New Canadian fearful of Winnipeg Transit driver after bad experience

A new Canadian says she’s hesitant to take the bus to work following a scary experience with a Winnipeg Transit driver last week.

Jordyn Dip, who says she’s now fearing for her safety, is wondering if she’ll ever take route 28 towards Garden City again.

“So the bus came, I stepped in,” she recounted. “I had the umbrella holding. So I turned … I shook (the umbrella) and closed it and when I was trying to close it, that’s when (both my hands were) outside the door and the door closed on my hand. Both hands and the umbrella. And that’s when I was screaming and I asked him to open the door.

“When I saw the bus driver closing the door on me, I was kind of screaming because I was in pain.

“I thought he did that accidentally but when I asked him the question, he said I should be thankful I’m here and I’m in the bus he’s driving.

“I didn’t expect an apology but I didn’t expect how he answered.”

Dip, who is from Bangladesh, officially became a Canadian citizen this year, after living in Canada for nine years.

“I’m not gonna lie, I feel like an outsider and I try my best to contribute to the community as much as I can,” she said.

Dip says the day of the incident, her wrists needed icing, but they healed by the weekend.

Since then, Dip has been taking an Uber to work.

Winnipeg Transit said in an email statement its bus operators are trained to respectfully navigate interactions of all kinds with the public. It says Dip’s experience is being thoroughly investigated internally.

“Winnipeg Transit takes all passenger complaints seriously,” the transit authority wrote.

“Our top priority is to ensure we provide a safe service for the public. All Winnipeg Transit bus operators are trained to respectfully navigate interactions of all kinds with passengers and the public.

“While we cannot comment specifically on this incident, I can share that we are thoroughly investigating it internally.”

Dip says she didn’t feel safe for the rest of the bus ride, nor does she envision feeling safe in the future.

“It’s the same bus driver I have to go through every day when I go to Garden City for work,” she said.

“I want him not to treat people like that. If he expects respect, which I believe he gets from passengers, he should do the same.”