Orest Kinasevych has been riding the bus for an hour and still hasn't reached his destination.

He can't wait to get his car from the garage.

After more than an hour on the bus to get from his home near Main Street and the Perimeter Highway to his job on Pembina Highway just south of McGillivrary Boulevard, Kinasevych isn't singing Winnipeg Transit's praises.

While some transit riders interviewed last week think the city service is just fine, others complained of long waits, crowded buses, inconvenient routes and long walks from the nearest bus stop.

City councillors Evelyne Reese (Langevin) and Harry Lazarenko (Mynarski) have demanded an investigation into transit's problems after learning bus ridership fell to 54.3 million people last year from 61.3 million in 1986.

Winipeg Transit needs some heavy-duty promotion, said Coun. Chris Lorenc, chairman of civic works and operations commitee, which oversees transit.

Oxana Sawka, communications director for Ottawa's bus system, said experts tout the environment as a key to boosting transit.

"The environment is really the message ... to seduce people out of their cars. You have to spend money for service and money for advertising."

Lorenc (Sisler) also said Winnipeg has to follow the lead of cities like Calgary and Ottawa in developing suburbs along transportation corridors.

"We haven't done that in Winnipeg. We've looked at transit as an afterthought."

On Wednesday, city council will also debate raising transit fares to $1.15 from $1.10 and hiking the monthly bus pass to $40 from $38. Fares cover half of transit's budget, with the city and province splitting the rest.

Coun. Peter Kaufmann (Seine River) says the time has come when riders have to pay the shot.

"It costs us over $2 to transport people, so I think at $1.15 they're getting a fairly good break."

But Reese disagrees, arguing the government doesn't charge drivers to use bridges and roads.

"The taxpayers have subsidized the car so much more than we've ever subsidized transit," she said.

But Edmonton Transit manager Greg Latham warns fare increases affect riders with other transportation options.

"It depends how you market the increase. Once people leave, for whatever reason, they're history."

Winnipeg Transit rider Cory May agreed, predicting a fare increase won't help transit's ridership problem.

"Buses don't come often enough for me," the part-time university student said. "I end up being late for work, late for appointments.

"If they upped the fares, even fewer people would take it."

But Bob Brown said even if the transit fare is boosted a nickel, it is still a good deal.

"It's cheap, it's convenient, you get on a warm bus in the morning and you don't have to drive," the fourth-year University of Manitoba student said.

Money isn't the only deterrent for some Winnipeg riders.

"The transit system doesn't offer good service and it has a bad reputation" St. James resident Brett Lepeau grumbled.

With his company moving from the Inkster industrial park to Fort Garry, Lepeau figures his daily 45-minute bus trip will be even longer and he doesn't relish the prospect of competing for a seat with crowds of university students.

For retired railway worker Roy Fardoe, some form of rapid transit system (council is considering exclusive busways or light rail) might make public transportation mre attractive.

"I've lived in Montreal for 19 months. If we had a subway system like that, it would be great," he said, plugging the meter at a downtown parking lot.

The transit system suits Fort Garry resident Margaret McDougall just fine.

Although her right knee is stiff from arthritis, she uses the bus for all her travels.

A short walk to the bus stop isn't a problem, but she'll never make a run for a bus. "If I can't make the bus, I wait for the next one."