Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by DKaz

I did a job shadow with the transit attendants back in high school in 1999... they would give these IOU slips but wouldn't actually write tickets which was odd to me. They were just general transit attendants but I heard they were being phased out eventually... not in a sense of firing anyone just not hiring people anymore and just let the remaining staff eventually retire. These guys were different from Skytrain Attendants who at the time did write tickets I think.

I remember something like that as well. In addition, I remember when the blue coats used to check tickets. They didn't enforce them, but they did politely ask you to pay and it kept honest people honest, which really is the goal. Dishonest people aren't going to be bothered with fare gates, they'll look for a way around them. You're just trying to keep the majority of honest people from feeling like they have to cheat and steal to maintain equality.

Having SkyTrain attendants do fare checks would at least shame SOME people into paying... and give a more secure feeling that those who DO pay aren't wasting their money while their neighbour gets a free ride.

I've seen lots of school age kids politely ask bus drivers for a free ride. They're not "DES" kids either. This was at Joyce station. I asked the driver if that was common, and he said it depends on the route and it's up to the discretion of the driver.

I don't begrudge teenagers that. They don't have a lot of disposable income and they're being open and polite. However, on SkyTrain, it's more of a "gotta hide from SkyTrain guards"

At Metrotown, people wait by the emergency exit for someone to leave (or hope it was left open) so they can sneak up onto the platform.

I think the blue coats should be required to check fares and ask people to pay. They don't need to give tickets out, but some people are just embarrassed enough to get caught cheating that they won't risk it.

[mr.x]

Windows on elevator doors.

I really think Translink needs to stop adopting those for future new elevators at SkyTrain stations. They really are a good safety feature, I find it quite bizarre how they didn't have that for the elevators for the Dunsmuir Granville Station entrance.

It's a shame that the Canada Line doesn't have it. I do know that the elevator atriums are glass walled (at least the elevated stations are), including the elevator cabin. But, how about going all the way?


This is what I'm talking about, picture taken by myself from the convention centre:

[jlousa]

Screw that I like the old elevators better, most girls are hard enough to convince to go down on you in an elevator, with the glass ones it'll be even tougher to talk them into it.
I think glass in on the verge of becoming the next stainless steel anyways, it's overplayed and starting to get old. It has it's place but doesn't need to be everywhere.

[DKaz]

http://www.westcoastexpress.com/docs/news/facts2008.pdf

Some highlights:

• Net operating cost per passenger km has dropped to about $0.019 in 2008 from $0.029 in 2007. In contrast, the net operating cost per passenger km was about $0.16 in 2001.
• Expenses last year was just $17.05 million while revenue was just over $15.59 million, meaning Translink subsidy was $1.46 million, down from over $2 million in 2007. In 2001, the subsidy was close to $9 million.
• Average daily passenger boardings is at 10,500, up from 9,880 in 2007.

Originally Posted by West Coast Express Commuter News - March/April 2009

There'll Soon Be More Of a Good Thing

In December 2008, after extensive effort by our customers and staff to communicate the need for additional equipment, the Translink Board approved the purchase of new rail cars for WCE. As a result, we will be receiving 7 new train cars in the summer of 2010. The addition of the five new coach cars, one cab car, and one coffee car will provide us with more flexibility for putting together train 'consists'.

Over the past ten years, we have seen the growing popularity of WCE result in a more crowded commute with many passengers being frustrated at not being able to find a seat. So we are pleased at what the addition of the new train cars will mean to our passengers. Although there is never a guarantee of having a seat - similar to all other commuting systems - we know that having more trains will help us deliver on a promise to provide a more comfortable, convenient commuter.

Throughout 2009, WCE will be expanding the Mission and Waterfront maintenance yards to provide additional wayside power sources for the new cars, and to reorganize the set-up for easier use. Once the new cars are in place, it will mean that we can lengthen each train by one car, and still have a couple of spares. This is a great imporvement from the past several years, where we have had only one spare, making fleet repair a challenge.

Commentary:

• Right now they have one spare car and one spare locomotive. Adding one car for each of the five trips would mean they would have three spare cars wouldn't it?
• Here's to the West Coast Express paying for itself by 2011 or 2012!
• I think they'll start adding trips once they start making enough of a profit to pay for it. I suspect this will happen when the Evergreen Line opens, further boosting the popularity of the West Coast Express east of Coquitlam Station while attracting even more downtown bound passengers.

Go West Coast Express!

[SpongeG]

can they start more in the middle of the day trips?

[metroXpress]

there's a huge section in the Surrey Leader today promoting TransLink's 2040 Transportation Plan. We know much of the information and forum sessions can be found on bepartoftheplan.ca

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

can they start more in the middle of the day trips?

I think they'll work on adding more Trainbuses in the interim.

