Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by nname

Well, Translink does says that later this year, they'll cancel the 4.5% lowest performing service and reinvest the resource into above-average performing routes... so guess which ones that will be canceled and which one would expand? I'm pretty sure the two routes near my home would be in that 4.5%...

Interesting. So they've picked the chicken instead of the egg? IE: Bring transit to those who use it, don't bring the transit in order to generate usage.

[DKaz]

I can see the 388 getting canned, maybe the 364 and the Lougheed to New Westminster Station portion of the 112.

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Interesting. So they've picked the chicken instead of the egg? IE: Bring transit to those who use it, don't bring the transit in order to generate usage.

Which means more service in Vancouver and Burnaby - those routes already recover cost and are very busy. Less service to the suburbs, mainly Surrey - meaning more people driving.

It would be a downward spiral and set the region back 10 years.

I can't beleive how the Province continually bungles lower mainland transit - they never get it right. Translink as it currently stands is just as useless as the old Translink. The Province imposes high priced systems, but offers no additional money to operate them. There's in point in having Translink with this model, the Province might as well just run the transit system under the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastucture.

Translink: We don't want Canada Line, can't afford it.
Province: But we do - either approve it or we'll fire the lot of you

Translink: We don't want Gateway
Province: But we do, we're building it regardless of what you and the 2.1 million residents of region think

Translink: We would like to see low-floor LRT on Evergreen integrated into the Community
Province: We want SkyTrain and we're going to build Skytrain, but we'll stiff you with part of the bill and all the oeprating costs

Translink: We would like to use a Vehicle levy to pay for transit improvements
Province: We don't want you to that, so regardless of saying you must find innovative new ways to fund Transit, don't you dare try to tax the poor car driver

With decisions like this - what's the point of Translink?

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Interesting. So they've picked the chicken instead of the egg? IE: Bring transit to those who use it, don't bring the transit in order to generate usage.

Generating usage costs more money - that sounds like a nice pet project for when we have consecutive years of budget surpluses, not for the current economic situation.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by lightrail

Translink: We don't want Canada Line, can't afford it.
Province: But we do - either approve it or we'll fire the lot of you

Translink: We don't want Gateway
Province: But we do, we're building it regardless of what you and the 2.1 million residents of region think

Translink: We would like to see low-floor LRT on Evergreen integrated into the Community
Province: We want SkyTrain and we're going to build Skytrain, but we'll stiff you with part of the bill and all the oeprating costs

Translink: We would like to use a Vehicle levy to pay for transit improvements
Province: We don't want you to that, so regardless of saying you must find innovative new ways to fund Transit, don't you dare try to tax the poor car driver

With decisions like this - what's the point of Translink?

I'm not sure your descriptions are entirely accurate. Translink is broken, but mainly their funding model. And yes, the Province sticks it's nose in and tells them what to do, but as long as that comes with a giant capital spend, I don't have too much of a problem with it.

What does tick me off, is places like Surrey and the Valley clamouring for more transit, and yet Translink points at their existing transit numbers as some of the worst cost recovery in the system. That's why I'd like to have cities sign a contract with Translink. Surrey wants a BRT down KG? Sure.. guarantee some # of daily boardings and Translink can make it happen. Lets say that # is 10,000. If they don't have those boardings, the city will pay a fine. Same deal with LRT, a Skytrain extension, etc. That way Translink isn't "forced" to spend a pile of money and watch as people continue to take their cars.

That being said, I think a strategy needs to be developed now for the new PMB. There will be a lot of people wanting to switch to transit rather than paying a toll.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Zassk

Generating usage costs more money - that sounds like a nice pet project for when we have consecutive years of budget surpluses, not for the current economic situation.

Yes I'm not disagreeing with Translink's decision. I'm tired of the whiney municipalities, they are just giant NIMBYs.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I was at olympic village station today and had to wait a bit for a machine all three were busy and all 3 had at least one or two people waiting to use them and that was Olympic Village!

If I were Translink, I'd move a dozen of the old fare machines from the Expo and Millennium Line and use them on the Canada Line during the Olympics.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by lightrail

Which means more service in Vancouver and Burnaby - those routes already recover cost and are very busy. Less service to the suburbs, mainly Surrey - meaning more people driving.

It would be a downward spiral and set the region back 10 years.

I can't beleive how the Province continually bungles lower mainland transit - they never get it right. Translink as it currently stands is just as useless as the old Translink. The Province imposes high priced systems, but offers no additional money to operate them. There's in point in having Translink with this model, the Province might as well just run the transit system under the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastucture.

