Regional Transportation Conundrum – We Need A Royal Commission On Regional Transportation

The following article demonstrates our current problem in metro Vancouver, a complete and utter lack of understanding public transit and the role of public transit. Again, for public transit to be successful, it must be user friendly, if not, people will avoid it and they do in droves in Metro Vancouver. Buses are a hard [...]

Let’s Take A Trip On The Mulhouse TramTrain

Real TramTrain in action in Mulhouse France. Let’s go for a ride. https://youtu.be/46Fo7qCcyW0  

Is The Car Winning The Commuter War?

Another news story which tends to confirm Zweis observation that; “despite a now over $11 billion investment in rapid transit, congestion is getting worse.” The article doesn’t touch on the real problem, which is the user-unfriendly SkyTrain light-metro system. It also continues the myth that the Canada line is successful, despite the fact its station [...]

Rail for the Valley: A Letter to Premier Horgan

Dear Premier Horgan, Congratulations on your recent electoral success and now fresh winds will sweeps across British Columbia. My name is Malcolm Johnston and I have been an advocate for better public transit in the Metro Vancouver region for over 30 years. Transit in Metro Vancouver is in a precarious position and funding is not [...]

The UBCLiner: Chilliwack to UBC – the 6 am through service.

December 2021 – The UBCLiner: Chilliwack to UBC – the 6 am through service. First posted by zweisystem on Monday, October 12, 2009 · Updated July 17, 2017 The following is a short tome on a student’s Monday morning commute from Chilliwack to UBC, via the interurban and the Broadway streetcar line and illustrates what [...]

Road Pricing – One More Slurp At The Trough

From Bob Mackin and the Breaker. Zwei has studied “Road Pricing” and “Congestion Charging” for over 20 years and the very first rule for a successful road pricing scheme is that the region have a user friendly and affordable public transit alternative. With TransLink we don’t…….. not even close and TransLink is so incompetent at [...]

A Message To Premier Horgan: A Train Waiting for You At The Station (Updated)

A Message To Mr. Horgan: A Train Waiting for You At The Station First Posted by zweisystem on Thursday, May 25, 2017 ·   The election is over and now the province has a NDP/Green coalition government. Rail For The Valley has a message for now Premier Horgan, The Vancouver to Chilliwack TramTrain is waiting [...]

Transportation Gridlock is Endemic in Metro Vancouver

After driving into Vancouver yesterday, it has hit home that despite a now over $10 billion spent on SkyTrain light-metro and the Canada line, congestion is getting worse. After being an advocate for better transportation in the region for now over thirty years, I am still amazed by the “SkyTrain ennui” that prevails in most [...]

The French Approach to LRT Versus The American (Canadian) Approach

The following is well worth  read as it compares the French Approach to Modern LRT and the American and Canadian rather dated approach to the transit mode. French v US approach to light rail What we should plan for, instead of playing games with land development. MACRO (regional strategies) * (1) Ressau: (network) Design at [...]

The Regional Mayor’s Pork Barrel Express

The provincial government is in turmoil and those who “Pay to Play” on the municipal scene are getting anxious, as billions in potential profits are being put on hold for the moment. The Metro Vancouver’s metro Mayors Ten Year Plan is nothing more than a skillfully drafted document that is designed to direct the flow [...]