It was an eventful, unforgettable summer here at TransLink. We’ve launched trading cards, introduced the new Mark V, and challenged transit users to visit new places with our Transit Passport.

Hundreds of riders joined in the fun this summer, with two prize winners coming forward with stories to share. Get ready to meet our winners and discover how the Transit Passport became the key to their most memorable summer adventures.

Meet Tracy: Our grand prize winner of Next Stop: Summer

The grand prize – a year’s worth of free transit – went to Tracy, who picked up her passport at one of our PNE booths. She also won a 250 gift card to the TransLink store.

Tracy works downtown and relies on the SkyTrain for her commute. “My shifts start early, so I take the 6:30 train,” she shared. Transit saves her time and money: “It’s way faster than driving – half the time compared to rush hour traffic.” She enjoys the convenience, especially since parking downtown is so expensive. “I just put on my headphones, listen to Spotify, and relax for 30 minutes.”

Discovering the contest

Tracy, her sister, and her daughter entered the contest together at the PNE. “My daughter wanted to take a photo with the double-decker bus,” Tracy recalls. “We picked up the passport, added stickers, and posted on social media.”

She admits she was skeptical when she got the winning email “I thought it was spam! It asked for my full name and address. My sister said, ‘No, this is real.’”

The big win

Winning the grand prize was a first for Tracy: “I’ve never won anything like this before. It’s amazing!”

With the savings from her monthly pass, Tracy plans to put extra funds toward a Hawaii vacation. “It’s like extra allowance for the trip. Perfect timing with this weather!”

Advice for future contest participants

Tracy’s tip is simple: “Just do it! Take your time, fill out the information, and post on social media. ”

Meet Elizabeth, Loic, and Pax who won big this summer

It was a summer of connection for third-place winners, Elizabeth, Loic, and Pax, who scored a $50 TransLink Store gift card and one month of free transit through the Next Stop: Summer Transit Passport Contest!

Elizabeth completed the tours in the passport with her two grandsons, Loic and Pax. Loic, a transit enthusiast, inspired the trio to join the contest and even attended the Mark V launch event. We met them at their favorite station, Edmonds, to learn more about their adventure.

Elizabeth first heard about the contest from Loic. “I heard about it online,” Loic shared, “but we learned more when we visited Waterfront Station during the Mark V exhibition ride.” Elizabeth explained that a visit to the Customer Service Centre, where staff helped her with a pass issue, prompted them to pick up the passport and start planning their summer adventures.

Why the Transit Passport was appealing

Elizabeth loved the design and concept. “It was a sweet little book, fun to read through,” she said. “We had already planned a fun summer, and this fit the bill perfectly.”

They chose tours that piqued their interest, like Fort Langley, which turned out to be just a 15-minute bus ride away—something Elizabeth hadn’t realized before. The trio enjoyed exploring North Vancouver and riding the SeaBus, but the highlight was attending the Mark V launch event. “That was wonderful,” Elizabeth said. “Loic loved talking to other enthusiasts, and Pax and I enjoyed the experience.”

The big win

When Elizabeth received the email announcing their win, she was thrilled: “It was the cherry on the cake! We didn’t expect to win. Honestly, it felt better than a trip to Disneyland because we were just having fun—and then we won!”

Advice for new riders

Elizabeth encourages newcomers to explore the TransLink website for route planning and to embrace the convenience. “I’ll never drive to Fort Langley again. It’s only 15 minutes by bus, and no parking hassles!” She’s excited about future projects like SkyTrain expansion to Langley, noting, “Every good city has good transit. Think about the future.”

Their story is a great reminder that transit connects us to the places, people, and experiences we love.

Stay tuned into our social media channels like TikTok, Instagram, X, and Facebook to find out about our next contest. Thanks for participating in this year’s Next Stop: Summer Transit Passport contest, we hope you enjoyed the tours and your summer overall.