Translink: We don't want Canada Line, can't afford it.
Province: But we do - either approve it or we'll fire the lot of you

Translink: We don't want Gateway
Province: But we do, we're building it regardless of what you and the 2.1 million residents of region think

Translink: We would like to see low-floor LRT on Evergreen integrated into the Community
Province: We want SkyTrain and we're going to build Skytrain, but we'll stiff you with part of the bill and all the oeprating costs

Translink: We would like to use a Vehicle levy to pay for transit improvements
Province: We don't want you to that, so regardless of saying you must find innovative new ways to fund Transit, don't you dare try to tax the poor car driver

With decisions like this - what's the point of Translink?

And why shouldn't our elected representatives tell a bunch of bureaucrats what to do? The Province and the Cities should be bossing Translink around all the time, that's their job, to represent our wishes.

[Zassk]

Last night there were 4 ticket machines at Yaletown and 4 at Bridgeport (and all working!) - is that an improvement? I only remember there being a couple of machines at each station previously.

[deasine]

I know there were only 2 originally at Yaletown, so that's definitely good.

[GoogalieBear]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

And why shouldn't our elected representatives tell a bunch of bureaucrats what to do? The Province and the Cities should be bossing Translink around all the time, that's their job, to represent our wishes.

Ideally, the "bureaucrats" are the professional who has more long term vision of how things should be done rather than bending to the whims of popular opinions. Of course, ideally elected officials should also have the moral compass of doing what is "right" for the long term rather than what will keep them in office, but then we know what happens there...

[SpongeG]

so i got on at waterfront yesterday afternoon - there was a guy standing on the platform everyone got on the train but him, finally just before the doors closed he jumped on and he starts talking to some other passenger he says does this go to Richmond? and the other guy was like yes and the dude says why does the front of the Train Say Waterfront?

he was a little confused I guess but it just goes to show some people just don't pay attention to anything

[Yume-sama]

Can one buy a monthly pass and not have to validate themselves every time they go on the train, like with Faresavers?

If so, where do you buy a monthly pass ?

[SpongeG]

pretty much every corner store - like 7-11 etc - make sure you scratch the correct part if you buy a multi zone pass though

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by lightrail

Which means more service in Vancouver and Burnaby - those routes already recover cost and are very busy. Less service to the suburbs, mainly Surrey - meaning more people driving.

It would be a downward spiral and set the region back 10 years.

I can't beleive how the Province continually bungles lower mainland transit - they never get it right. Translink as it currently stands is just as useless as the old Translink. The Province imposes high priced systems, but offers no additional money to operate them. There's in point in having Translink with this model, the Province might as well just run the transit system under the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastucture.

Translink: We don't want Canada Line, can't afford it.
Province: But we do - either approve it or we'll fire the lot of you

Translink: We don't want Gateway
Province: But we do, we're building it regardless of what you and the 2.1 million residents of region think

Translink: We would like to see low-floor LRT on Evergreen integrated into the Community
Province: We want SkyTrain and we're going to build Skytrain, but we'll stiff you with part of the bill and all the oeprating costs

Translink: We would like to use a Vehicle levy to pay for transit improvements
Province: We don't want you to that, so regardless of saying you must find innovative new ways to fund Transit, don't you dare try to tax the poor car driver

With decisions like this - what's the point of Translink?

I have no ides what Gateway has to do with Translink being given restrictions. If anything it will actually allow transit to resume over the Port Mann Bridge. Also, the 701 from Maple Ridge no longer has delays like it did with the old Pitt River bridges (sometimes it would sit for over 20 minutes in the lineup during counter flow, and was susceptible for when the swing bridges opened, causing over 30 minute delays)

Also I support gateway, and I know many people who do, and the vast majority support at least large portions of Gateway, so your 2.1 million against estimate is a little suspect...

Last, thank god the Evergreen Line is going in as skytrain (as it was originally supposed to be with the construction of the M-line) because as LRT it was going to run at street grade for major portions (adding to traffic volume, being susceptible to traffic accidents and delays, and not being able to integrate into the M-line), all with a cost of 1.2 billion dollars. For only 200 million more we get skytrain, a grade separated faster, higher capacity system that will integrate into the existing network.

That to me sounds like a good decision.

Also I am sure happy they built the Canada Line

Your 4th point I agree with

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

pretty much every corner store - like 7-11 etc - make sure you scratch the correct part if you buy a multi zone pass though

OK. And how much does it cost for a multi-zone pass?

I'd probably only use it a few times, but, I am not waiting in those ticket machine lines.

