TransLink 101: welcome to our February special post series!

We’re doing something different on the Buzzer blog in 2013!

Each month this year, we’ll take a topic and explore it through a series of special blog posts. (Though don’t worry, we’ll still post about other content too!)

For our first month, we’ve decided to go back to basics with a series we’d like to call TransLink 101!

What’s TransLink 101 about?

This month, we’ll explore some basic questions about TransLink and its work that many of you might be wondering about. Our planned topics include:

• What does TransLink do, anyway?
• Managing roads and bridges in Metro Vancouver
• What’s the deal with fare zones?
• Where does TransLink get its funding… and how do we spend it?
• Where do buses and trains sleep at night?
• Why can’t SkyTrain run twenty four hours?
• How do we keep our system in a state of good repair?

As well, we’d also like to feature an article that YOU pick!

What do you want us to write about?

Is there a burning TransLink question you’ve always wanted the answer to? Suggest your topic in the comments!

From your suggestions, we’ll select five that sound doable, and then everyone can vote for the winner in a poll at the end of this week end of next week, so we can gather more submissions! (And you never know — you might see the runners-up in future posts too :) Edit: We didn’t end up running a poll because we didn’t receive very many suggestions! So never mind.

If you need some inspiration, here are some articles we’ve done in the past:

• Sorry, that’s not us: other TransLinks around the world
• How big is TransLink’s service area?
• Why is there a third platform at Stadium-Chinatown Station?
• The story of the SkyTrain chime
• All about our talking buses (the announcement system on the buses)
• Who is the voice of the SkyTrain?
• Who is the voice of the SeaBus?
• A visit to the Lost Property Office – a regular visit, an Olympic visit
• A guide to recognizing your transit staff
• All about our wayfinding signage (the signs and maps that help you get around transit)
• An in-depth documentary about the building of SkyTrain in 1985
• A bit about the history of the Buzzer newsletter
• A visit to T-Comm, the control centre where we manage our bus system
• A six-part series on Fleet Overhaul, the place where we repair and rebuild buses
• All about washrooms on the system
• Fare evasion series: the costs of fare evasion, estimating it, and a ride-along with the Transit Security

Ok – suggest away! We hope you enjoy the series!

Four moments from 2012 that made us smile

Fans of transit at I Love Transit Night in July

A missing engagement ring, reunited loved ones, an outpouring of transit love and the generosity of people to a fellow passenger are among our favourite tales that made us smile this year.

Read more »

The November 2012 Buzzer is on the system

The November issue of the Buzzer!

In case you haven’t noticed it yet, the November issue of the Buzzer can now be found on the bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express. You can also download it as a .pdf.

There are a number of different topics in this month’s issue. November 18 is an important date if you’re planning on taking the SkyTrain to Surrey. SkyBridge will be closed from the morning until the afternoon to replace two bearings. You’ll want to read this issue to find out the engineering feat that will make this happen! We’ll be running extra buses during this time to make up for the lack of SkyTrain service, however; please plan for an additional 10 to 15 minute wait during this time.

Bus optimization consultation starts on November 10 and runs until December 12. The locations of the open houses were accurate as of last Friday. Please do check the service optimization page before you attend in case there have been changes.

The issue also includes a couple of items we’ve covered on the blog. As an added bonus, my trip to the Lost Property Office has some additional contacts for lost property on other parts of our system that weren’t mentioned in my blog post.

We’re continuing to get some great Halloween costume pictures tweeted or posted on our Facebook page. We hope including the Halloween costume contest in the print Buzzer will generate some emails with pictures of transit inspired costumes or pictures of costumes on transit!

Pick up a copy or download the issue and let us know what you think!

Catching up with the Lost Property Office

Missing your favourite megaphone? No worries, the Lost Property Office has it!

Have you ever visited TransLink’s Lost Property Office before? I hadn’t until recently. Jhen has written about the office and what they do before, but I wanted to see the office for myself and figured it would be worth a check in.

The office can be a busy place.

My first reaction when I was brought behind the counter was how organized it is in there. Gloves collected from bus depots, SkyTrain, and SeaBus come in daily and are divided between matching pairs and singles. Drawers full of cell phones and chargers are tagged with the time and place they were found and any other info that can connect them to their rightful owner.

Backpack season starts after school begins.

Considering the small area the staff have to store bikes, cell phones, umbrellas, books, medication, back packs, strollers, tools and way too many other random and odd items to mention, keeping them well organized is the only way to keep track of them all!

