Colleagues of a Winnipeg Transit driver called police after he drove to the depot at the end of his shift Monday and they thought he was intoxicated, police said.

Patrol officers were called to the transit garage on the 400 block of Osborne Street just before 7 p.m., the Winnipeg Police Service said Tuesday.

The officers learned the man had just driven his bus into the garage, where other Winnipeg Transit staff, who believed he was drunk, questioned him and called authorities.


MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
                                A Winnipeg Transit driver has been accused of impaired driving.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES

A Winnipeg Transit driver has been accused of impaired driving.

The 28-year-old is facing charges of driving while impaired and failing or refusing to comply with a breath demand. He was let out on an appearance notice ahead of a court date.

It’s unclear how long he had been driving while allegedly impaired and whether he had picked up passengers.

“We are taking this matter very seriously and are both conducting an internal investigation and co-operating fully with the police,” said City of Winnipeg spokeswoman Julie Dooley.

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However, she said, officials could say little about “personnel matters” or or anything related to an active police investigation.

The head of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, which represents bus drivers, also declined to comment.

President James Van Gerwen said the union is aware of the incident and that the matter is being investigated.

“Public safety is paramount and these allegations are extremely serious,” said Van Gerwen.

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