Regional Transportation Commissioner wants your input on fare increases
November 18, 2009
Regional Transportation Commissioner wants your input on fare increases
November 18, 2009
If you hadn’t heard yet, TransLink’s Regional Transportation Commissioner is seeking feedback on the proposed fare increases for April 2010.
Visit the Commission’s website to find out how to share your feedback on the proposed YVR AddFare and the proposed fare increases.
If you’re curious, the Regional Transportation Commissioner plays an independent advisory and approval role in our governance structure. Here’s a diagram showing how his role relates to the Board and others.
Fare increases are a bit amusing really… It amounts to how much money people have and what their time is worth to them as well as for a lot of people what it’s worth to be packed in like a sardeine… For many the price is pretty much mazes out including me.
If all the fair increrases that th e mayors have okayed throughout the 10 year plan come into effect we will end up with a 1 zone fair
will be $3.50 which is a significant increase in price for no increase in service.
The Mayor’s Council should consider raising the Property Tax take from 3.1% to 6 -6.5%. This may bring the government to the table and maybe allow Translink to bring in some of the financing vehicles that they want.
We have become ATM’s of the government… and we can’t complain… Why not try to save some money first?
Well, make sure you guys send your comments over to the Commissioner!
Incidentally, you might be interested to know that we aren’t alone in proposing a fare increase for next year. As I wrote in Monday’s post, many transit systems across Canada are looking at fare increases right now.
For example, fare hikes are proposed (or approved) in Edmonton, Saskatoon, Victoria, Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, and more. Calgary isn’t raising fares, but will see cuts in service and loss of full-time staff positions.
On the other side of the border, lobby group Transportation For America has a report called Stranded at the Station, which looks at the grisly transit stats for American transit systems too. Apparently 90 per cent of U.S. transit systems have raised fares or cut service in the past year – eep!
I’m not a fan of fare increases either, but I got a quick question would the Canada Line YVR Addfare affect pass holders of all 3-Zones too?
I don’t know the answer to that one. It doesn’t look like it’s on the Commissioner’s website either. I’ll inquire and see what I can find.
zack: From what I understand, the YVR Add fare is a separate zone in it’s own right, so regardless of if you have a 1,2 or 3 zone pass, you will still pay to use the Skytrain to the airport! (I believe employees at the airport are exempt from this fee).
I don’t agree with the add fare, but will pay it for the convenience. It would be nice if we had the option of taking the bus from the old loop in if one wanted to.
Won’t it make more sense to increase properties taxes and drop transit fares altogether?
It would encourage more people to take transit as they are paying for it regardless as to whether they use it or not? It would reduce or eliminate the need to enforce fares, The silly ticket machines could be removed from the buses and skytrain stations.
I like to see a new reduced 30 minute fair for the Seabus, or for people who need to hop across a zone. Easy to offer with the electronic ticket machines today, but not practical 10 years ago with the paper transfer. I think this will increase ridership.
While I wait to hear how they plan to collect the Canada Line YVR surcharge (it would be easier to charge when people exit the YVR station), I wonder if we can run the Richmond segment at a 2:1 ratio, we would be able to attract ridership (that 8 to 20 minute wait is a killer) with minimal additional cost.
The media is promoting the new FREE-Line service…..
http://www.news1130.com/more.jsp?content=20091123_092334_6000
This really doesn’t sound fair to increase fares on my route, but not collect on another.
Scott:
I guess it would just be tough to implement that solution.People can be very sensitive to even small increases in property taxes. The other thing is that since most people drive cars in our region, it’s tough to convince them to fund transit that they’re not taking, even though they do benefit from the system that’s in place. So it’s definitely a valid idea, but certainly there are large challenges to putting it through, which is perhaps why such an idea hasn’t been put forward as much.
A Proposal For Modest Fare Increases…
The Regional Transportation Commissioner, part of Translink’s labyrinthine governance structure, is seeking feedback on the proposed AddFare to the Airport and FareSaver price increases. I submitted comments as follows, and I hope everybody write…
;-):
Just for a bit of info on three-door boarding on our system: it’s not done on all routes, and we only board through the back doors on articulated buses and only at designated stops where we know a majority of customers have high prepaid fares – like at Broadway Station, UBC, Production Station and SFU (U-Passes).
The other feature of these stops is that they are located at a start terminus or end terminus meaning there is little to no boardings and alightings happening through the back doors, it’s one or the other i.e. either everyone is getting off the bus or everyone is getting on the bus.
And in the end, three-door boarding in these contexts does provide us with significant improvements to service and it can even save us some money (ie: we don’t have to add another vehicle to the route if the time saved from boarding also shortens the time between buses).
Jhenifer, doesn’t the 99 B-Line have all-door boarding at all its stops?
Sungsu:
The 99 B-Line actually has three door boarding, not all door boarding. The planner explaining this to me made it very clear that we don’t have all door boarding on the system, and said it is an important distinction because it shows that we only board through back doors on articulated buses. Which is why you don’t see people board regular-sized buses through the back doors.
Jhenifer do you mean all articulated buses, or just the BLines?
While statistics in the past have justified enforcement levels. FreeLine media promotions may change this.
;-):
Only articulated buses on specific routes (like the B-Lines) have three-door boarding.
I heard that there may be an extra fare that must be paid to ride the skytrain to YVR, has this been finalized?