And because of the volume of lost items and the limited space to store everything, rules have been created for how long we hold onto items:

• Wallets and other valuables are held for 30 days
• The following items are held for 10 days: Binders, books, gloves, hats, jackets, pants, papers, posters, scarves, shirts, shoes
• The following items are held for 14 days: Bikes, used bags
• Items like Care Cards and birth certificates are sent back to their government agencies, but the rest is donated to charity.
• Food containers/drink containers are held for just a few days
• Perishable items are not retained

So, just how many items are left behind? And what are the most popular lost items on transit? Customer Information Supervisor Michelle Poole answered a few of our questions:

1.      How many lost items have we collected so far in 2012?

30,285 items have been logged into our database (over 5000 umbrellas are also turned in every year, but these are not logged into the database).

2.      How many lost items did we collect in 2011?

36,816 items (excluding umbrellas).

3.      How many items do you reunite with their owners every year?

Last year, 28.32% of items were reunited with their owners. So far this year, 29.98% of items have been returned to their owners.

4.      What are the most common items that end up in Lost Property?

Definitely umbrellas would be most common, but a lot of cellular phones as well.

5.      What’s the best course of action for someone to take once they know they have lost something on transit?

Customers can call us during our business hours (Monday-Friday from 8:30am-5:00pm). It is best to ensure they have as much detail as possible including date/time the item was lost, the route the item was lost on, the description of the item lost as well as all their contact information.  Alternatively, we have an online form that can be completed at anytime that will send a report directly to our office.  It can take up to 2 business days for items to arrive in the Lost Property office, and we are in receipt of bikes once a week on Thursdays. (The Lost Property Office handles over 4000 calls from customers each month and nearly 3000 walk-in customers)

6.      Are there any other stories from lost property that you would like to share?

Our Workleader this year went to great lengths to try and locate the owner of a case for glasses with $400 cash inside.  There was no identification and only a bank slip with the cash that was inside.  Workleader Barb Szumilak went to a branch of the bank and explained the situation.  They explained that they could see what they could do, but they would not be able to provide us with customer information. They were, however, able to make contact with the gentleman who owned the bank account, and he was able to retrieve his money and case from our office.

One other interesting fact I discovered on my visit is that nearly 100% of all the unclaimed items turned into the Lost Property Office are donated to charity! United Way and Toys for Tots are just two charities who receive items regularly.

I’d like to express my thanks to Michelle, Barb and everyone else at Lost Property for letting me snoop around their office. If you have a lost item, I encourage you to fill out an online form, give Lost Property a call at 604-953-3334, or stop by the office at Stadium SkyTrain Station, 590 Beatty St, Vancouver, Monday to Friday 8:30 am-5:00pm.

Buzzer bloggers away, returning Wed July 4, 2012

Dearest readers: Robert and I are both away this Tuesday, but we’ll be back to answer your comments and e-mails on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Here’s some handy links in case you need info/help while we areoff:

• Follow the TransLink Twitter account for key service updates, plus breaking news
• Sign up for e-mail or text message alerts for your bus routes and train trips here
• Our transit alerts can also be found at the TransLink alerts page
• Complaints, commendations, lost property questions, and other inquiries can be directed to TransLink’s customer information area
• You can also reach our transit information line at 604-953-3333
• And check out this awesome Vancouver historical photo project from Michael de Courcy!

See you all soon!

Report your lost items in our handy new form

The new Report Lost Item form on our website.

A tiny update about our website. Last week we put up a new Report Lost Item form on the Lost and Found page!

The form helps you quickly put in the minimum amount of information required to locate your lost item — especially mandatory information like a name and/or phone number.

It’s a replacement for the Lost Property email address, as our staff often found we weren’t getting enough information from many emails. And of course, it’s another method for you to reach us at your convenience.

Lost Property receives over 4000 calls and 2500 walk-in customers each month, so the new form makes the volume of requests a bit easier to handle. A Workleader at Lost Property collects the request from the form, and staff reviews the list daily to see if we have received any items that match. Once items that are matched to a report, the staff can contact the owner and put the item on hold until they can arrange a pick-up.

So if you have a lost item to report, click here to go to the new Lost and Found form!

The Lost Property office receives over 40,000 items annually and logs over 35,000 into the database system. And if you’re curious about our Lost Property office and what it collects, check out these past posts:

• What is Lost Property collecting during the Olympic period?
• A visit to the Lost Property office

Buzzer blogger away Mon July 25, back Thurs July 28, 2011

I’m away for a few days. I’ll be answering your comments and e-mails on Thursday, July 28, 2011.

