Saskatoon Transit drivers are not happy with the plastic curtains installed to shield them from passengers, devices the head of their union says only work properly on some buses in the fleet.

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 president Darcy Pederson said the curtains were measured and cut for the city’s Nova buses and can obstruct the right-hand mirror when installed on New Flyer models.

As a result, some drivers have filed occupational health and safety concerns and around a dozen are refusing to use the curtains at all and driving with a surgical mask and plastic face shield, he said.

“In general, they’re disappointed with the protection put in place. They would rather have the Plexiglas (shields),” Pederson said, adding that there are also gaps in some of the curtains.

He said the curtains on the Flyer bus may contravene the provincial Traffic Safety Act, which states that no person shall drive on a public road without a “clear view … to the front and to both sides of the vehicle.”

“It’s working, for now,” Pederson added, referring to the measures taken by drivers who aren’t using the curtains. “But, realistically, it’s not something that can go longterm. The long-term solution is putting in the Plexiglas.”

The curtains were installed in late May and early June, ahead of Saskatoon Transit resuming fare collection and front-door entry. Fares were suspended and reardoor entry introduced in March.

Saskatoon Transit director Jim Mcdonald said the curtains are an “engineered control” that work fine in the Nova buses but require some “creative strapping ” in New Flyer buses to ensure mirrors are not obstructed.

“It’s not the best thing, but it is what we’re seeing as a best practice,” Mcdonald said, adding that he was “somewhat” surprised by the 12 operators’ decision to refuse to drive with the curtain in place.

“(But) it’s their right to refuse, and to be given alternate methods of working.”

The curtains have been examined by Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) and provincial government occupational health and safety officers, Mcdonald said. SGI deems it appropriate to lean forward to check a mirror, he added.

“You’re supposed to move forward and backward and look around, and if you have to lean a little bit, to the left or the right, that’s part of driving.”

SGI spokesman Tyler Mcmurchy said in an email the curtains are being treated as a pilot project, and the Crown corporation has requested that any concerns be brought to its attention for review.

“When some drivers did raise concerns about the barrier, it is our understanding that Saskatoon Transit worked with those individuals to resolve the issue,” Mcmurchy wrote.

This is not the first time ATU Local 615 has called for Plexiglas shields to protect drivers. Pederson made a similar request in a letter to city council ahead of a special meeting in late May.

“ATU would like to see permanent shields replace the plastic barrier in the near future not only to help reduce the spread of (COVID -19) but to also prevent driver assaults,” he wrote at the time.

Mcdonald reiterated his earlier comment that there is no funding for temporary Plexiglas shields to replace the plastic barriers.