Winnipeg Transit lost seven million riders between 1987 and 1989, prompting two city councillors to call for an investigation.

In separate interviews, Couns. Evelyne Reese and Harry Lazarenko, members of works and operations committee that oversees transit, called for a full investigation of transit finances and operations.

"There has never been a regular, full disclosure of such things that I am aware of," Lazarenko, a works committee member for more than 10 years, said, referring to the ridership figures.

Both Reese (Langevin) and Lazarenko (Mynarski) blamed transit fare increases in recent years for the decline in riders. They warned a five-cent increase being proposed for Feb. 1 could add to the decline.

Transit manager Rick Borland said he had no objections to an operational audit of the utility's efficiency.

He attributed the decline primarily to the city's changing demographics, economy and limited resources.

Both Reese and Lazarenko said they didn't know of the ridership losses until Jeff Lowe, a consumer advocate and a transit critic, raised them at a recent committee meeting.

"They (transit officials) are playing games," Lowe said, adding it's important councillors know about declining ridership before being asked to vote on fare increases.

Lowe said the proposed five-cent increase, to be considered by city council next week, is the second in less than a year. The fare rose five cents last May.

Lowe noted the biggest decline in ridership was in 1988 when it dropped 5.2 million to 55.3 million after city council voted to increase the adult fare by 10 cents to $1, breaking the so-called psychological barrier of cheap transit fares.

In 1987, transit had 60.5 million riders — 830,000 less than in 1986. Last year, ridership was 54.2 million — 1.1 million less than in 1988.

The three-year slide in ridership did not affect the annual revenue because of fare increases.

Transit, which spends about $80 million a year, takes in about half of it in fares.

The deficit is picked up by the city and the province on a 50-50 basis on the theory that transit is an essential service similar to police and fire and must be subsidized through taxes.

Borland admitted the ridership decline in 1988 was because of a "significant increase in transit fares implemented in March 1988."

He agreed that the 10-cent increase in 1988 was "significantly above the rate of inflation," but insisted a fare increase alone can't be blamed for the ridership decline.

Borland also denied councillors were not informed of the ridership losses, noting the information is published in the city's annual report.

"It's not up to me to comment what councillors know," he said.