MAYOR Sam Katz unveiled his transit task force yesterday, dropping a loud hint that a light rail system could be the answer to the city's bus woes.

The task force, chaired by Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt, has six months to decide how to rescue the city's underfunded transit system and determine what form of rapid transit to build.

Katz, who recently rejected plans for a high-speed bus corridor to the University of Manitoba, said the city deserves light rail transit, which usually involves speedy, electric trains that run on special tracks.

"I believe our citizens deserve the best that's out there. Why should Winnipeggers settle for anything less?" he said.

Katz said he believes the city can find the money for an LRT system, though critics say most train-based systems cost five to seven times more than bus rapid transit.

Katz recently toured Ottawa's transit system, which relies on a combination of light rail transit, high-speed bus-ways and regular on-street buses.

Katz said Ottawa spent $40 million three years ago to build an eight-kilometre stretch of LRT to Carleton University. The cost of the O-Train's first phase was a fraction of the estimated cost of Winnipeg's proposed speedy busway down Pembina Highway.

But Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, also a member of the task force and a bus rapid transit advocate, said Ottawa's experience is not quite so simple.

The O-Train was built on existing rail lines, which helped mitigate the cost, and the trains are powered by diesel engines instead of electricity, making the system less environmentally friendly. And, she said the O-Train is not exactly rapid. The trains travel about 40 km/h, not the 80 km/h the speedy buses can go on dedicated corridors.

"It's funky to ride the O-Train, but we need to reduce travel times if we're going to increase ridership," she said.

Ottawa recently inked a deal with the federal and provincial governments to share the $600 million needed to extend the O-Train into downtown Ottawa. Gerbasi said Winnipeg may not be able to absorb that kind of cost.

Joining Wyatt and Gerbasi on the transit task force will be Point Douglas Coun. Mike Pagtakhan.

A six-person advisory committee was also unveiled yesterday. It includes Jino Distasio, acting director of the University of Winnipeg's urban studies institute; Deborah Goodfellow, a real estate agent and president of the Manitoba Real Estate Association; Sandy Hopkins, a business consultant and former president of the city's chamber of commerce; Russell Malkoske, an insurance adjuster and community activist; John Mann, a retired Inco miner and union leader; and Barry Prentice, director of the University of Manitoba's transport institute.

Coun. Donald Benham, also a bus rapid transit advocate, was critical of the committee's makeup, saying only one member took the bus to work on a regular basis. Two members had never even ridden on a city bus, he added, and there were no students on the committee.

And Benham said the task force will simply be recreating the pile of studies that have already found bus rapid transit to be the best alternative for Winnipeg.

The task force has a budget of $220,000 for a consultant, advertising, public meetings and report-writing. The members of the advisory committee will get a $100-per-meeting stipend.

Public consultations should begin in January and the committee hopes to produce a discussion paper in the spring. That will be followed by more public consultations and a final report forwarded to council in June.