A Winnipeg Handi-Transit user says she was baffled after seeing a trainee strapped into a lawn chair in the front of a Handi-Transit van.

"In the spot where there's supposed to be a wheelchair, there was a lawn chair," said Rebecca Kozak.

Kozak, a regular Handi-Transit user, said she was picked up at her Fort Rouge home on Tuesday around 7:25 a.m.

Kozak, who is visually impaired, said she did not notice the chair at first. She realized shortly into the trip that things didn't look quite right and snapped a picture. Rebecca Kozak said she was concerned for the man's safety, as well as her own. (Supplied)

"I even sent the picture to my husband and was [wondering] is this a new kind of wheelchair? Am I missing something?" she said.

Her husband confirmed to her that she was, in fact, seeing a lawn chair.

Kozak said the seatbelt was fastened to the floor, but the lawn chair was not anchored. Her first concern was for the man's safety.

"If we get T-boned, that chair — and the person in it — is going flying," she said.

Kozak said when she arrived at her destination, the driver told her that the man in the chair was a trainee.

"My thought was that he was training someone that he probably shouldn't be training. I don't think Handi-Transit would sanction that," she said.

Kozak said she didn't say anything further to the driver, but she reported the incident to the City of Winnipeg's 311 service line after she arrived at work. The City of Winnipeg says Handi-Transit operators are required to reinstall the passenger seats while training. (Rebecca Kozak)

She said 311 instructed her to call Handi-Transit directly. Handi-Transit told her that complaints usually take 10 business days to process.

Kozak said the Handi-Transit employee seemed surprised but did not seem to have a sense of urgency or concern for the man's safety. Kozak was told that a manager would be informed.

"This guy is out here being dangerous. You need to do something now," she said.

Driver suspended

Handi-Transit is run by the City of Winnipeg's public transit system. A city spokesperson says contractors are required to reinstall the front passenger seat in modified vans when they are training a new driver.

The city also said this kind of behavior is unacceptable and the driver has been suspended. The vehicle in question has been taken out of service.