The Official Transit Thread

[ronthecivil]

I believe the 41 uses both the diesels and trolleys.

Bowen Island gets two commuter ferry services

James Weldon, North Shore News

Published: Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Ambleside may soon be getting its own ferry connection to Downtown Vancouver if a company starting up a new service on Bowen Island gets its way.

Coastal Link Ferries, which started delivering foot passengers directly from Bowen Island to Coal Harbour Oct. 29, plans to expand its service to include a stop in West Vancouver en route some time next year. The change would mean Ambleside commuters could get from the North Shore to the city centre in just about 10 minutes.

"It's essentially a bus on the water," said Peter Green, marketing and communications director for Coastal Link. "Those who've done test runs with us have learned it's a beautiful trip (and) it's very quick."

COASTAL Link's boat holds 65 passengers and will initially run one round-trip a day.

The company is one of two to appear almost simultaneously last week offering new connections from Bowen to the city. Just 24 hours after Coastal Link's Oct. 28 announcement, another service called Granville Island Water Taxi made public its intention to do the same thing to a slightly different destination, running passengers from Bowen to Granville Island and back beginning Nov. 1.

Both enterprises are looking to cash in on the perceived frustration with transit service among Bowen Island's 3,500 residents.

As it stands, islanders must travel by B.C. Ferry to Horseshoe Bay, then either drive or bus through West Vancouver and over the Lions Gate Bridge to downtown, a journey that can take as much as two hours.

B.C. Ferries foot passengers pay about $10 for a round trip, and vehicle passengers up to $30 on top of that. They must also keep their travel to within a relatively restricted timeframe, as the vehicle ferry only runs from about 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The two new businesses hope to benefit from those limitations.

"There's just a big need from a commuter foot passenger point of view," said Kelli Turner, owner of Granville Island Water Taxi. "Residents are getting frustrated with the late ferries and inconsistencies."

How the businesses managed to choose virtually the same start date was unclear, but Green suggested they were both natural outgrowths of demographic change. The problems with commuting from Bowen have always been there, he said, but population growth on the island has only now made it viable for a private ferry service to step in. It has also been boosted by rising gas prices, which have made it less appealing to drive, added Green.

While the two companies will be covering similar routes, the services will differ in several ways. As one goes to Coal Harbour and the other Granville Island, they will be targeting opposite sides of the downtown core. Coastal Link's boats will hold 65 passengers and run once in the morning to Vancouver and once in the evening back to Bowen (although it plans to expand to up to eight round trips daily). Its competitor takes just 12 passengers, but offers runs almost hourly between 6:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m.

Both will take about half an hour to cross (rising to 45 minutes for Coastal Link if and when it adds a stop in Ambleside). Tickets from the island to the city and back will be in the $20 to $25 range, depending on the number bought.

Translink actually looked at doing a foot passenger service to downtown. Where downtown does this thing dock? To dock close to transit would require it to pass underneath the Lion's Gate Bridge, which would result in unrealible service due to Hazardous Material requirements for some ships passing underneath.

[Buggernut]

I believe the 41 uses both the diesels and trolleys.

Bowen Island gets two commuter ferry services

James Weldon, North Shore News

Published: Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Ambleside may soon be getting its own ferry connection to Downtown Vancouver if a company starting up a new service on Bowen Island gets its way.

Coastal Link Ferries, which started delivering foot passengers directly from Bowen Island to Coal Harbour Oct. 29, plans to expand its service to include a stop in West Vancouver en route some time next year. The change would mean Ambleside commuters could get from the North Shore to the city centre in just about 10 minutes.

"It's essentially a bus on the water," said Peter Green, marketing and communications director for Coastal Link. "Those who've done test runs with us have learned it's a beautiful trip (and) it's very quick."

COASTAL Link's boat holds 65 passengers and will initially run one round-trip a day.

The company is one of two to appear almost simultaneously last week offering new connections from Bowen to the city. Just 24 hours after Coastal Link's Oct. 28 announcement, another service called Granville Island Water Taxi made public its intention to do the same thing to a slightly different destination, running passengers from Bowen to Granville Island and back beginning Nov. 1.

Both enterprises are looking to cash in on the perceived frustration with transit service among Bowen Island's 3,500 residents.

As it stands, islanders must travel by B.C. Ferry to Horseshoe Bay, then either drive or bus through West Vancouver and over the Lions Gate Bridge to downtown, a journey that can take as much as two hours.

B.C. Ferries foot passengers pay about $10 for a round trip, and vehicle passengers up to $30 on top of that. They must also keep their travel to within a relatively restricted timeframe, as the vehicle ferry only runs from about 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The two new businesses hope to benefit from those limitations.

"There's just a big need from a commuter foot passenger point of view," said Kelli Turner, owner of Granville Island Water Taxi. "Residents are getting frustrated with the late ferries and inconsistencies."

