Yet again the city has decided to embark on another program to reduce ridership as a means of finally getting rid of public transit in Winnipeg.

The steps have been incremental but effective.

Continually raising prices, reducing service, sending out unreliable old buses, and making it inconvenient to run errands on the way home are the main points of their program.

After every fare increase, I see fewer familiar faces on the bus as people get fed up with the cost and poor service. Imagine a single parent having to take two children older than four somewhere by bus.

Let's say that the bus breaks down in the dead of winter, as happened to me three times last year. How does that help get you to the doctor's office on time?

Then on the way home you'd like to stop off at the grocery store and pick up a few things?

You know that your next bus should be along in 20 minutes. As you walk back to the bus stop after 15 minutes you watch your bus go whizzing past ahead of schedule.

So now you've got to wait probably 25 minutes for your next bus. Remember, it's winter, there's no shelter at this stop, and you've got two small children with you.

This has been an enjoyable trip, hasn't it?

Imagine if department stores ran their stores like city transit operates. Prices would always be going up, store shelves would often be empty, there would be fewer cashiers working, store hours would be short, erratic and inconvenient, and the stores themselves would keep closing and moving to more remote locations.

The department stores would soon be out of busiiess.

Public transit works well in other cities.

I cannot understand why it also cannot be made to work here.