The Official Transit Thread

[jd22_]

all these plans sound good

but maybe they should look into approving some routes first

as i know some friends of mine who go to capilano and live in Coquitlam and have to take 2 sometimes 3(depending on the time) buses to and from school

Mercy. Why are they going to cap? Douglas is much closer, and pretty much equivalent in pricing.

[BuckyHermit]

Mercy. Why are they going to cap? Douglas is much closer, and pretty much equivalent in pricing.

Maybe they're going to Cap because it's now a university.

Or maybe they're big fans of "The Dead Zone" and recognize the Library Building as the filming location for the Christian university scenes...

[Common sense]

The 491 was absolutely ridiculous today, apparently there was an accident on Granville? Also it seems that they're using those yellow coach buses for 490/491/496 too often... sure they're more comfy if you actually get a seat but it sucks for people standing. Plus so many idiots don't get out of their seat until the last possible second, when they will attempt to plow through everyone while shouting "WAIT WAIT!" Come on people, unless you have some sort of disability, you can get up 20 seconds before the bus actually gets to the stop.

Even if you're sitting, it's not that comfy. I still prefer the 40ft lowfloors (7000 series) to anything else.

[ronthecivil]

Mercy. Why are they going to cap? Douglas is much closer, and pretty much equivalent in pricing.

They are going to cap, cuz it's a transit hub.I don't haved an good idea on transit on the suburbs, you can'tg hve good transit on tghe suburbs. I know thqt sound simpoosbile, bu tdamn, nest thing you knmow, oyu want a brigdge onvewr eh second nerrrowws.

Sometimes, I just don't know if any of the advice I give is taken with any heart at all.

[Common sense]

They are going to cap, cuz it's a transit hub.I don't haved an good idea on transit on the suburbs, you can'tg hve good transit on tghe suburbs. I know thqt sound simpoosbile, bu tdamn, nest thing you knmow, oyu want a brigdge onvewr eh second nerrrowws.

Sometimes, I just don't know if any of the advice I give is taken with any heart at all.

Alright! Drunk posting on CDC!

[BuckyHermit]

Bus courtesy in Vancouver is so lacking.

When you see a passenger who is elderly or has a mobility disability, you're supposed to yield your seat to them, right? It's basic transit courtesy. Why is it that anyone below the age of 30 with a visible mobility disability (ie. using a cane or a crutch) usually don't even receive this courtesy?

I've been using a mobility device (that is not a wheelchair or a scooter) for the past nine school days now, and I take a minimum of 2 buses one-way to school, with a daily total of 4. So 9 school days * 4 daily bus trips = 36 bus trips minimum. The number of times anyone has shown basic transit courtesy: 1. 1 out of 36 is 2.8%.

On a packed 491 bus, this angered a lady so much that she struck up a conversation with me about this, speaking her words pointedly towards the people around us. Some of them were listening, and even glanced over -- then continued to ignore us. Another day, as I was struggling to negotiate my backpack on the ground while someone tried to squeeze past me on a packed bus, a girl sitting at the front saw my predicament -- then proceeded to stare out the window for the rest of the trip. I've seen better manners in downtown Los Angeles, for goodness sakes.

If this was a one-time event, I wouldn't be so astounded. But this happened on 35 out of 36 trips. There's no excuse for that. Even if I lived in Vancouver and had to take 2 buses (one each direction) to school, it would still be 1 in 18, which is 5.6% -- still alarmingly low.

I'm starting to feel thankful that last year, I commuted during off-peak times. Yet another reason why I'd like to drive to school instead, and the reasons have to do with TransLink AND some of the ignorant people out there.

Edited September 13, 2008 by BuckyHermit

[nitronuts]

NDP wants security at all SkyTrain stations

Transit police chief calls idea 'almost impossible'

Frank Luba, The Province

Published: Thursday, September 11, 2008

Transit user Graham Pipher likes the idea of having someone -- either an attendant, security person or transit police officer -- in each SkyTrain station while it is open.

"I believe their presence would provide security no matter what time of day," said Pipher, 25, who was waiting for a bus yesterday at Cambie Street and 25th Avenue.

Across the street the NDP was holding a press conference in front of an under-construction Canada Line station to announce calling for added security on the new line in addition to the Expo and Millennium SkyTrain lines.

