Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion - Page 222

vanman · #**4421** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 12:56 PM**

DKaz · #**4422** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 2:38 PM**

Meh, the union is just one red tape of many in the system.

WarrenC12 · #**4423** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 3:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKaz

Meh, the union is just one red tape of many in the system.

No kidding. The fact that there are so many companies operating it what is essentially the one transit system is a joke. Coast Mountain, BCRTC, and so on.

deasine · #**4424** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 5:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

No kidding. The fact that there are so many companies operating it what is essentially the one transit system is a joke. Coast Mountain, BCRTC, and so on.

Well at least if one strikes, services on the other don't fall with it.

BCPhil · #**4425** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 6:12 PM**

I thought cleaning was contracted out. Whenever I've seen people cleaning (picking up news papers) the trains, they are wearing a mesh coat that says "CONTRACTOR" on the back. So I'm a little lost right now.

lightrail · #**4426** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 8:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

No kidding. The fact that there are so many companies operating it what is essentially the one transit system is a joke. Coast Mountain, BCRTC, and so on.

Why is it a joke? Translink was set up tyo oversee, coordinate and fund. They contract service providers to provide the services. Ideally, if the contracting is competative, it leads to savings during the competitive bid process. Also, each technology requires different skill sets to operate.

I think it is a good model. It's nothing to do with the unions and everything to do with the Act that establishes Translink - blame the NDP if anybody - they setup Translink in the first place.

Axe · #**4427** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 8:32 PM**

Unions are not always the problem. I'm a union guy (not for skytrain) but i still have to work hard. ......Did you ever stop and think that maybe they don't give enough hours/people to do the job?

ravman · #**4428** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 8:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightrail

I think it is a good model. It's nothing to do with the unions and everything to do with the Act that establishes Translink - blame the NDP if anybody - they setup Translink in the first place.

yah always blame the govt that was in power a decade ago and yet we cannot blame the current govt for not fixing it.... or wait they made the problem worse

Mods: I am on topic

WarrenC12 · #**4429** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 8:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightrail

Why is it a joke? Translink was set up tyo oversee, coordinate and fund. They contract service providers to provide the services. Ideally, if the contracting is competative, it leads to savings during the competitive bid process. Also, each technology requires different skill sets to operate.

I think it is a good model. It's nothing to do with the unions and everything to do with the Act that establishes Translink - blame the NDP if anybody - they setup Translink in the first place.

All of these entities no doubt have their own associated administration bureaucracy that could be eliminated.

Furthermore it probably requires 10x the coordination to run things.

I don't see this as a union issue, more like another layer on top that is unnecessary. I'm not a huge fan of unions in this case, they make things more expensive.

I don't agree with the province privatizing the cleaning of hospitals, since that was shown to be a poor decision, but transit? Come on.

TransitJack · #**4430** Posted **Nov 16, 2009, 10:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by deasine

...services, if it is more, won't be substantial enough to tip TransLink's budget over. Really, if TransLink was desperate with money, most of the SkyTrain stations would already look like the Canada Line downtown ones: walls full of ads.

Have you seen Van City and Waterfront passageways lately? Not a blank wall to be seen. I was so surprised by the amount of ads they put up. Information overload. LOL. But I guess it makes someone money.

jsbertram · #**4431** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 12:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TransitJack

Have you seen Van City and Waterfront passageways lately? Not a blank wall to be seen. I was so surprised by the amount of ads they put up. Information overload. LOL. But I guess it makes someone money.

It's almost the same feeling you get when you visit your favourite camping spot, only to discover a clear-cut on the other side of the lake.

I've noticed a few square feet of space that isn't plastered over with ads, but I don't want to make it easy for Lamar to cover them up with more visual pollution.

Shhhhhh! Don't tell them where.

deasine · #**4432** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 2:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TransitJack

Have you seen Van City and Waterfront passageways lately? Not a blank wall to be seen. I was so surprised by the amount of ads they put up. Information overload. LOL. But I guess it makes someone money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbertram

It's almost the same feeling you get when you visit your favourite camping spot, only to discover a clear-cut on the other side of the lake.

I've noticed a few square feet of space that isn't plastered over with ads, but I don't want to make it easy for Lamar to cover them up with more visual pollution.

Shhhhhh! Don't tell them where.

The amount of ads at CC Stn is just scary: and honestly, who actually pays attention to an ad if there are so many around it? WF Stn has many in their corridor leading from the platforms to the old entrance, but those ones looked better because the blue columns/tiles separated all the ads in couplets.

SpongeG · #**4433** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 6:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbertram

It's almost the same feeling you get when you visit your favourite camping spot, only to discover a clear-cut on the other side of the lake.

I've noticed a few square feet of space that isn't plastered over with ads, but I don't want to make it easy for Lamar to cover them up with more visual pollution.

Shhhhhh! Don't tell them where.

i'm always thinking we lack advertising - not that i want more than we have

but compared to places I have travelled its pretty tame here - in london the tube stations are full of ads and all the way up the escalators on the walls are ads - they could do that at granville burrard etc... phone booths in london were plastered in hooker ads - some were quite explicit most were what you find in the back of the strait though

officedweller · #**4434** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 7:10 PM**

At least Pacific Centre now has a sign up (directly above the doorway, in the current logo) marking the passage to the mall.

Unfortunately, with the construction of the Booster Juice, the Vancouver Centre signage now looks off-centre on its wall and isn't as visible as it was before the Booster Juice was built.

DKaz · #**4435** Posted **Nov 17, 2009, 7:13 PM**

Whoops. Some comments on the article say it wasn't an actual derailment... all the wheels are on a rail. The switch may have prematurely switched before the rear wheels passed through.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_light_rail_derailment.html

Quote:

Seattle light rail derails near train yard
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SEATTLE -- A LINK Light Rail train derailed near the Seattle train yard and messed up the Monday afternoon commute for some travelers.

KING-TV reports no passengers were on the train that was just coming into service when it derailed. The operator was not injured.

Service to the south of Seattle was slower than usual Monday afternoon, with trains arriving less frequently.