More full buses pass waiting riders after Winnipeg Transit network overhaul, new data says

When Winnipeg Transit rolled out its redesigned route network this summer, the city promised faster, more frequent and more efficient service, but new data says many riders are instead watching full buses roll past.

Pass-ups — when a bus is too full to take on additional passengers — rose sharply this fall compared to last year, Winnipeg Transit's own numbers say.

From September to November, there were 6,971 pass-ups, nearly 1,200 more than during the same period in 2024, an increase of more than 20 per cent.

On a chilly Winnipeg morning, commuters lined up at Jubilee Station, hoping the next bus would have room. For some riders, pass-ups have become routine.

Una Du said she’s been passed up in the afternoon, when buses arrive already full from downtown.

"If I miss this one, I may miss the next one," she said. "I need to wait another half-hour."

Du relies on multiple bus transfers to get home from work, and a single missed bus can delay her entire commute. She says the new network feels slightly better overall, but pass-ups still cause stress and uncertainty.

Another rider, Darien Duclos, takes the bus to and from downtown five days a week. He’s learned to expect pass-ups, particularly during the afternoon rush.

"I leave early just to try and catch the buses," he said. "I've kind of learned to expect it now."

Transit officials say pass-ups typically rise each September, as students return to school and workers settle back into post-summer routines. They also point to continued ridership recovery following the pandemic.

After dropping sharply during COVID, fall pass-ups have risen steadily as service levels returned. This year's increase is the largest since the pandemic, though still below the peak levels seen in the years immediately before COVID.

September 2025 pass-ups are comparable to September 2019, which Transit considers the most recent "normal" pre-pandemic year.

"There are also more people taking the bus during peak periods. This impacts on-time performance and pass-ups," city communications manager Alissa Clark wrote in a statement.

"Our ridership has been slowly recovering from the effects of the pandemic. When we look at pass-up numbers from this September, they are in line with pass-ups from September 2019, which is our most recent baseline of a 'normal' year since COVID."