A $100,000 Winnipeg Transit advertising campaign will be a waste of money because it won't change anyone's mind about driving to work, a city councillor charged yesterday.

"People already know the transit alternative is there," Coun. Harry Lazarenko (Norquay) said after transit unveiled an advertising program yesterday to lure riders.

"Past experience shows ad campaigns don't increase ridership."

Lazarenko, who drives to his job at CN Rail's Transcona shops because he would have to transfer twice by bus, said the campaign may appear more successful then it will really be because recent gasoline price increases could prompt people to switch to a bus.

He also said some people always switch to a bus in winter because of road conditions.

Nick Iafolla, Transit customer services superintendent said public transit usage has declined across Canada in recent years and the advertising effort is geared more to stemming the decline than to increasing ridership.

He said previous ad campaigns aimed at specific services such as the DASH system proved successful and the impact of the current campaign will be determined by a survey after it has ended.

"What we say is there are good reasons for riding the bus," Iafolla said, adding he uses blue recycling garbage bags because he believes in them, not because they're more convenient — they're not.

Transit director Rick Borland said officials know — service — not an advertising campaign — is what attracts riders, noting the Telebus service averages 25,000 calls a day and the number of bus shelters in recent years has risen to 550 from 300 — about 25 of which are heated.

However, Borland said officials also hope motorists will consider busing it to work once a week, just to give it a try.

"We realize public transit can't be all things to all people," he said, adding he drives to work because his Kingston Row home is a long walk from the nearest bus stop.

Part of the ad effort centres on environment concerns and includes a green and white paint job for 10 buses to be used mainly in the DASH (Downtown Area Shuttle) system and to the Forks.

Borland said urban motorists annually consume 40 per cent of Canada's energy, compared with two percent by public transit.

He said efforts have been made at increasing ridership in outlying areas of Winnipeg by making service more frequent, but the efforts failed because increased ridership did not cover the extra cost.