Here’s some handy links in case you need info/help while I’m off:

• Follow the TransLink Twitter account for key service updates, plus breaking news
• Sign up for e-mail or text message alerts for your bus routes and train trips here
• Our transit alerts can also be found at the TransLink alerts page
• Complaints, commendations, lost property questions, and other inquiries can be directed to TransLink’s customer information area
• You can also reach our transit information line at 604-953-3333
• Talk to you soon!

Buzzer blogger away Mon Apr 4, back Mon Apr 11, 2011

A note to say I will be away on a break for a week starting Monday April 4, 2011!

A few scheduled posts will go up in my absence, and I’ll be back to answer your comments and e-mails on Monday, April 11, 2011. (Eep: the end of April fast approaches!)

Here’s some handy links in case you need info/help while I’m off:

• Follow the TransLink Twitter account for key service updates, plus breaking news
• Sign up for e-mail or text message alerts for your bus routes and train trips here
• Our transit alerts can also be found at the TransLink alerts page
• Complaints, commendations, lost property questions, and other inquiries can be directed to TransLink’s customer information area
• You can also reach our transit information line at 604-953-3333
• Look out for April 6, when Vancouver turns 125!
• And for fun, here’s a comic about Chopin and Liszt :)

A look back at the 2010 Olympics after one year on, from a transit perspective!

A cheerful crowd waits to board the SeaBus after the Olympic opening ceremonies, Friday February 12, 2010. Over 60,000 people headed to BC Place for the opening celebration that day! Find a few more SeaBus opening day photos here.

Since everyone’s doing a retrospective on “one-year after the Olympics,” I thought the Buzzer might as well jump in too :)

Scroll on down for an update on transit ridership one year post-Olympics, plus some classic photo and video from transit during the 2010 Olympic Games.

Transit riders kept on boarding after the Games in 2010

As you may know, transit ridership was incredibly high during the Olympics—and the ridership actually stayed higher for the remainder of 2010.

Here’s an excerpt from a news release we just put out today (see the release for even more stats):

The number of boardings (each time a person gets on a transit vehicle) increased 11.0 per cent over 2009 to just under 348 million. Subtracting February from each year, which was skewed by the Olympics, the total of nearly 309.5 million boardings in 2010 is 7.8 per cent higher than 2009.

Part of the reason for the increase is the addition of the SkyTrain Canada Line, which recorded nearly 38.5 million boardings in 2010. TransLink’s Fare Audit surveys have found 40 per cent of Canada Line customers use the SkyTrain line as part of an integrated travel plan – connecting from South of Fraser routes or crosstown buses in the city of Vancouver; 60 per cent of Canada Line customers are using it for their entire trip.

An interesting figure is a sharp jump in ridership on West Vancouver Transit. “Blue Bus” recorded 9.8 million boardings in 2010. Again removing the figures for the February months, that represents a 6.4 per cent lift over 2009.

West Coast Express registered a 6.1 per cent increase in boardings, to nearly 2.8 million, primarily due to the midday trips that were added during the Olympics. It is clear from this and the success of expanded TrainBus schedule that residents along the West Coast Express route embrace additional service when it is available. While adding midday runs is currently not possible, the new railcars acquired in late 2010 allow for longer trains and more available seats. Even discounting the “Olympics factor”, the number of boardings increased a healthy 3.3 per cent over 2009.

A similar story comes from the Vancouver Board of Trade. They recently did a survey asking people about their travel habits after the Olympics, and found that almost one-third of those polled who adopted new transportation methods during the Games have kept up with their new behaviour.

Here’s a couple more news stories about the Board of Trade survey that might be of interest:

• Metro – Increased transit ridership a lasting Olympic legacy
• CTV BC – Did the Olympics change how Vancouver commutes?
• CBC – Olympic transit legacy a mixed result
• Global TV newscast from February 8 — the transportation story is at 5:50 in the video

Read more »

Fun poll results: 50% have turned a lost item in, 50% have not

Wow, I don’t think a poll has ever turned out this way before!

Last week I asked if you’d ever found a lost item on transit and turned it in. And after 102 votes, the poll was split right down the middle: 50% have turned a lost item in, and 50% have not!

In the comments, Cow had one of the few stories about turning an item in. It’s all about karma!

I’ve turned in a few things over the years. About two years ago, I found a U-pass in a bus shelter at Granville and Pender, and turned it in to the Lost Property Office. Six months later, I left mine on a bus, and someone else was kind enough to turn it in — I got it back! So, TransLink, we’re even on that front. :3

Most of the stories were just great anecdotes about recovering items that you thought you’d lost. For example, here’s Holly:

I lost my videocamera on the Sea Bus during the Olympics and it was turned in and I picked it up from the Lost Property office!