If so, will this take effect starting on January 1, 2010?
(I just called Transit Information and they told me that any YVR skytrain fare increase will NOT take place until after the Olympics…)
This must be new information. Everything that I have specifies the YVR addfare begins January 1st. The YVR AddFare will be charged coming and going to Sea Island.
With just 4 days to go, I wonder how it is to be collected and enforced. I asked one of the attendants yesterday and he didn’t know. Ideally anyone entering and leaving YVR station should be paying and collected.
Here’s another thought. If I get on at the Marine Drive station to the airport… I will be expected to pay the YVR AddFare. However do I pay for a one zone fare, or a two zone fare? That is Vancouver is Zone 1, Bridgeport station is Zone 2.
I think I need to pay for a 2 zone, plus YVR AddFare. Or am I wrong?
Ok…. Ran into another Canada Line attendant this evening. She confirm Cash’s statement that the AddFare will be post Olympics. The attendant also confirms this will be on top of the two zone fare.
If ridership is an issue, what about sending two trains to Lulu island for every one train to Sea Island?
Yes, it seems that the YVR AddFare isn’t happening on January 1, 2010, as I’m sure you’ve noticed! I hadn’t heard an exact date for its implementation though. I’ll ask and see if there are any rumblings that I’ve missed.
Translink is an unaccountable, bottomless money pit.
IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY WE GIVE THEM, …
… THEY WILL ALWAYS WANT MORE.
Translink needs to understand they cannot continue to squeeze us forever, and plan acordingly.
TranslinkEmployee
Martin Crilly is grossly inept for his job
Martin Crilly is the devil behind the veil of the mayors shoring up fundings for Translink. The overly excess expenditures at Translink are never made known to the public. What happens to public accountability ? Where is transparency ? 12.5 % percent increase is beyond the means of ordinary people to absorb. Take home pay is getting smaller. Quality of life in BC is shrinking to to the bottom. What is Christy Clark doing to uplift the standard of living in BC ?
Tom
Transparency and Accountability
Before Translink sticks us with a 12.5% increase they need to pare down their own salaries and become more transparent and accountable. Arrogance!
SD
Privatize!
Get rid of these pieces of garbage
BD
A bit of research: Translink- 2002 – 2007 CEO 2002 204,182 salary 2006 297,468 2007 360,595 Expenses 2002 33,601 2007 32,045 Up 77% Director of Engineering/projects 2002 Salary 94,775 2007 Salary 172, 302 Expenses 2002 2,501. 2008 27,910 Up 84% 2008 – # employees earning 75,000 or more up 250% over past 6 years, some managers up 90% 2002 – Had 70 employees in ’02 topped 75,000 Collectively = 6.5 mill 2008 – 174 employees more than 75,000 – group cost 18 million – 300% Employees below 75,000 same 6 years wages up 12.5% to 9 mill in ‘’07 from 8 mill in ’02 Over the 6 years some managers received 30%
Skeptic
Translink with your crappy service Transit is great if your a day worker but after 6 pm it turns into crap! With buses leaving just when the skytrains are pulling into the stations and passengers having to wait for half an hour for the next bus and when you get on the bus it’s standing room only with people being stranded for another half hour. I see why more people are driving now but wait we get to pay another two cents a litre for another transit project. What about the last gas tax to pay for the Canada line the one that was already paid for be we still see the price at the pumps. Instead of raising fares maybe the overpaid CEO’s that sit in there crystal palace that get lovely vehicles paid for by translink so they can drive to work instead of taking transit should get a pay cut!!!!
CB
No Accountability
Worst thing that ever happened to transportation systems in the GVRD…….Translink. When they became responsible (and I use the word lightly) for everything, roads, buses, Skytrain etc the accountability went out the window and in came obscene salaries and overspending and mismanagement. The board should be elected and if they don’t do their job they can go. No payouts, no fat pensions or severance. Just like the working people who have to put up with the joke called public transit in this region.
Nick
Take your hike and shove it..
Fares should be going DOWN! Not UP! Transit is supposed to be affordable, it’s becoming a rip off! It’s already too expensive compared to other cities in the world. Time to FIRE all of the Translink board. WE WANT YOU GONE! Bottom feeders.
Evil Eye
Ha, ha, ha
When has anyone in TransLink or associated with TransLink ever listen to its customers. TransLink is an extremely user unfriendly business and doesn’t give a damn about its customers.
Donald
Only cash fares has not increased since Jan 2008
In January 2008, cash fares went up by a quarter to two quarters while monthly fares and faresaver tickets went up by 5%. In April 2010, monthly fares and faresaver tickets went up again by 11%. By the way, I was unaware that commish as short for commissioner, but I guess if refudiate can be a word..
Nick
shouldn’t they have done this instead of adding more and more gas taxes? I use transit everyday atleast once and don’t mind paying extra to use it, still cheaper than driving. time for transit users to pay the cost of using transit!
PD
heres an opinion
My opinion is it costs too damn much for what we get
Stupidity
Phht. Do they REALLY want to hear what we have to say about this?
We do this ridiculous song and dance every year. Obviously we, the public, STILL find it ridiculous that we pay for this board of governers whose only contribution of ideas is to increase fares, create new taxes, etc . They have proven themselves incapable of handling this job, of turning a profit on their own merits, and quite frankly the whole lot of them would be fired from any other privately-owned business.