Ex–TransLink board members regret fare hike
Port Moody mayor Joe Trasolini was the only member of the old TransLink board who voted against the transit-fare increases that took effect on January 1.
Trasolini is no longer a board member, as provincial-government nominees have replaced elected civic officials on the board of the now-renamed South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, and he still asserts it was wrong to jack up fares.
“I believe it was too high, and it sends the wrong message,” Trasolini told the Straight. “If I had my way, I think that public transit should be free. Somebody has to pay for it, but it should be paid from general revenues”¦that the province collects out of income tax. That would be the greatest. But at least make it affordable so that more people would use it and more people would park their vehicles, and then we would need less roads and we would have more reliance on public transit and less greenhouse-gas emission.”
The fare increases were approved in a June 27, 2007, meeting of the old TransLink board.
Another former board member is having second thoughts about one item affected by the increase—that of cash fares for a one-zone trip rising from $2.25 to $2.50.
Vancouver NPA councillor Suzanne Anton told the Straight that, in hindsight, it wasn’t prudent to increase cash fares by that much.
“I think the trouble with that one is that that’s the one that’s the sort of spur-of-the-moment trip that you take,” Anton said. “It’s important to make sure they don’t go up too high because we want people on the bus. It’s not a good policy.”
Anton noted that although frequent riders using either monthly passes or fare tickets aren’t affected as much, high cash fares will discourage others from taking transit more often.
Compared with Toronto and Montreal, cash fares are cheaper in Greater Vancouver, noted TransLink spokesperson Drew Snider. In an interview with the Straight, Snider pointed out that one-zone riders can use their tickets to and from their destination within a 90-minute period, whereas riders in Toronto and Montreal have to pay $2.75 and purchase another ticket for the return trip.
Aiyanas Ormond, an organizer with the Bus Riders Union, told the Straight that transit users can expect further fare increases. Ormond explained that legislation restricts the transportation authority from increasing the fuel tax unless it is raising needed revenue from two other sources as well, namely property taxes and transit fares.
Comments
5 Comments
Grumpy
Jan 10, 2008 at 10:58am
Really, can't TransLink accept the fact that TransLink's higher fares is due to operating metro (SkyTrain) on routes that do not have the ridership to sustain the mode? Obviously not, because TransLink's well paid spokes person, Drew Snider claims that the new higher fares are really cheaper because customers can use them for 90 minutes. Such rubbish!
Look Drew, here is the real story, TransLink has 3 zones, with fares of $2.50; $3.75; and $5.00. Toronto and Montreal have one zone only and the cash fare is $2.75, including transfers. See Drew, TransLink isn't only Vancouver, it is Metro Vancouver and people wishing to commute to Vancouver from Surrey, Langley, Delta, and the Tri Cities, they got to pay $5.00 one way.
Just who goes on a 90 minute jaunt Drew? Don't know? Well like a lot of TransLink spokespersons Drew, they know very little and one wonders if it is not the prime criteria for becoming a spokesperson for TransLink?
Fact is old chap that cities that operate strictly metro systems have high fares, compared to cities that operate LRT. But TransLink rejects LRT and when compelled to plan for one (Evergreen Line) it costs more than a SkyTrain metro!
It's straight economics; build a metro line that costs 3 to 4 times more than that of a LRT line and if ridership doesn't increase 3 or 4 times, then someone has to pay the difference. That someone is the transit user and with a $5 zone transit fare, makes TransLink one of the most expensive transit operations in north America!
Oh, by the way Drew, Calgary's transit system, which includes the Calgary C-Train LRT (which carries more passengers than SkyTrain) only charges a flat rate fare of $2.50, including a 90 minute transfer.
Portland Ore.'s transit system, which includes their MAX LRT and downtown streetcar, maximum fare is USD $2.05 for two hours!
Funny that TransLink's spokespersons don't include the fares from cities that operate LRT, I wonder why? With the RAV/Canada subway Line due to open in 2010, don't be surprised to see TransLink's fares to top $6.00 for 3-zones in the next two years and yes old chap, that doesn't include RAV's premium airport surcharge.
Anything to add Drew old chap?
No?
I wonder why?
Dave Kind
Jan 12, 2008 at 9:41am
My question about the fare hikes is where is all the money going? Definitely not to increasing the quality of their services; if anything, Translink has been getting progressively worse throughout the whole two years I've lived in Vancouver...
PeopleAreSpicy
Jun 12, 2008 at 2:33pm
The price of our transit is just plain too high. I can get my family of four to downtown from east Van cheaper in a cab than on train or bus(if traffic is good up to $3.50 cheaper). In fact unless i leave my kids at home it is almost always cheaper for me to take a cab to 1 zone locations than to take my family of four on transit.
They need to do something about this issue especially considering most other Canadian Cities charge FAR less for children's fares. I am sincerely disappointed in what has happened to what used to be a fairly good transit system when i moved here in 1995 (i believe kids transit started at 75 cents then and i remember waiting a whole lot less).
Ivan Ilyich
Nov 10, 2012 at 10:23am
Overpaid Translink spokesperson receives car allowance and never uses Translink. Hence total misunderstanding of Translink operations resulting in gross incompetence.
Tranks link has deliberately followed the disastrous model of BCFerries. Drive it into the ground and loot the public
uknow
Nov 11, 2012 at 4:17pm
Of course it would have been much easier to raise property taxes again & rob people who don't even use trans-stink. Hey here's a great idea, tax gasoline. Oh wait , did that too.