How the businesses managed to choose virtually the same start date was unclear, but Green suggested they were both natural outgrowths of demographic change. The problems with commuting from Bowen have always been there, he said, but population growth on the island has only now made it viable for a private ferry service to step in. It has also been boosted by rising gas prices, which have made it less appealing to drive, added Green.

While the two companies will be covering similar routes, the services will differ in several ways. As one goes to Coal Harbour and the other Granville Island, they will be targeting opposite sides of the downtown core. Coastal Link's boats will hold 65 passengers and run once in the morning to Vancouver and once in the evening back to Bowen (although it plans to expand to up to eight round trips daily). Its competitor takes just 12 passengers, but offers runs almost hourly between 6:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m.

Both will take about half an hour to cross (rising to 45 minutes for Coastal Link if and when it adds a stop in Ambleside). Tickets from the island to the city and back will be in the $20 to $25 range, depending on the number bought.

Is there any chance they can become Translink subsidiaries, lower their fares and be integrated into the local transit system (ie. accept and issue transfers)?

Whatever has become of the Gibsons-Vancouver service, which was Coastal Link's original plan?

[silverpig]

Why has the #41 Bus stopped using Trolleys? I remember the #41 used to be Trolley during the early 90s. This is why you see those trolley lines along the #41 route.

The 41 does not use trolleys. The trolley lines only go to Dunbar. The 41 goes past Dunbar to Crown (short version) or to UBC (long version). There are no trolley lines west of Dunbar, and certainly not along SW Marine.

Also, the trolley lines are still there so the #16 can get from the depot down to W. Boulevard/Arbutus, and I think for the #7 to Dunbar as well.

[MikeGillis58]

Bowen Island gets two commuter ferry services

James Weldon, North Shore News

Published: Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Ambleside may soon be getting its own ferry connection to Downtown Vancouver if a company starting up a new service on Bowen Island gets its way.

Coastal Link Ferries, which started delivering foot passengers directly from Bowen Island to Coal Harbour Oct. 29, plans to expand its service to include a stop in West Vancouver en route some time next year. The change would mean Ambleside commuters could get from the North Shore to the city centre in just about 10 minutes.

"It's essentially a bus on the water," said Peter Green, marketing and communications director for Coastal Link. "Those who've done test runs with us have learned it's a beautiful trip (and) it's very quick."

COASTAL Link's boat holds 65 passengers and will initially run one round-trip a day.

The company is one of two to appear almost simultaneously last week offering new connections from Bowen to the city. Just 24 hours after Coastal Link's Oct. 28 announcement, another service called Granville Island Water Taxi made public its intention to do the same thing to a slightly different destination, running passengers from Bowen to Granville Island and back beginning Nov. 1.

Both enterprises are looking to cash in on the perceived frustration with transit service among Bowen Island's 3,500 residents.

As it stands, islanders must travel by B.C. Ferry to Horseshoe Bay, then either drive or bus through West Vancouver and over the Lions Gate Bridge to downtown, a journey that can take as much as two hours.

B.C. Ferries foot passengers pay about $10 for a round trip, and vehicle passengers up to $30 on top of that. They must also keep their travel to within a relatively restricted timeframe, as the vehicle ferry only runs from about 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The two new businesses hope to benefit from those limitations.

"There's just a big need from a commuter foot passenger point of view," said Kelli Turner, owner of Granville Island Water Taxi. "Residents are getting frustrated with the late ferries and inconsistencies."

How the businesses managed to choose virtually the same start date was unclear, but Green suggested they were both natural outgrowths of demographic change. The problems with commuting from Bowen have always been there, he said, but population growth on the island has only now made it viable for a private ferry service to step in. It has also been boosted by rising gas prices, which have made it less appealing to drive, added Green.

While the two companies will be covering similar routes, the services will differ in several ways. As one goes to Coal Harbour and the other Granville Island, they will be targeting opposite sides of the downtown core. Coastal Link's boats will hold 65 passengers and run once in the morning to Vancouver and once in the evening back to Bowen (although it plans to expand to up to eight round trips daily). Its competitor takes just 12 passengers, but offers runs almost hourly between 6:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m.

Both will take about half an hour to cross (rising to 45 minutes for Coastal Link if and when it adds a stop in Ambleside). Tickets from the island to the city and back will be in the $20 to $25 range, depending on the number bought.

Just out of curiousity, why not expand the seabus fleet? They should build 4 new seabuses from the current 2 and add new destinations. The seabus has never been given an expansion.

[Buggernut]

Just out of curiousity, why not expand the seabus fleet? They should build 4 new seabuses from the current 2 and add new destinations. The seabus has never been given an expansion.

