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nitronuts

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Probably both? Since InTransitBC contributed $750 million to the Canada Line?:unsure:

Yes, but Translink doesn't operate the line because it is a P3. The situation is that InTransit puts forward cash along with the government. But for the private company putting cash into building it, they get the rights for X number of years to run the line and make what ever profit they can. So I don't imagine that Translink is getting a single nickle of ad money from the Canada Line ads.

We are already starting to see the signs of why P3's are bad with this line as already highlighted in this thread. Translink will keep skytrain running later during the Olympics to help people get to and from all the night life. InTransit has said no...all in the sake of making more profit. Which they will take out of the region because even though the name suggests they are a BC company they aren't.

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Yes, but Translink doesn't operate the line because it is a P3. The situation is that InTransit puts forward cash along with the government. But for the private company putting cash into building it, they get the rights for X number of years to run the line and make what ever profit they can. So I don't imagine that Translink is getting a single nickle of ad money from the Canada Line ads.

We are already starting to see the signs of why P3's are bad with this line as already highlighted in this thread. Translink will keep skytrain running later during the Olympics to help people get to and from all the night life. InTransit has said no...all in the sake of making more profit. Which they will take out of the region because even though the name suggests they are a BC company they aren't.

Of course, without that $750 million it probably would still be being argued about. Sure not opening later during the olympics is a con (and seriously, are they not open to any negotiations at all, it's like no one even tries) but the 750 million dollars was a huge pro.

P3s, like any other deleviry model, will have it's pros and cons, and it's time and place.

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Yes, but Translink doesn't operate the line because it is a P3. The situation is that InTransit puts forward cash along with the government. But for the private company putting cash into building it, they get the rights for X number of years to run the line and make what ever profit they can. So I don't imagine that Translink is getting a single nickle of ad money from the Canada Line ads.

We are already starting to see the signs of why P3's are bad with this line as already highlighted in this thread. Translink will keep skytrain running later during the Olympics to help people get to and from all the night life. InTransit has said no...all in the sake of making more profit. Which they will take out of the region because even though the name suggests they are a BC company they aren't.

There's nothing wrong with P3's. It's a proven method of funding and running infrastructure. Of course, if you look only at the worst examples you could say otherwise and it is an extremely biased political view you have there.

The problem at hand with the Canada Line is not the concept of a public-private partnership, but rather the contract RAVCO made with the private sector. The main issue is that infrastructure is a public good, and handling over a public good to the private sector requires significant public oversight in both design and operations. That never materialized.

Successful P3's for rapid transit systems include the Hong Kong MTR and the London Docklands Railway.

I will say that because of InTransitBC's $750-million, we won't have to pay banks ridiculous interest rates for loans over the next few decades (the Expo and Millennium Line's will wind up costing about $5-billion for the BC provincial treasury).

Edited by nitronuts
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Translink is finally getting around to installing universal transit symbols/markers to identify major transit and rapid transit services in the region. (akin to the London Underground symbol or the Hong Kong MTR symbol that points people the way).

They will try to install it on the SkyTrain Canada Line as well as all Downtown stations in time for the Olympics, and the rest of the region will come after.

from the buzzer:

Look out for the big T: new transit station markers are here

img00193.jpg

New T markers will be posted at three Canada Line stations this December. This one is at Richmond-Brighouse Station.

Hey hey — look out for big white T signs at three Canada Line stations.

The T signs are our new transit station markers, acting as beacons to help you to spot the location of transit nearby. (The T stands for “transit”.)

They’re planned for the entire system, but we’re putting them up at Marine Drive, Bridgeport, and Richmond-Brighouse Stations first.

So why are we doing this?

Well, the big Ts are part of our new wayfinding standards: that is, a new system of signage and information sharing to help you better plan trips and get around our system. It’s a really big project and we’re still hard at work on it.

As you also probably know, cities worldwide have similar markers to help wayward riders find transit services. For example, London has its famous red, blue, and white roundel logo to help you find transit.

How the Ts work

02-alternatemarker.jpg

Artist’s rendering of alternate T markers for some stations. This is not the final location for this sign!

The large Ts, which are 1m square and stand 6m tall, are meant to guide you to a nearby station or exchange. Maps inside the transit facility will then help you figure out where you’re going.

But since a tall T beacon isn’t necessarily the best sign for all locations, we’ve also put together an alternate, shorter blade-type marker. It’s slated to have both the T and additional information.

By the way, the maps inside the stations and the alternate marker are also part of our new wayfinding system.

04-richmondbrighouse.jpg

New maps at Richmond-Brighouse. These new maps include a simplified regional transit network diagram, which has already begun to appear on the system. There’s also a diagram showing the routes of buses leaving that specific facility and where to catch them, and a walking map showing destinations that can be reached on foot from that facility, for customers arriving on transit. And these maps have already been installed at three Canada Line facilities: Marine Drive, Bridgeport, and Richmond-Brighouse. So what’s next?

img00190.jpg

Well, for the Olympics, we’re also hoping to get some Ts and other wayfinding signage installed in downtown Vancouver.

However, that project depends on installation and approval timelines — if we aren’t able to put them in by December 31, they will go up after the Olympics.

And for the future, we’re hoping to roll out these wayfinding elements further across the system.

But I’ll keep you posted on that — we’ve got to see just how much our current funding situation will allow us to do.

Edited by nitronuts
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Three TransLink executives let go

METRO VANCOUVER -- Three top senior TransLink executives have been let go, a little more than a month after a comptroller-general’s report criticized the transit authority for its “excessive” number of senior staffers.

But TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie said the departures of the three executives — who held posts in human resources, information technology and capital management — were part of a move by TransLink to “find efficiencies” and not related to the report.

The move started before the provincial government had even asked for the comptroller’s report, he said.

Hardie couldn’t say how much money would be saved by the loss of the three executives, saying TransLink would need some time to work through some of the details with them.

TransLink, under the guidance of then CEO Tom Prendergast, had sought late last year to find efficiencies in the transit system and “get more for less,” Hardie said.

“We went at this looking at the work that needed to be done and the resources needed to do it,” Hardie said.

This included eliminating duplication of services.

The capital management division, for instance, which is involved in vehicle acquisitions and the Vancouver Transit Centre, was doing similar work to that undertaken by Coast Mountain Bus.

As TransLink isn’t currently involved in building large new projects, it’s looking at redesigning its corporate management structure.

The move to find efficiencies came as TransLink was facing a looming cash crunch. The regional mayors’ council has since approved a $130-million supplement to help keep transit services running at existing levels.

Hardie noted TransLink has about 23 vacancies right now and more are anticipated as a result of a hiring freeze.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Three+TransLink+executives/2331692/story.html

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