And scottclayton had a similar story, but with a tip for others!

During the Olympics, my wife and I (collectively) left a camera on the Seabus. A few days later, we got a phone call from the Lost Property office informing us about it and where we could pick it up. Luckily we had attached a little thermal-label-maker label with our name and phone number to the camera strap. We hadn’t even realized the camera was gone by the time we received the phone call.

Great stuff!

Lost Property was pretty excited about it: they said that they get a lot of cameras turned in, but they often don’t get returned as there are almost never any names or phone numbers on a camera that can trace it back to its home. They highly recommended putting labels on stuff like cameras.

You need not have a label printer to make waterproof labels—you can make them easily enough with tape, paper, and some sort of marker (or printer).

But some people shared some different experiences! Sungsu lost and found an item and didn’t even have to get to Lost Property:

A few years ago, my daughter left her jacket on the bus on the way to a gymnastics class. A little over an hour later on the way home, we caught the exact same bus back, and the exact same operator had the jacket hanging behind him, ready to hand in to the Lost Property Office. We were happy to relieve him of the chore.

And NS saw a great act of collective caring during the Olympics:

During the Olympics, upon exiting the Skytrain, a girl forgot her umbrella. As she was leaving, we tried to let her know, but she didn’t hear us. Someone decided to toss her umbrella on the platform just as the skytrain doors were closing (this analogy is for football fans, he basically threw a perfect completion in tight double coverage). She looked up, smiled and waved. Awesome moment.

Last but not least, Steven passed along a link to some of the crazier items found on public transit in London, England. A case full of dentures! I only saw one pair when I visited our Lost Property office in 2008 :)

Visit the original post to read all the comments: there is a great bicycle story from Cliff there! And thanks again to everyone who voted in the poll: I’ll have another little something for you next week.

Friday fun poll: have you ever found a lost item on transit and turned it in?

During the Olympics, the Lost Property office at Stadium had a copy of Back to Back, the Bobcat Goldthwait/Michael Rooker star vehicle, on VHS!

This poll is inspired by VanTransient.ca, which is a lovely local blog devoted to transit stories, with an emphasis on storytelling! In August of last year, they ran a poll on lost items which I thought we could pay tribute to here :)

Feel free to elaborate on your experience in the comments, as usual!

Also, if you’re curious about our lost property office and what it collects, check out these past posts:

• What is Lost Property collecting during the Olympic period?
• A visit to the Lost Property office
• Contact info, hours, and locations for all our Lost Property offices

Buzzer blogger away Mon Dec 20, back Tue Jan 4

Just a note to say I will be away on holiday starting Monday December 20, 2010! A few scheduled posts will go up in my absence, and I’ll be back to answer your comments and e-mails on Tuesday, January 4, 2011. (Can you believe it’ll be next year by the time we greet each other again? How time flies!)

Here’s some handy links in case you need info/help while I’m off:

• Follow the TransLink Twitter account for key service updates, plus breaking news!
• Subscribe to e-mail or text message alerts for your bus routes and train trips here
• Our transit alerts can also be found at the TransLink alerts page
• Complaints, commendations, lost property questions, and other inquiries can be directed to TransLink customer service
• You can also reach our transit information line at 604-953-3333
• And if you are helping out your beloved family members with their computers over the holidays, this site will probably be very helpful :) (And this comic is a funny take on the same issue!)

What is Lost Property collecting during the Olympic period?

A box of single mittens found on transit. How sad!

The Lost Property office in Stadium-Chinatown Station

I went down to our Lost Property office in Stadium-Chinatown Station on Thursday morning, to see what they’ve collected for the Games period!

The first thing I saw was a big tub of mittens by the door, filled with single mittens! How sad! So do check with Lost Property if you lost a treasured Olympic mitt on transit—call 604-682-7887 or e-mail them.

(Do try the e-mail address, since the phone is often busy with all the calls they get. They do pay attention to the e-mails!)

Read more »

A visit to the Lost Property Office

The Lost Property Office, located in a corner of Stadium Station.

Regular readers will remember that I did a story on the Lost Property Office in the March 14 Buzzer. However, since this blog lets me show you way more photos and details, I thought I’d go back to Lost Property and do an update to that article.

I went down to Stadium Station, where the office is located, and work leader Barb Szumilak gave me another tour behind the scenes. They collect about 4,000 items a month, and really, just about anything you could lose on transit winds up at the office. So next time you leave a shopping bag or an umbrella behind, go down there—they really might have it! Let’s take a closer look.

Read more »