Canada Line | Completed

[Whalleyboy]

then why the heck did they write intransitbc all over the c-line trains if there not operating it=S

[mr.x]

^ true. i didn't think InTransitBC would still be around being they were contracted for design, build, and operate...and they handed off the latter to another organization, perhaps subsidiary, that is called ProTransBC.

[ravman]

Originally Posted by mr.x

And really, every politician/party "fudges" the truth.

and yet u blame the ONE.... just wait and see the super fudget budget

Originally Posted by whatnext

More fudging on the truth from Gordo and BC Libs. First turnstiles were "always part of the plan", then just after the Olympics and now early 2011

Its not rocket science, they can buy an off the shelf system.

Originally Posted by mr.x

^ yea, i've definitely forgotten it's that expensive now. I've had the benefit of using my awesome UBC U-Pass for the last two years.

Transit rates went up last year and they are going to go up again because the govt refused to divert money from the gas tax....

only ONE party said they would reverse the transit hikes.....while the other said they would expand the UPASS ( rates unknown) to all by next Sept... but i will believe it when i see it.

Originally Posted by mr.x

With fares that high, one could only wonder why it's only at 10%...

$3.75 or $7.50 return between Vancouver and Richmond??? Do they even want people to ride this thing?

Translink is predicting approximately thirty-three million boardings in 2010.

Translink has a contract guaranteeing those numbers and if those numbers do not occur, then Translink would be fully responsible for the shortcomings.

37,000 new transit users are going to have to use the Canada Line -->this does not include the existing users that will be switching from the buses.

Ten percent of the Canada Line riders will be from the airport and this fact alone places Translink at a risk of approximately eight million dollars per year over the span of the 35yr contract.

The Expo line travels through denser neighbourhoods than the Canada Line and yet the projections for the Canada line are over a hundred percent higher.

Originally Posted by deasine

Where did you hear that from? I'll drive to work (before the Canada Line opens) if that's the case but it's $45 per month to park at YVR and you have to ride an employee shuttle.

Staff parking at YVR is free...

Originally Posted by Whalleyboy

then why the heck did they write intransitbc all over the c-line trains if there not operating it=S

i am surprised they didnt write BC LIBERALS everywhere....

[deasine]

Originally Posted by ravman

Transit rates went up last year and they are going to go up again because the govt refused to divert money from the gas tax....

OOOO WOW... hey guess what... everything costs more too! Gas went up since 1999.

Enough with the politics.

Originally Posted by ravman

Staff parking at YVR is free...

Ummm how would you know?

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by ravman

and yet u blame the ONE.... just wait and see the super fudget budget

Since you insist on turning every single issue into a polarized political debate....



The One? Who is that? Jesus?

Look at your own mirror...perhaps, something that happened around the late-90s? Also known by the same name that is bolded? hint. hint.

Transit rates went up last year and they are going to go up again because the govt refused to divert money from the gas tax....

only ONE party said they would reverse the transit hikes.....while the other said they would expand the UPASS ( rates unknown) to all by next Sept... but i will believe it when i see it.

Translink wouldn't even be in this mess had the NDP not caved into public pressure and canceled plans to put in place a car levy that would have financially supported the transit authority.

Granted, both parties are at fault here.

i am surprised they didnt write BC LIBERALS everywhere....

Last I recalled, the SeaBus ferries were painted red, white, and blue when they were first put into service. Then when the NDP came around, they painted them orange as they were the party's colours.

[WarrenC12]

Don't forget JFK in NYC is just part of the system. Ditto for airports in Rome and Istanbul, I checked those in advance of my trip in the fall.

Bottom line is we are in the vast minority with this surcharge to the airport, and it is further conpounded by our poor fare checking/auditing system currently in place.

[metroXpress]

^

haha for the SeaBuses

[ckkelley]

^
Wow, what a terrific orange colour that is. lol!

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by deasine

Ummm how would you know?

I park for free at the airport... So does everyone else I know who works there.

You just have to park in the employees parking lot, which sucks big time.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

I park for free at the airport... So does everyone else I know who works there.

You just have to park in the employees parking lot, which sucks big time.

yes i was looking up job openings and the volunteer jobs say it includes free parking

[deasine]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

I park for free at the airport... So does everyone else I know who works there.

