B.C. woman says bus driver threatened to refuse service unless she put on a jacket

A B.C transit rider is speaking out after she said she was told she couldn’t board a bus because of the clothing she was wearing.

Catie Alvarez, a Vancouver resident, was visiting her boyfriend in Kamloops Friday morning when she tried to take public transit but a female bus driver refused to let her. 

“I started to walk forward and then she's like, ‘Hold on. You need to put something over that if you're going to come onto my bus,’” she recalled, adding the driver accused her of not wearing a shirt. “I'm wearing a shirt, it's called a crop top. I bought it in the shirt section of the store. I know it's a shirt.”

Alvarez was allowed to ride the bus once she put her boyfriend’s jacket on top.

She said she went on three other buses that same day and none of the other drivers made any comments about her outfit.

“It’s completely inappropriate behavior in my opinion to sexualize a woman against their will, especially when they're trying to be comfortable in the heat,” she said.

NO SHOES, NO SHIRT, NO SERVICE

BC Transit does have a policy on clothing, which states people must wear a shirt and footwear for safety reasons or the driver will refuse service.

Alvarez said she was told her shirt wasn’t appropriate because it exposed too much of her back.

“I was so shocked that a woman was telling me that my shirt was inappropriate in 2023 when crop tops are literally worn, like, every day and in 30 degree heat,” she said.

BC Transit said it is aware of the incident.

“Our organization works hard to provide a respectful, safe and inclusive environment for everyone on our buses, and we apologize to the customer for any harm this incident may have caused,” it wrote in an emailed statement.

Jen Marchbank, a Simon Fraser University professor of gender, sexuality and women’s studies, said girls and women can face judgement from covering too much, such as a wearing burqa, to wearing too little.

“My initial thought was just another example of women's attire being policed,” she told CTV News. “If someone's using their personal opinion on something to decline the public service, well, that in itself would be something that should be investigated.”

BC Transit said it is investigating the incident, which will include reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing the bus driver.

“We are also following up with our operating company to ensure all drivers are trained on and following our protocols,” it said.

Avarez said she would like the driver to get further education.

“I don't want it to keep going on for other women. I think it's inappropriate for women to be sexualized and refused service,” she said.