[CLC]

Originally Posted by Zassk

Last night there were 4 ticket machines at Yaletown and 4 at Bridgeport (and all working!) - is that an improvement? I only remember there being a couple of machines at each station previously.

The number of people waiting in line to use ticket machine is increasing ever since start of January. Yaletown has seen ~20 people waiting this morning. Time to setup "man-service counter" to sell ticket rapidly.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by CLC

The number of people waiting in line to use ticket machine is increasing ever since start of January. Yaletown has seen ~20 people waiting this morning. Time to setup "man-service counter" to sell ticket rapidly.

How about a smart card system? Refillable online? Translink needs to catch up to 2002.

[Yume-sama]

"The World's Best Pick Pockets are Coming to Vancouver."

Vancouver transit police have launched a campaign to warn transit commuters about pickpockets who could be working the crowds in the city during the Olympics.

Some of the thieves could be coming from elsewhere in the world to take advantage of the flood of tourists, according to Sgt. Tom Seaman.

"There may be the local ones that may look for the opportunity, and there may be others from other locations," Seaman told CBC News on Wednesday.

"Whether they are going to come all the way to Canada, I don't know. But we are wanting to make people aware there is a possibility of that and to protect your belongings."

Posters are up on SkyTrain and Canada Line routes warning that, "The World's Best Pick Pockets are Coming to Vancouver."

Officers would also be handing out warning cards to help riders keep their possessions safe, Seaman said.
Practical advice

"They choose the victim," said Norm Bettencourt, owner of TACT Self-Defence in Vancouver.

"They will scan that person first and see if they are not paying attention and they will pick that person who is not necessarily aware of their surroundings."

Bettencourt outlined some simple precautions to help avoid becoming a victim.

* Keep all the zippers closed in jackets and purses.
* Put wallets in a front pocket.
* Pay special attention when people bump into you or spill things on you.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/01/27/bc-pickpockets-warning.html

[deasine]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

How about a smart card system? Refillable online? Translink needs to catch up to 2002.

Not to make fun of the TTC, but they are just implementing their trip planner service.

Calling its recent crisis a “wake-up call” the TTC has announced a series of measures it says will raise the bar on customer service across the transit system.
The changes range from a rider “bill of rights” and new technology to communicate better with passengers, to customer service training for staff and even a review of their uniforms.
They’re meant to raise the bar on the transit system’s customer service after two months of consistently bad news for the TTC. A significant fare increase, a disastrous subway disruption, token shortages and highly publicized photos of sleeping employees have resulted in what TTC chief general manager Gary Webster called “a feeding frenzy” of criticism.
“There’s a higher expectation today and the TTC needs to line up to that expectation,” said TTC chair Adam Giambrone.
He also issued an apology for the “missteps of the last couple of months.”
Details of a previously announced advisory panel, including private sector customer service experts, won’t be available until next week, said Giambrone.
Meantime, he said, “I expect TTC staff will act quickly to restore the customers’ confidence.”
TTC chief general manager Gary Webster acknowledged that the technological changes cited at a city hall press conference Wednesday might be the easier part of the customer service equation.
“The most challenging part of our job is the people side. Some of the real challenges are the one-on-one interfaces of our employees,” he said.
Among the customer service improvements outlined Wednesday were the following:
• Improved customer assistance and more emergency transfers when there are major subway delays.
• More TTC ambassadors at stations to help direct riders.
• A comprehensive review of customer service training for new employees and recertification for older staff. All 12,000 TTC employees, from the front line to management, will be evaluated on customer service performance, said TTC chair Adam Giambrone.
• A review of uniforms and dress code for frontline TTC workers.
• More use of "secret shoppers" to test courtesy across the system.
• A 24/7 hotline for TTC information and complaints.
• 50 new vending machines to dispense Metropasses. There are currently 10.
• Video screens at collector booths and stations to update system status information.
• Text messages for next-vehicle arrival at 800 streetcar stops by July and for all bus stops by the end of 2011.
• LED screens at select shelters and subway stations that have streetcar stops with next vehicle arrival information.
• New microphones in collector booths so employees and customers don't have to yell.
• Online trip planner to be unveiled next week.
• Possible expansion of program that trains summer students to direct riders at busy stations.
• A panel of customer service advisers to be announced next week to advise the TTC on improving its relationship with riders. Panel will conduct public consultations and draft a customer charter or bill of rights. No details on whether riders or employees would be included on the panel, but Giambrone said private-sector advisers and possibly someone from another successful transit system could be included.
The TTC received 31,532 complaints last year. The top two complaints were 5,513 for surface vehicle delays and 3,851 complaints about discourteous employees

Via The Star