You just have to park in the employees parking lot, which sucks big time.

I'm charged $45 per month. But I know YVR actually bills your employer so it's their option I guess to charge you or not...

[officedweller]

WRT the Seabus - I think orange was the original colour, wasn't it? I think the NDP set up that system.
At the time, I think that all of the BC Hydro (before BC Transit) buses were painted with orange and brown stripes (or am I imagining things?)

[DKaz]

Weren't the Socreds in power at the time?

[Overground]

BC Hydro in 1973, who ran transit, had changed the green and blue stripes on buses to yellow and orange when the Province(NDP won the 72 election but the Socreds gained power again from 75 onward)took over transit planning and policy for them. In 1977 they changed again to orange and brown, the same year the SeaBus started.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by Gordon

It will be interesting to see how Translink polices the special YVR fair zone. It's not like Translink to have a person on each YVR bound train,
I don't think having a straight honor system will be that effective it'll be very easy for people to just forget the add fare.

We currently rely on the honor system to enforce the zone structure on the Skytrain or the Seabus. What makes people remember to get the right number of zones on their ticket is the fact that if they forget, and they are caught, they get a huge ticket. The same principle would apply to the Canada Line on YVR. I would like to believe that 90% of people are honest, and if not, its at least a combination of honesty + fear to reach the 90%. You don't have to catch everyone to make it work, just catch enough people to scare everyone in line who isn't honest. There is a clear boundary between Bridgeport and Templeton where a team of 2 can check most fares in a single car (just like how I typically see the police checking fares between Rupert and Gilmore).

Even though it's more expensive, it does look like it will work in a similar manor to adding an extra zone on top of a 1 zone monthly pass, you just need to add it to any pass/ticket. So I don't see how it can be that hard to enforce or use. If you are coming from a bus or other skytrain onto the Canada Line and already have a ticket, you are passing right by the TVM on the way into the Canada Line Station, so what makes it so difficult to buy an add fare?

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

Even though it's more expensive, it does look like it will work in a similar manor to adding an extra zone on top of a 1 zone monthly pass, you just need to add it to any pass/ticket. So I don't see how it can be that hard to enforce or use. If you are coming from a bus or other skytrain onto the Canada Line and already have a ticket, you are passing right by the TVM on the way into the Canada Line Station, so what makes it so difficult to buy an add fare?

But that's the problem. Translink is thinking of $$ and not customer sevice. I shouldn't have to buy an add-fare halfway through my journey - it's just so backwards. Smartcards will eliminate the need I suppose.

[officedweller]

From the Richmond News:

Burkeville residents: exempt from levy

Richmond News


Friday, July 10, 2009


Snider said the exact amount of the extra charge has still to be ratified by the TransLink board.

The extra charge is almost certain to have an effect on the number of Richmond people who will use the Canada Line to get to YVR.

It's a point that isn't lost on the airport.

"The premium that TransLink are charging has been a topic of conversation from the very beginning," said airport spokeswoman Sue Ross.

"We knew that there was going to be an additional charge of some kind for people using the airport portion of the line.

"Revenue from that doesn't come back to the airport. We've had people working in this file for years and they've been concerned about this fare, but it's not our call."

Ross said it remains to be seen whether the extra charge will discourage people from using the Canada Line to get to the airport.

Meanwhile, Snider laid to rest rumours that the Templeton station, between YVR and Bridgeport, would not be open to the public and especially to residents of nearby Burkeville.

"Burkville residents will be allowed to use the station," he said. "In fact, YVR employees and Burkeville residents will be exempt from this extra charge."

The News reported earlier this month that, due to very successful testing runs, the Canada Line could open even earlier than it's already expedited Labour Day launch.

The vast majority of local bus routes to Vancouer and transit services from south of the Fraser River are being redirected to serve Canada Line stations in Richmond.

A dedicated bus lane on Highway 99, north of Westminster Highway, is being constricted to ease the passage of buses to Canada Line's Bridgeport station.

However, this may not be complete in time for the earlier than expected Canada Line launch, and bus services to Vancouver from south of the Fraser River may still continue for a short while.

