The Sherbrooke Transit Service (STS) reversed its decision to allow bus drivers the option of not stopping to pick up university students who appear to be drunk after a meeting Sept. 27.
The initiative stemmed from complaints by bus drivers from the STS bus drivers’ union, and several calls to police since the start of the school year due to disturbances.
Prior to the abolishment of the STS’ directive, Léo Fugazza, spokesperson for the University of Sherbrooke Student Federation (FEUS), said it opposed the policy.
“Straight away, we came out against this directive,” Fugazza said.
“We feel that it discriminates between students and non-students by expressly taking into consideration drunk and inebriated students at bus stops instead of only people at bus stops.”
Fugazza said the FEUS feels the STS has a responsibility to ensure people get home safely, especially when inebriated.
“We take issue with the consequences the directive may have, notably on the effect on the drivers and on the users,” he said.
After the STS and FEUS met, leading to the repeal of the directive, the FEUS released a statement expressing a commitment to working together going forward.
“From the beginning of the meeting, all parties were open to finding a way to resolve the tensions that had escalated in recent days,” the FEUS said in a translated statement on its website.
“Noting the willingness of each and possible solutions made, the STS has agreed to lift the directive it had introduced last week and that allowed its drivers to skip the bus stops where a crowd of students drunk is waiting.”
Huguette Dallaire, general director of the STS, declined to comment on the decision until more permanent solutions are put in place.
“We have taken temporary measures by adding additional supervisors to the routes in question with great confidence that permanent measures will come out of our discussions,” she told Montreal’s 98.5 FM radio station.
“It is the collaboration of students that is required now to find solutions to the problems,” she said. “We want to encourage dialogue and give it a chance.”
The release stated that in three weeks, after each side has had the chance to consult its members, the STS, police services, the FEUS, the master’s and doctoral student association, and the bus drivers’ union will gather to meet again in hopes of implementing a permanent solution.
An OC Transpo representative said when dealing with drunk passengers, drivers are supposed to contact the company to deal with individual issues.
“If an operator has a concern regarding the safety of an intoxicated individual or if an intoxicated passenger is causing a disturbance, the operator will contact the OC Transpo Control Centre so that the proper authorities can be dispatched to provide assistance,” OC Transpo manager of transit safety and enforcement James Babe said.
