Vancouver NPA Coun. Suzanne Anton , a TransLink board member, says she's "very sympathetic" to the ongoing campaign by the Bus Riders Union for more buses. Anton will table a motion for the purchase of additional buses in 2008 when the board meets on April 18.

"We in Vancouver suffer the most," Anton told the Straight . "We have the most transit riders and we do not have enough buses to put them in. A lot of our routes are extremely overcrowded."

At the last TransLink board meeting, Anton requested that staff come up with a report on options for additional buses. The councillor said she'd like to see the report before making a specific recommendation.

The Bus Riders Union is calling for a total of 500 expansion buses until 2010, starting with 100 buses this year.

TransLink spokesperson Ken Hardie told the Straight that the staff recommendation to be submitted before the board involves the purchase of 45 buses. He could not say how many of these new buses–24 12-metre standard coaches and 21 18-metre articulated coaches–will go to Vancouver.

"It's still part of the process of trying to expand services," Hardie said. "It's done as quickly as we can, given the funding that's available."