Seabuses are slow. They're better suited for high capacity short distance travel.

[ronthecivil]

Translink actually looked at doing a foot passenger service to downtown. Where downtown does this thing dock? To dock close to transit would require it to pass underneath the Lion's Gate Bridge, which would result in unrealible service due to Hazardous Material requirements for some ships passing underneath.

Just imagine what the union workers at translink and bc ferries think about this private service and you will probably have your answer.

[Buggernut]

Just imagine what the union workers at translink and bc ferries think about this private service and you will probably have your answer.

Hasn't Translink outsourced to private non-union contractors in the past?

I believe Bowen Island's community shuttle service is one such example.

[BuckyHermit]

(I posted this in the pet peeves thread by mistake... so if you read this before, sorry for making you read it again.)

Another "why do they always have to be female and Asian?" situation today.

I was on the 401 bus, and there was plenty of standing room. An Asian girl was standing right at the back door. The bus got to Minoru Boulevard, and a guy from the back made his way to the back door. He said "excuse me" to the girl, and the girl just stood there and stared at him. The guy gestured to the back door. Again, the girl just stared at him. Eventually, the guy just decided "screw it" and shoved his way to the back door, and exited the bus.

This is so similar to the description from BlueDragon about the window seat person, it's not even funny. Except it's a door this time.

[BieksaRocks]

(I posted this in the pet peeves thread by mistake... so if you read this before, sorry for making you read it again.)

Another "why do they always have to be female and Asian?" situation today.

I was on the 401 bus, and there was plenty of standing room. An Asian girl was standing right at the back door. The bus got to Minoru Boulevard, and a guy from the back made his way to the back door. He said "excuse me" to the girl, and the girl just stood there and stared at him. The guy gestured to the back door. Again, the girl just stared at him. Eventually, the guy just decided "screw it" and shoved his way to the back door, and exited the bus.

This is so similar to the description from BlueDragon about the window seat person, it's not even funny. Except it's a door this time.

FAWK!

that happens SOO Many Freaking times on ma bus.

Notice...almost ALWAYS, its a group of asian girls, and ONE of them will get a seat. the rest will just CROWD around her and chat. they dont and WONT MOVE back to the end of the bus when its getting crowded let alone MOVE OUT OF THE FAWKING WAY! DO THEY LIKE NOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH OR WHAT?! AND THEY ALWAYS TALK SOOOO LOUD IN Canto (sorry but...i've noticed....most of them are canto) or mando or W/E while the rest of us are trying to sleep!

wtf where are your manners?!

SPEAKING OF MANNERS

on my way back home from post-secondary today, i got off the skytrain, got on the bus, sat down at the REAR of the bus (the 5 seats one...), 2nd from the right, and then this F@Wking guy who was sick got on, and sat down next to me.

ok so the guy caught the flu, big deal, its normal! i get sick too! so i didnt mind him at all, EXCEPT

All of a sudden he got on his phone and talked....sorry that was an understatement...he SHOUTED on the phone (exaggeration) in Canto WHILE EVERYONe in the rear was trying to sleep.

HE coughed without making ANY attempts WHATSOEVER to cover his mouth, SPRAYING EVERYWHERE, PICKED HIS FREAKING NOSE AND WIPED IT WHO KNOWS WHERE, burped out loud, AND FAWKING LEANED BACK, YAWNED and STRETCHED, AND PUT BOTH his arms on the back of the seats left and right of him.

FAWKING pissed me right off since i had to sit to the left of him, leaning AWAY and Forward for the whole f-ing trip. I would have switched seats EXCPET the ONLY empty seat left was TO THE RIGHT OF HIM. No one dared sit there after seeing him pick his nose and cough nonstop, and me inching away...

No fawking manners whatsoever.

If he was a little kid, then ok whatever i wouldn't care.

But He was a 35+ man.

like WTF?

Good thing i was drained of energy from all the midterms....ohterwise i would have snapped at him, tell him to F-off, and learn some f-ing manners....

AND THE OTEHR THING that piss me off is when people take up TWO freaking SEATS on the bus.

ONE for their oh-so-precious backpack and one for themselves. THEY KNOW the bus will get full cuz it ALWAYS does

but nooo they go to sleep!

I gave my seat SEVERAL times to people older than i am (i'm not talking about seniors in this case cuz its one of those things where you dont think. you just get up and give your seats to them...i'm talking about people 35-50s) because i jsut CANT stand other people Lableing racial minority as the same.

60% of them are fawking rude and have no manners, doesnt mean the rest of us are too

sorry for all the swearing....

[hockeyislife4]

^ Meh lots of Cantos out there with bad manners. It's passing on from generation to generation from the looks of your post.

[BuckyHermit]

AND THE OTEHR THING that piss me off is when people take up TWO freaking SEATS on the bus.

