Effective Nov. 1, all buses operating on Manitoba roads must have functional passenger heating systems, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor announced today.
“Many Manitobans travel by bus for personal, business, educational or medical reasons,” Naylor said. “Whether travelling by bus is the only option or their preferred choice, all passengers must be safe and comfortable when travelling during cold weather.”
The regulatory amendments to the Vehicle Equipment, Safety and Inspection Regulation and the Commercial Vehicle Trip Inspection Regulation under the Highway Traffic Act will also require daily inspection checks for heating systems on certain buses.
The changes will:
- require functional passenger heating systems on all buses;
- detail methods of inspection to ensure heating systems are operational; and
- add passenger heaters to the list of equipment that must be inspected before starting a trip.
“For northern bus passengers travelling overnight during the winter, working heaters are a necessity,” said Colleen Smook, mayor of Thompson. “They’re a vital piece of safety equipment on highways where communities are hundreds of kilometres apart.”
Naylor noted the regulatory amendments were initiated following reports of passengers travelling during frigid temperatures without adequate heat.
Bus operators and employers in the transportation sector will need to ensure compliance with the new regulations, which may involve inspecting and upgrading heating systems before the onset of winter.