New Winnipeg Transit Plus booking system aims to remove barriers

Posted on May 21, 2024 by Peggy

Riders will have an easier time planning trips with Winnipeg Transit Plus once changes to the service’s booking system kick in next month, the city says.

A Winnipeg Transit Plus on-request mobile and web application and an automated phone service are set to launch soon, the City of Winnipeg said in a news release Tuesday.

The service provides door-to-door transportation for people who require a level of assistance not provided on a Winnipeg Transit bus.

From June 11 to 18, riders will experience some changes in the way they book trips, the city said. By the 18th, the automated phone service, which has voice response technology, will launch.

The app will be available by July 9, though a select group of people will have access to it before then.

The new system was developed by Spare Labs, a Vancouver-based company that creates transportation software.

Winnipeg Transit On-Request, which has been running as a pilot project since 2021, will become part of the Spare Labs system later this year.

E-cash payments will be available with the new system, the city said. A one-time transfer of up to $200 from Transit Plus accounts to e-cash is being offered as part of the launch.

Customers will be able to add a payment method to their profiles to pay for trips.

These changes will remove barriers in the current booking system, the city said. It also will allow more trip requests and better route planning, and will boost ridesharing, the city said.