TransLink and the Canada Line – The real story – Part 2

It even gets better!

More from the email I received Monday and what a bombshell! If the following is to believed and I believe very strongly it is true, TransLink is doing a very poor, yet very expensive job in moving transit customers. This why TransLink and the provincial government are deathly afraid of an independent audit by BC’s Auditor General, John Doyle, for he will highlight waste in TransLink andAi??I believe waste is endemic in the TransLink bureaucracy.

Here is another way TransLink arbitrarily increases ridership on paper without really increasing ridership and ‘Zwei’ calls thisAi??vehicle capacity creep or VCC.

VCC is when TransLink increases SkyTrain/Canada Line vehicle capacity on paper then uses the increased capacity to inflate ridership claims. TransLink uses passenger counts on transit vehicles as part of its ridership counting formula, withAi??a full bus or metro car counted at its maximum TransLink rated passenger capacity.

The MK 1 SkyTrain car was first rated having a capacity of 70 persons when used in Toronto but was increased to 75 personsAi??for use in Vancouver and again increased by 5 to 80 persons in the 90’s. This means an increase of 10 persons per car or 40 persons per 4 car train,Ai??with anAi??on paper ridership calculations inflating ridership by thousands a day. Success with MK 1 VCC, TransLink rated the MK 2 cars at 130 persons, yet the MK 2 are only a third longer and slightly wider than a MK 1 car and were originally rated having a capacity of 110 persons.

This means TransLink has inflated ridership (on paper) in peak hours by about 80 persons per MK 2 train and 40 personsAi??per MK 1 trains andAi??with trains traveling at less than 120 second headways TransLink’s boffinsAi??are inflating ridership by well over 10,000 persons per day with VCC!

TransLink is pulling the same trick with the RAV/Canada Line, where the ROTEM EMU’s are rated internationally with a capacity of 163 persons, yet TransLink claims each vehicle has a capacity of 200 persons.

Could it be that TransLink is inflating mini-metro ridership by 5% to 10% hiding what a very poor job they are doing moving people? Could it be that TransLink used VCC to convince politicians to build more SkyTrain?

What is desperately needed is a complete independent audit of TransLink and its operating practices, but of course, Christie Clark and Ida Chong are desperately trying to thwart any oversight of this runaway bureaucracy, for fear of exposing decades of incompetence, exacerbated byAi??BC Liberal interference in the past decade.

Ai??

Dear Province Editor and Reporter, Susan Lazaruk,

TransLink doesnai??i??t like to report on transit incidents.Ai?? This comment to an article on transit in the Georgia Straight caught my attention:

Stuart Richards

Fri, 2012-01-13, Eve, problem is people are shooting “projectiles” at SkyTrains:

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Transit+police+investigating+projectiles…

TransLink isn’t calling themAi??bullets, just yet, it might give transit a bad name.

My daughter’s friend was assaulted on a SkyTrain car. Soon after, I bought my daughter aAi??car and told her never to take transit late at night. She hasn’t.

When I found out that TransLink keeps most crimes quiet to build up transit use, I was disgusted. Give TransLink more money? You have to beAi??kidding. Those SkyTrain cars are coffins suspended 10 m above ground andAi??there isnai??i??t anything that anyone can do if some nut boardsai??i?? fire theAi??retards at TransLink and start building LRT lines with drivers to screenAi??for creeps.

http://www.straight.com/article-582931/vancouver/tax-rich-transit-economist-says

Is there any update on the projectiles (bullets) which caused panic on the SkyTrain operated by TransLink on January 11, 2012?Ai?? Sam Cooper with The Province wrote an excellent article about it (heai??i??ll likely be banned from any more transit articles in the future after TransLink reads it).Ai?? Here are links for the story on the projectile incident and a few other recent incidents which donai??i??t make it on the TransLink annual report (TransLink might start listing transit incidents in its annual reports):

http://www.burnabynow.com/Transit+police+investigating+projectiles+fired+crowded+carriage+Metrotown/5987105/story.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/07/08/bc-sex-assault-surveillance-photo.html

http://www.vancouverite.com/2010/05/14/skytrain-area-sex-attack-prompts-police-warning/

