TransLink seeks beta testers for Compass card system

    1 of 2 2 of 2

      Want to get a chance to use the Compass card system before its official launch? If you're a regular transit rider, consider become a beta tester!

      TransLink is looking for 5,000 transit-taking volunteers to test the new system, which includes using the Compass card to tap in and out of SkyTrain and Seabus fare gates as well as select card readers on buses and the West Coast Express. Participants will also be required to send feedback to TransLink about their experience.

      Compass cards will be provided free of charge to participants for testing purposes; however, volunteers will still be required to purchase fares and the test cards will be deactivated at the end of the beta test.

      Beta testers must be 19 years old by July 15 and residents of the Metro Vancouver area.

      Applicants must submit their requests by August 9 at 11:59 p.m.

      The beta test will take place this fall.

      Find all of the beta test rules here.

      Don't know what Compass is all about? Check out the video below.

      Comments

      12 Comments

      Trans Waste

      Jul 15, 2013 at 3:42pm

      What Waste and Gross Mismanagement of Public Funds paid for by all of us (it's even on your Hydro Bill I believe)

      + $171 Million for Fare Gates with a 10+ year pay back NOT counting the Support & Services Contract with IBM (a huge foreign Corporation) I believe.

      + $50++ Million for a Private Transit only Police Force, when local Police without much further expenditure would have been fine,

      + The Green Jackets (Tens of Millions $$$) who are actually Employees of a Private Sub-Contracting Corporation with a Transit Service Contract (Money train $$$ for them) and with no power to issue Tickets or stop Fare Evasion,

      No doubt we will all have the pleasure of paying for this mess + including sky-rocketing fares on top of Massive Hydro Rate hikes due soon.

      cochrane

      Jul 15, 2013 at 8:35pm

      ...and have you seen the maintenance vehicles they are using? State-of-the-art Mercedes Benz 'Sprinters',(will you have one in leather?); what ever happened to domestic Fords or GM's? Maybe they saw the MB add on the 'Straight'.

      Happy Rider

      Jul 16, 2013 at 1:28am

      What is wrong with everyone?? Have you ever even been to other places in the world with large populations that had even better transit systems? London, Tokyo, Seoul, etc., are just a few examples. Yes, this may be expensive and some features may be unnecessary, but the kinks will be worked out sooner or later. And the reason that the "Green Jackets" and other Translink employees cannot issue fares is because it's more secure and easier to keep track of how many are bought at ticket machines. Further, the reason that they (and even bus drivers) are not allowed/hesitant to stop fare evaders (and the reason Translink hired the police) is because they fear getting harassed,verbally abused and treated like crap by violent and unpredictable riders. I have seen such riders myself on numerous occasions and really commend some of those poor bus drivers for having to put up with them and their hooliganism. So before you start spewing off ridiculous facts that have nothing to do with anything, Trans Waste and cochrane ("IBM (a huge foreign Corporation)" and "what ever happened to domestic Fords or GM's?"), maybe you should try to keep the bigger picture in mind, consider getting a DEGREE in economics, engineering or public infrastructure (as the developers of this program most likely have) and try to understand that we're living in complicated times now and that the types of simplistic arguments that you seem to be making simply aren't going to cut it anymore. Geez~

      cochrane

      Jul 16, 2013 at 8:18am

      thanks, Happy Rider, i gave you a one 'thumbs up'

      Moron Rider

      Jul 16, 2013 at 8:51am

      I have a Masters in Economics.

      The Waste is enormous in Translink.

      The $171+ + Service and Maintenance Fees are unnecessary given the low rates of Fare Evasion,

      However once Fare Gates are implemented it negates the Private Translink Police Force at $50 Million+ per Year since local Police in each City can effectively do Police duties for Sky Train and they do respond to Emergency Calls anyway.

      Same for the Green Jackets you can see them Standing Around picking their Nose they have Zero Critical and/or important Function(s) and certainly are even more redundant now that Fare Gates are being implemented.

      IBM is a huge Multi-National Foreign Corporation just the Service Contract (in the Tens of Millions) in essence a Database to track Compass Fares could have been given to a Local BC Company but no it was not.

      Economics 101 Mulch-nationals repatriate their Profits in this case Translink Public Funds used to pay for the Contract back to their HQ (New York I believe).

      Economics 101 also dictates that this excessive unnecessary expenditure will be passed on to you the Rider and the Non- Transit Rider (via Hydro Bills & higher taxes and User Fees) .

      For example Road Tolls on every Highway in the Lower Mainland is being currently planned to Fund Transit.

      That means it will cost more to go to Work and your Food bill will be higher due to the fact that most Food is delivered by Trucks that use those highways & Roads.

      Finally I do not believe you are a 'Happy Rider' more like the PR Department hack from Translink since apparently 'It's to complicated..." for us mere mortals to understand and we should therefore accept unlimited expenditure and Fare Hikes.

      Billy Bones

      Jul 16, 2013 at 1:08pm

      Translink is a parasite. The taxpayers and transit passengers are the hosts.

      Community Service Worker

      Jul 16, 2013 at 10:26pm

      I work for a large Community Service provider and I work with individuals who rely on transit by fare savers that we provide them or Ministry of Social Development Bus Passes. We've been told that at this moment, Translink does not know if fare savers with continue to be available, and we wonder how we will give Translink fares to people who can't afford them on their own. And I'd also like to know how the Annual Government Bus Passes will change... They've left too many unanswered questions for people who truly rely on transit.

      Transit Rider for Life

      Jul 17, 2013 at 5:44am

      It seems to me that if riders are going out of their way to test a system for a company that grosses millions of dollars a year, then they should be compensated in the way of fares. I do not believe it is fair to have rider use the cards and submit feedback but still expect them to pay for this fare they are testing and perfecting

      Miranda Nelson

      Jul 17, 2013 at 1:12pm

      vol·un·teer

      Noun: A person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.

      Verb: Freely offer to do something.

      chitra

      Jul 17, 2013 at 1:49pm

      I was listening to your news and it seems to me that the translink board should be fired for mismanagement