About this blog
The Buzzer blog is the online place where TransLink shares news, commentary, and behind-the-scenes stories directly with customers.
Launched on October 9, 2008, the blog is the web companion to the Buzzer newsletter, the free publication found on all Metro Vancouver transit vehicles since 1916. (Find out more about the Buzzer’s history!)
The blog is a frank, fun, ongoing conversation about TransLink and its work, and you’re invited to join in with your own comments and stories.
After two years, the blog has over 1,000 posts, more than 10,000 comments, two in-person meetups, and a 2010 Best Blog award from the American Public Transit Association!
Here’s a list of some notable posts, if you’re looking for a place to start exploring. And make sure you read the comments on each post: that’s often where the most interesting stuff is found.
How to contact the Buzzer blog (and more)
You are more than encouraged to write comments on each post—just keep our participation guidelines in mind. Feel free to ask questions, share ideas, and suggest stories. (If you want an icon instead of that big G next to your comment, go to Gravatar.com and sign up!)
As well, you can send in e-mail: thebuzzer@translink.ca
Or follow along on Twitter: @thebuzzer (follow @translink for service updates)
If you find you have a specific transit service commendation or complaint, please use this feedback form to reach our customer relations staff.
Comments, e-mails, tweets and the like will be responded to during normal business hours (around 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday), unless your host is otherwise occupied.
Who’s behind the Buzzer blog?
Robert Willis!
From May 2011 to May 2012, Robert Willis is the main blogger on the Buzzer blog, and the man behind the print Buzzer! He’s taking over from Jhenifer Pabillano, the previous chief Buzzer blogger who is on maternity leave.
Robert was previously a journalist for the CBC and a communications manager for IBI Group. He likes to take transit in any form. You very well might bump into him on a bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, or West Coast Express talking to commuters and taking pictures! Curious about the untold story, Robert is keen to hear about the experiences of others on transit. He also loves robots and Japanese food.
And here’s Jhen’s bio too, in case you’re curious: she was the Buzzer blog’s sole author from October 2008 to May 2011, and was also responsible for writing and designing the Buzzer newsletter since January 2008. (She’s responsible for bringing FareCard contests, the Back Issues history feature, and bright new colours to the publication!) In 2010, Mass Transit magazine also named her one of the Top 40 under 40 in the transit industry!
Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Jhenifer moved to Vancouver to pursue a master’s degree in journalism at UBC in 2004. Her U-Pass got her hooked on Metro Vancouver transit, and she’s been a huge fan of the TransLink system ever since! She travels every day on the system and hasn’t driven a car in ages.
The Buzzer’s history
The Buzzer was first published on June 2, 1916, distributed on the streetcars that made up public transportation in Metro Vancouver at the time.
Originally, the Buzzer was designed as a strategic weapon in a long-forgotten war between streetcars and ‘jitney’ operators—private citizens who patrolled streetcar routes and offered rides for five cents.
George Kidd, general manager of B.C. Electric—the private electric company that ran public transit at the time—thought the Buzzer would keep people informed about service and foster rider loyalty to the streetcars.
As it turned out, jitney service was abolished in July 1918, but the Buzzer kept going for another 90 years (and counting!).
And today, the Buzzer has become a mainstay of public transit in the Lower Mainland, remaining a constant no matter how much transit itself has changed.
Have a look at the Buzzer blog’s Transit History category for more posts on transit history in greater Vancouver.
