Login / RegisterB.C. government targets TransLink fare evaders through new legislation
New legislation introduced by B.C.’s transportation minister today (May 7) will give TransLink the power to go after transit users who don’t pay their fare-evasion fines.
Through the changes to the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act introduced by Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Blair Lekstrom, fare evaders who don’t pay their fines will be unable to renew their driver’s licence and vehicle registration.
TransLink will also have the power to use small claims court and collection agencies to retrieve unpaid fines, to impose continually escalating fines and interest over time, and to refuse transit service until tickets are paid.
“People who have been stealing from the transit in Metro Vancouver have been put on notice: the free ride will be over,” Lekstrom said in the B.C. legislature as he introduced the bill this afternoon. “While most people pay their fares, those that are caught without fares and ticketed will face serious consequences if they do not pay.”
Under the legislation, TransLink will have the authority to collect fines, set fine amounts, and resolve disputes. The revenue from fines will go towards fine administration, dispute resolution services, and collection costs. The organization will be required to report annually about the fine revenue and collection process.
The legislative changes are intended to take effect this summer, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
What utter and complete foolishness, the amount of lost revenue is probably beyond belief and only now are they putting a "Bandaid" on the situation
in short Unbelievable.
A big deal is made about Fare Evasion but as a percentage it's very low.
TransLink says its internal audits show fare evasion ranges from 4 to 6 per cent.
The idiots spent $170 Million ++ to put in Fare Gates to try to stop a much lower $ in evasion per year.
How many Buses would $170 Million buy at $500,000++ each? LOL :)
We need more Buses not $170 Million Dollar Gates.
Hey I can build Gates for $1 Million pay me Trans Idiots :)
"They pretended interest in it so they could stir up public sentiment and get support for their big capital expenditures," he added, "so everybody would be happy when they handed over a contract to a company that was lobbied for by (former premier Gordon Campbell's deputy minister and adviser) Ken Dobell."
Dobell was a registered lobbyist for Cubic Transportation Systems, which received the contract to build the elec-tronic fare card and faregate system from TransLink in December 2010.
And after spending an estimated $170 million on the faregate project, it is unlikely the system will be an effective deterrent, Corrigan added.
"The fare evasion rates in those systems that have subways that are gated are similar to the rates we have," he said. "People find their ways around those systems."
Relying on automated card readers at stations to check smart cards will lead to more sophisticated fake cards being created, he added.
Many of the tickets go to people who cannot afford to pay the $173 fine, such as homeless people or those on social assistance, Corrigan pointed out.
Read more: http://www.burnabynow.com/life/Burnaby+mayor+says+Lekstrom+using+fare+ev...
You may think putting fair gates is a stupid idea, but spending millions of dollars on busses isn't the best solution, your kinda stupid not gonna lie. Your not exactly thinking about how much money gas will cost to fund these "busses" and how many people you have to pay to include ... busses. Do you know how bad a bus is for the economy? and how much pollution it will cause.
Thanks,
bus1 [buhs] Show IPA noun, plural bus·es, bus·ses, verb, bused or bussed, bus·ing or bus·sing.
noun
1.
a large motor vehicle, having a long body, equipped with seats or benches for passengers, usually operating as part of a scheduled service; omnibus.
2.
a similar horse-drawn vehicle.
3.
a passenger automobile or airplane used in a manner resembling that of a bus.
4.
any vehicle operated to transport children to school.
5.
a low, movable filing cabinet.
Imagine how "bad" for the economy it would be if there were no "buses" :)
You could use Natural Gas instead of Diesel, it's way cheaper :)
You may want to analyse the Economic impact of Transit & "Buses" before you engage the keyboard :)
They're created two additional levels of review before one gets before Provincial Court---a "dispute" procedure and a "liability appeal" procedure. Just what we need when money's tight, right? More bureaucrats! As a long time traffic court watcher, I have to say, this is going to fuck shit up. Some of the JPs barely know what is going on, let alone allowing hacks without judicial experience to sit on tickets...