The union for Vancouver's bus drivers says that the Granville Mall is one of the most dangerous stretches in the downtown core, and it's only a matter of time before a pedestrian gets hurt -- or worse.
Bus driver Jose Guballa says he sees it all the time on his route down Granville Street: pedestrians who just aren't paying attention.
"They're not even looking. They just cross the street with their iPods and stuff like that," he told CTV News.
Pedestrians might not be used to buses running again in the entertainment district; Granville Street was closed to traffic for more than four years because of Canada Line construction.
When the mall reopened to buses in September, the union carried out an informal survey and counted more than 400 jaywalkers in an hour.
The City of Vancouver has launched a safety campaign to remind people not to jaywalk and to look for buses.
But the Canadian Auto Workers union local that represents the bus drivers says the city's approach isn't working.
"We don't see any change in the number of jaywalkers. The number is still high and for us, continues to be a public safety concern. We're concerned about pedestrians being struck by oncoming buses," said Carlos Moreira, vice president-elect for CAW Local 111.
"It's just an accident waiting to happen."
The union wants more signs and barriers separating buses from pedestrians.
TransLink says the consequences can be severe if a bus driver has to brake suddenly for pedestrians.
"It takes a lot of stopping power, a lot of stopping distance for those buses. We're talking 15 tons of iron coming down there, and for people on board, there's a risk of on-board injuries if the driver has to strike the brakes suddenly because someone has stepped out," spokesman Drew Snider said.
A spokesperson for the city refused an on-camera interview, and would only say the union is welcome to raise concerns.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Jina You