© Richmond News 2009

TransLink tells cost of YVR stretch
Fare for family of 4 will come close to taxi ride

Alan Campbell
Richmond News

Friday, July 10, 2009

It's going to cost Richmondites 30 per cent more to ride the new Canada Line out to YVR than it will for them to travel to Waterfront station downtown.

TransLink revealed this week that it's mulling over charging a $2.50 special levy for people to ride the Sea Island stretch of the Canada Line, which runs from Bridgeport to the airport.

Currently, a two-zone fare from the centre of Richmond to downtown Vancouver costs $3.75.

With TransLink's extra fare for Sea Island travel, the cost from the centre of Richmond out to YVR (which is still technically in the same zone) would be $5.

That means the cost to travel on a bus to a Canada Line station in Richmond and then to YVR for a family of four -- including two kids at concession age -- could be around $17.50, about the same as a taxi fare which would not involve waiting at bus stops and Canada Line stations.

TransLink's spokesperson, Drew Snider, said the public has known for a long time there would be an extra fare for travel on the Sea Island section.

The Vancouver Airport Authority, which owns YVR, has kicked in a maximum of $300 million toward construction of the Sea Island arm of Canada Line.

But Snider explained the additional levy, which was earmarked three years ago to be around $2 per person, will bridge a shortfall in funding.

"This (levy) will help close the funding gap in building that stretch of the line," he said. "This has always been the plan and it's been known to the public for some time. It's a premium for people using the Sea Island portion of the line."

It's unclear how much it cost to build the Sea Island section of the line and how much of a funding shortfall there is.

© Richmond News 2009

[lightrail]

Transit price must be right
Richmond News
Published: Friday, July 10, 2009

We're fully in support of public transit here at the News, but we know transit needs to be both cost effective and convenient to lure drivers out of their cars.

It's a tough sell for Richmondites to take the Canada Line to the airport when the fare will be $5 for a single-zone ride.

As we have reported on page 1 of today's paper, TransLink is considering a $2.50 special levy for people to ride the Sea Island stretch of the Canada Line, which branches off from the main line at Bridgeport station and continues to the airport.

We're beginning to wonder if TransLink really wants any of us to ride the Canada Line. First of all, there's a ridiculous lack of park-and-ride facilities for the city centre. The sole park-and-ride lot will be at the River Rock Casino Resort, and will have a cost attached to it.

Then there's the extra charge for the Sea Island line. Not only will it cost Richmond residents more to travel to YVR than it will to travel all the way downtown to Waterfront station, but the fare to the airport for a family of four will come close to the cost of a taxi.

We think our estimate of $17.50 for a family of four is a tad too rich to persuade people onto the bus and train.

Granted, building the Canada Line was not cheap and one way or another, as a society, we have to pay for it. But if trudging, with your luggage, to a bus stop, getting on and off a bus, then getting on and off a train ends up costing more than taking a cab, guess what?

We are all for public transit and the Canada Line is an important part of that -- but it's only a part. For this system to really work, cost and convenience have to be considered.

Richmond News - July 10
http://www2.canada.com/richmondnews/news/opinion/story.html?id=40274732-9647-4730-a6de-8bcb3de81e7c

BTW - google labs new newstimeline is a great way to search for Canada Line articles. Just type in "Canada Line" with the quotes and you get a timeline of articles that mention Canada Line www.newstimeline.googlelabs.com

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From the Richmond News:
The extra charge is almost certain to have an effect on the number of Richmond people who will use the Canada Line to get to YVR.

It's a point that isn't lost on the airport.

"The premium that TransLink are charging has been a topic of conversation from the very beginning," said airport spokeswoman Sue Ross.

"We knew that there was going to be an additional charge of some kind for people using the airport portion of the line.

"Revenue from that doesn't come back to the airport. We've had people working in this file for years and they've been concerned about this fare, but it's not our call."

Geez - even the airport is concerned about the levy. So why is Translink insisting on pushing this through? Makes no sense, except that they're short of funding so see this as a means of grabbing extra cash. It's really a sneaky fare increase.

Translink - I'm really disappointed. Drew Snider can spin it anyway he wants, but people will not use it if the fare is too high.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by lightrail

www.newstimeline.googlelabs.com

That is awesome. I've Googled Skytrain and now I'm reading some of the early articles from when Skytrain just opened.