[red-paladin]

I use the WCE to get from Poco to Waterfront whenever I can. I have a transit pass through my company that has a great discount, so I find it the best way to go. I take different trains depending on the time I leave work, but I must say that there is almost always people standing, and at the same time, seats available if you want to sit in a corner or next to three other people.
I think it is in just about optimal usage right now, verging on too crowded, depending on the car you are in, the day of the week, or if there are lots of bikes and wheelchairs. It will be great when they add some new cars, but I hope they lengthen the platforms. As it is, when they have 9 passenger cab, the back doors are roped off and you have to walk through the train to get to the open doors at the end of the platform. With one more cab, it's going to be difficult to move at the back without a platform extension.
like all of you, I hope they add a few more trains, although, like we read before, CPR is not very interested / cooperative about it.
In the long run, I also really think a WCE-like train from Pacific Central Station to New West, Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford would be fantastic, and take a lot of pressure off of the Expo line.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

It will be great when they add some new cars, but I hope they lengthen the platforms. As it is, when they have 9 passenger cab, the back doors are roped off and you have to walk through the train to get to the open doors at the end of the platform. With one more cab, it's going to be difficult to move at the back without a platform extension.

I believe they would add a train to the inbound end to even it out. As it is right now, there are three roped off doors on the outbound side and one roped off door on the inbound side.

[Whalleyboy]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

I use the WCE to get from Poco to Waterfront whenever I can. I have a transit pass through my company that has a great discount, so I find it the best way to go. I take different trains depending on the time I leave work, but I must say that there is almost always people standing, and at the same time, seats available if you want to sit in a corner or next to three other people.
I think it is in just about optimal usage right now, verging on too crowded, depending on the car you are in, the day of the week, or if there are lots of bikes and wheelchairs. It will be great when they add some new cars, but I hope they lengthen the platforms. As it is, when they have 9 passenger cab, the back doors are roped off and you have to walk through the train to get to the open doors at the end of the platform. With one more cab, it's going to be difficult to move at the back without a platform extension.
like all of you, I hope they add a few more trains, although, like we read before, CPR is not very interested / cooperative about it.
In the long run, I also really think a WCE-like train from Pacific Central Station to New West, Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford would be fantastic, and take a lot of pressure off of the Expo line.

Metrotown should be in there too along with chilliwack
but also what your looking at is something along the lines of the old interurban

[hollywoodnorth]

!Go West Coast Express Go!

[usog]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

In the long run, I also really think a WCE-like train from Pacific Central Station to New West, Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford would be fantastic, and take a lot of pressure off of the Expo line.

Probably wrong thread, but maybe it should go to Waterfront instead? Dunno, Pacific Central for Long-distance rail, Waterfront for commuter rail? God knows we've already segmented our transit hubs enough already.

[mr.x]

TransLink ridership passes 300 million
High gas prices, traffic congestion, more routes credited for increase

Connie Thiessen BURNABY (NEWS1130) | Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 1:42 pm

BURNABY (NEWS1130) - TransLink's ridership broke the 300 million mark for the first time last year. The transportation authority credits high gas prices and road congestion with the increase in demand for service.

TransLink says there were 302.4 million trips, an increase of 2.9 per cent. Buses remain the most travelled service, with the number of trips growing by 2.7 per cent. SkyTrain ridership grew by 3.3 per cent, while SeaBus trips were up 2.5 per cent. The West Coast Express posted a 5.9 per cent ridership gain over 2007.

Another reason given for the increase in ridership was the record amount of new service hours introduced throughout 2008. TransLink added nearly 270,000 new hours to the schedules, along with several new routes.

http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090408_170835_6740




And ridership is set to jump again with the opening of the Canada Line.

[wrenegade]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

can they start more in the middle of the day trips?

This will be difficult as it will conflict with freight traffic.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by Whalleyboy

Metrotown should be in there too along with chilliwack
but also what your looking at is something along the lines of the old interurban

Where would you put a train station near Metrotown? Or for that matter... tracks?

There are existing tracks along the GrandView Cut and parallel to Lougheed Hwy.

Terminating at Pacific Central.

Of course, the major bottleneck is the turntable bridge in New West.

[officedweller]

The interurban tracks still exist to some degree east of Metrotown under/next to the Skytrain line - but I think that a WCE that hits New West would allow transfers to the Expo Line to Metrotown.

[DKaz]

I think a high speed commuter line belongs down the middle of Hwy 1 with Skytrain connections at Braid and Broadway/Commercial Stations, with a station consideration at Willingdon Ave for connection to BCIT and Still Creek Commercial area and any planned B-Line/Rapidbus planned for that corridor.

Pipe dream though, this is not even on the radar.

[Distill3d]

hey, anyone know if tomorrow service is on a regular Friday schedule or if being Good Friday and all if its a Sunday/Holiday schedule?

[deasine]

Sunday sched. Monday is reg sched.

[nname]

The new paper schedule is out.. seems like they are making it multilingual (5 languages - only the first 1.5 pages though).. the new cover also looks a bit different than the one ones (although I like the old one better).. And here is the back cover.

Stuff that gets removed from the new edition:
- Skytrain first/last train
- Skytrain travel time
- Proof of payment info
- Flag stop info
- Request stop info
- Holiday service dates (now tell you to check website)
- Express route stop procedure (now tell you to check website)
- Fare zone map
- And details about a lot of stuff that's on the back