Pipher would also support turnstiles in the station, as provincial Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Kevin Falcon has promised, but he wants security people first.

"I think having the real, actual person is much more efficient than a turnstile," he said.

The press conference was led by Vancouver Kingsway MLA Adrian Dix, who has issued a 10-point SkyTrain safety plan that begins with a call for 50-per-cent more SkyTrain police and an attendant or security person at each station.

He was supported at the press conference by Jenn McGinn, the NDP candidate for the Vancouver-Fairview riding bisected by the Canada Line, and by federal Vancouver Kingsway NDP candidate Don Davies.

"When there are live people there, [at stations] it prevents things from happening," said Dix, who would also like harsher penalties in the Criminal Code for assaults against transit workers and transit users.

Davies, who thinks all three levels have to get more involved in transit, proposed paying for the extra security by using a cent per litre of the gas tax collected.

"To say the safety of passengers is not affordable is wrong," he said.

Putting police officers in every station would be "almost impossible," according TransLink police chief Ward Clapham.

"We'd need hundreds [of officers]," said Clapham, who took over the 154-member force July 21.

Clapham favours individual responses.

"I think we need to get to the root of the problem in each area, in each neighborhood and then come together in partnership to think of the different types of response," he said. "In some cases it may be a physical person. It may not be, depending on what the problem is."

Both Dix's plan and a petition supporting it can be found on his website at www.adriandix.ca.

fluba@theprovince.com

What do you think?

Tell us by e-mail at provletters@theprovince.com, or by fax at 604-605-2223. Please include your name and address.

© The Vancouver Province 2008

[That's What She Said]

Even if you're sitting, it's not that comfy. I still prefer the 40ft lowfloors (7000 series) to anything else.

True... there's almost no leg room.

Bus courtesy in Vancouver is so lacking.

So true... the other day I was waiting to get on a packed bus and I saw that there was a very pregnant lady behind me. I thought that there was a possibility that not everyone would be able to get on, so I kind of stood back to let her get on first. But when I turned to look I found that some jackass had already cut in front of her, and he cut in front of me too. Absolutely ridiculous. Anyway, we both managed to get on but at first, no one offered up his seat. Finally an old lady, who'd been looking around hoping that someone else would do it, got up. It was unbelievable... there was no way that anyone could've not known she was pregnant, she looked like she was a good 6 months in.

[BuckyHermit]

So true... the other day I was waiting to get on a packed bus and I saw that there was a very pregnant lady behind me. I thought that there was a possibility that not everyone would be able to get on, so I kind of stood back to let her get on first. But when I turned to look I found that some jackass had already cut in front of her, and he cut in front of me too. Absolutely ridiculous. Anyway, we both managed to get on but at first, no one offered up his seat. Finally an old lady, who'd been looking around hoping that someone else would do it, got up. It was unbelievable... there was no way that anyone could've not known she was pregnant, she looked like she was a good 6 months in.

This reminds me of a story I read once on a blog, written by someone who was also from Vancouver:

On the buses to and from school, there's usually nowhere to sit. So one day, I was standing, as usual, when a blind man and his guide dog got on and sat in an empty "courtesy seat." A few stops later, someone in a wheelchair got on, and no one stirred. No one, that is, except the man with the guide dog. Uncertain if there were still seats available, he called out, "Shall I move?"

I'm no longer surprised to hear stories like these.

[trevforever]

Mercy. Why are they going to cap? Douglas is much closer, and pretty much equivalent in pricing.

Douglas does not have a film school and hes taking film school classes

[nitronuts]

I posted this in another topic a few weeks ago, but here's a sneak peak of the Canada Line traveling from Bridgeport Station to YVR:

Part 1 - Train arriving at the Bridgeport platform

[kurtzfan]

B.C. students demand universal price for U-Pass Fri Sep 12

by Erin Walkinshaw

Student unions across Vancouver are opposing Translink BC's revenue-neutral policy that results in some students paying more than others for the same transit services.

In 2003, universities in Vancouver struck a deal with Translink BC to implement the U-Pass program that gives students at these universities unlimited access to public transit at a student-friendly price.

However, according to Natalie Bocking, external relations officer for the Simon Fraser Student Society, the U-pass program "is discriminatory towards students based on what school they attend."

