suspension-of-Service (Banning)

- Any person who is observed by an enforcement officer to be violating the Transitway By-Law or any of Transitway rules is subject to ejection and being banned from using the Transit System.

Pursuant to Section 8(4) of the City of Winnipeg Transitway By-Law 49/2012, these rules are effective as of Thursday, May 10, 2012.

Winnipeg Transit’s Open Data Web Service

Winnipeg Transit has outfitted its fleet with iBUS technology that includes on-board GPS tracking, automated schedule adherence monitoring, “next stop” displays/announcements, route destination announcements for waiting passengers when a bus pulls up to a bus stop, and a security camera system. The bus radio communication system automatically relays data about any schedule deviations recorded by the buses to a central database. This continuously updated database reflects the current status of all transit service and is used to broadcast “real-time” transit information to passengers through the following channels:

Website	winnipegtransit.com (includes Navigo trip planner, route and stop timetables, and detailed information about stops, routes, fares, etc.)
BUSguide	Mobile website m.winnipegtransit.com for Internet-enabled mobile devices
TeleBUS	Telephone interactive voice response system that reports upcoming bus departures for a specified stop
BUStxt	SMS text messaging application that reports upcoming bus departures, finds the nearest stops, and more
BUSwatch	Electronic displays at major stops that show upcoming bus departures from the stop
BUSgadget	A downloadable application from www.winnipegtransit.com that counts down a stop’s bus departures on a desktop or mobile device
Twitter Feeds	“Transitalerts” and “Winnipeg Transit” feeds about service status, detours, and upcoming service changes

Winnipeg Transit’s data is now publicly available through an Open Data Web Service that allows developers to create third-party apps for any mobile (iPhones and Android devices) or desktop platform. Programmers can now create new applications for passengers that supplement the ones already developed by Winnipeg Transit.

For more information or to sign up please visit our Open Data Web Service