ONE for their oh-so-precious backpack and one for themselves. THEY KNOW the bus will get full cuz it ALWAYS does

but nooo they go to sleep!

I gave my seat SEVERAL times to people older than i am (i'm not talking about seniors in this case cuz its one of those things where you dont think. you just get up and give your seats to them...i'm talking about people 35-50s) because i jsut CANT stand other people Lableing racial minority as the same.

60% of them are fawking rude and have no manners, doesnt mean the rest of us are too

sorry for all the swearing....

Especially when one person hogs one seat for him- or herself, and one seat for his or her bag/purse/backpack/whatever, when the bus is already getting full.

And I see so many young able-bodied people falling asleep in the courtesy seats. How are you able to see an elderly or disabled person when YOUR EYES ARE CLOSED? And I'm not talking about 1 or 2 people either. I counted 7 people doing that on the 43 bus yesterday morning. Amazing.

Here's something new to try, for those people: If you want to sleep on the bus, don't sit in a courtesy seat.

I said this before, in this thread: transit manners in Metro Vancouver are so lacking. I've seen better manners in the LA ghettos (and yes, I've taken public transit in the LA ghettos before, more than several times).

Edited November 7, 2008 by BuckyHermit

[nitronuts]

Information and renderings on the $13-million Broadway Station renovation:

http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/pdf/Broad...oards_prf17.pdf

[Common sense]

FAWK!

that happens SOO Many Freaking times on ma bus.

Notice...almost ALWAYS, its a group of asian girls, and ONE of them will get a seat. the rest will just CROWD around her and chat. they dont and WONT MOVE back to the end of the bus when its getting crowded let alone MOVE OUT OF THE FAWKING WAY! DO THEY LIKE NOT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH OR WHAT?! AND THEY ALWAYS TALK SOOOO LOUD IN Canto (sorry but...i've noticed....most of them are canto) or mando or W/E while the rest of us are trying to sleep!

wtf where are your manners?!

Here's what you do. I tried it out on Wednesday on the 496 (same bus as the 2 seater Asian lady thing).

1.) get on the bus.

2.) As the people around you to cover up your ears.

3.) Yell (in CAPS, of course ) "MOVE BACK! THERE'S PEOPLE UP FRONT, Y'KNOW. YES, ALL THE WAY BACK."

That allowed about 7 more people onto the bus.

[Buggernut]

AND THE OTEHR THING that piss me off is when people take up TWO freaking SEATS on the bus.

ONE for their oh-so-precious backpack and one for themselves.

If not that, then nowadays, it'll often be one for the left buttock and one for the right buttock.

[Ambulocetus]

Since douchebags never get the freaking hint until something is repeated over and over, let's just make this point here in the transit thread, as well:

When you get on the bus, take your stupid backpack off!

[BuckyHermit]

Since douchebags never get the freaking hint until something is repeated over and over, let's just make this point here in the transit thread, as well:

When you get on the bus, take your stupid backpack off!

I'm going to enlarge the text and make it red, so dumb people would get it. I came across more of those people this morning.

[AvatarSE]

When you get on the bus, take your stupid backpack off!

I only take it off if people want to get by / its packed.

[Common sense]

Since douchebags never get the freaking hint until something is repeated over and over, let's just make this point here in the transit thread, as well:

When you get on the bus, take your stupid backpack off!

I like to give them a Chris Pronger-esque elbow as i walk by them in the narrow aisles of the bus.

Subtle hint?

[nitronuts]

Fare Gates Will Take Time: Falcon

11/7/2008

BC Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon conceded there likely won't be turnstiles and a new ticketing system in Skytrain stations until 2012.

Speaking on the Bill Good show on CKNW Falcon says the project has experienced some delays.

Falcon says : "Obviously before then you've got to go through an installation process but more important than that you've got to go through a procurement process that makes sure you identify the best system and the best smart card technology to ensure we install a good system. I will acknowledge it's not going as fast as I'd like. We did have you know, former President Pat Jacobson was moving out, Translink was hiring a new one to come in. Thats typically not an environment where your going to see things move quickly forward."

Falcon says the project has started to move again under Translink CEO Tom Prendergast.

Transit Police name now official

Friday, November 07 - 08:45:00 AM

Treena Wood

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - The transit police working in the Lower Mainland have a new name. They're now the Transit Police.

The old name, the "South Coast British Columbia Transportation Police Service," was officially changed earlier this month by the board that oversees the transit cops.

The board decided the old name was too long.

[That's What She Said]

Okay people, please don't wait until the last possible second to close your umbrellas. Being exposed to the rain for 5 seconds will not destroy the hair that you got up at 4 a.m. to fix.

Also, I hate when people ask the bus drivers for detailed directions to get to whatever place, but aren't actually getting on that bus.