Students at University of British Columbia (UBC), for example, pay $23.75 per month for a U-Pass, while students at Simon Fraser University pay $24.50 per month for the same pass.

Additionally, many schools are still not part of this U-Pass program.

Lori MacDonald, executive director of the Emily Carr Students' Union, said Translink BC was asking students at Emily Carr to pay $40 for a U-Pass. As a result, the students at the school declined to take part in the U-Pass program. Instead, students at the school would have to buy a monthly Translink pass for about $73.

According to Bocking, Translink BC created this revenue-neutral policy to avoid losing money. She said she thinks they wanted to make the same money they were making before the U-Pass program came into effective. As a result, schools that had a high number of public transit users before the U-Pass was implemented are now charged more for the pass than the schools who had a lower number of public transit users.

"Translink wants to ensure they make revenue," MacDonald said.

Translink BC was not available for comment.

Geoff Atkins, associate vice-president for land and building services at UBC, said he has been very vocal about this issue, advocating for a common price.

Atkins said he is trying to expand the program to colleges. Not including colleges in the U-Pass program "is the wrong approach to take," he said.

According to Atkins, some students feel the universities are getting preferential treatment.

Student unions are hoping to make the cost of the U-Pass an issue in the November municipal elections.

Although no action on this issue was taken last year, MacDonald said Vancouver mayoral candidate Gregor Robertson has been quite active on the issue of standardized pricing for the U-Pass.

"It's tricky," Bocking said, "because although the Mayor's Board ratifies Translink policies, the municipal government doesn't have as much power in this area as they used to."

Despite students wanting a standardized price for the U-Pass, Atkins said the program has been extremely successful, and the average student saves about $800 per year with the U-Pass.

The program has already been renewed twice with a high majority as a referendum is held every three years to renegotiate the price of the pass, said Bocking.

Atkins said UBC raised parking prices to help fund the U-Pass program, and encourage the use of public transit as it reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

"[The U-Pass] is a reliable, low-cost alternative" for commuter students, Atkins said. v

[Columbo]

"Translink wants to ensure they make revenue," MacDonald said.

I hate when people say this like it's a bad thing.

[nitronuts]

Expand the U-Pass program??? The transit system is already overflowing, lets back off on further expansions for a little while.

As for all this complaining, the asking price for the U-Pass for other colleges is still well below the price of a monthly pass....what more do they want? Of course, schools like UBC and SFU will have lower prices.....it's basic economics, with so many more students.

[Common sense]

Expand the U-Pass program??? The transit system is already overflowing, lets back off on further expansions for a little while.

As for all this complaining, the asking price for the U-Pass for other colleges is still well below the price of a monthly pass....what more do they want? Of course, schools like UBC and SFU will have lower prices.....it's basic economics, with so many more students.

I'm all for students getting a upass and Transit making money, but rejecting a $40/month offer when you're paying more than 73/month is ridiculous.

Transit's overflowing; that's when I'm all for increasing the price of a upass for UBC and SFU. Don't get me wrong; I go to UBC too and I abuse the upass, but getting passed by 4 buses in the morning shows something is wrong...

[Rypien37]

TRANSIT SUCKS!!!!

(from my experiences, except the WCE, which is awesome)

[Neil]

I just moved to London (UK) - their transit system is brilliant. I think it's much harder to keep things efficent when the rail system is completely above ground.

All i know is that you never have to wait more than 3 minutes for the next train here, and when they get "delayed", it means they'll take 2-3 extra minutes

[tom_1]

I posted this in another topic a few weeks ago, but here's a sneak peak of the Canada Line traveling from Bridgeport Station to YVR:

Part 1 - Train arriving at the Bridgeport platform

">

[BuckyHermit]

I'm all for students getting a upass and Transit making money, but rejecting a $40/month offer when you're paying more than 73/month is ridiculous.

Transit's overflowing; that's when I'm all for increasing the price of a upass for UBC and SFU. Don't get me wrong; I go to UBC too and I abuse the upass, but getting passed by 4 buses in the morning shows something is wrong...

Only 4?

[kurtzfan]

I wish Translink can increase the bus frequency for Sundays.

I want go to Gary Point park... The Terry Fox Run at 10... but 402 only comes every hour. As a result, I have to catch the bus at 9:06am.

That's too early!!!!!!