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2011/03/23/17733521.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/04/17/bc-skytrain-attack.html

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/fashion-beauty/issues+warning+after+sexual+assault+East/5325048/story.html

http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/policeblotter/2011/05/30/sword-swiping-man-arrested-skytrain

http://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=230&languageId=1&contentId=18454

I find the whole spectacle of TransLink Commissioner, Martin Crilly, acting as transit watchdog, to investigate TransLink on the proposed 12.5% transit fare increase, comical.Ai?? Even though Martin Crilly is appointed by the Mayorsai??i?? Council, many mayors on the Mayorsai??i?? Council are loyal to TransLink and Martin Crilly isnai??i??t impartial on transit matters.Ai?? Martin Crilly has strong ties with TransLink and appears on the TransLink website:

http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/TransLink-Governance-and-Board/Commissioner.aspx

Martin Crilly is paying consultants up to $80,000 to compare transit costs in Metro Vancouver to transit costs in other cities.Ai?? It doesnai??i??t seem reasonable for Martin to hire consultants for help.Ai?? Canai??i??t Martin do the job?Ai?? If he canai??i??t; how did he manage to land the job of TransLink Commissioner?Ai?? Anyone who isnai??i??t totally clueless can tell you that TransLink through the hand picked stooges being paid by Martin Crilly will recommend exactly what TransLink wants recommended:

http://www.theprovince.com/Commuters+facing+cent+hike+transit+fares/5978327/story.html

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/topics/city/auburn%20hills/Before+allowing+fare+hike+TransLink+Commissioner+wants+proof+TransLink+running+efficiently/5974938/story.html

Here is my free and objective third party evaluation of transit by TransLink:Ai?? the fare comparison of $2.75 quoted by The Province for transit in Calgary leaves out one important detail.Ai?? Calgary Transit only has one fare zone and $2.75 is the average transit fare for all zones by Calgary Transit ($3 by Edmonton Transit for all zones on February 1, 2012); whereas, the average and non-weighted transit fare for all zones by TransLink is $3.75 and will be approximately $4.17 in Metro Vancouver if TransLink raises transit fares in January 2013:

http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/fares.html

http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/ets/fares/types-of-fares.aspx

http://www.theprovince.com/Editorial+time+transit+users+more/5981584/story.html

On average, TransLink after the transit fare increase will charge 52% more for transit than Calgary Transit charges.Ai?? Is it still time for transit users to pay more in Metro Vancouver or is it time to question the wisdom behind the formation of TransLink?Ai?? Bureaucrats at TransLink roughly cost taxpayers an extra $100 million annually for very low level thinking and planning (including public consultations intended to persuade the attendees to go along with whatever the plan by TransLink is).

In Edmonton, transportation engineers and staff do what TransLink does and very much more (free from the political interference leading to unethical conduct which is all too common at TransLink with TransLink taking its orders from the ruling provincial government which condones TransLink bending municipal by-laws to operate loud and noxious diesel buses on trolley bus routes with impunity, for example).Ai?? Office and administrative costs for Edmonton Transit are part of the City of Edmonton overhead.Ai?? There isnai??i??t a palace housing numerous and costly transit bureaucrats pushing paper and getting in the way in Edmonton.Ai?? In Metro Vancouver, on the other hand, TransLink is building a new palace in New Westminster to ai???expandai??? office space for its bureaucrats.

You might be thinking, well that is fine, TransLink provides better transit than Edmonton Transit or Calgary Transit.Ai?? Wrong.Ai?? TransLink is one of the lowest ranking transit organizations in the world (worst three or bottom 13% of transit organizations ranked on page 11 of the Scorecard on Prosperity – 2011):

http://www.bot.com/Content/NavigationMenu/Policy/Scorecard/Scorecard_2011_Final.pdf

Transit Costs

Senior transit operators in Edmonton and Metro Vancouver are paid essentially the same hourly wage, $29.19/hour and $29.20/hour, respectively.Ai?? Therefore, it should cost TransLink and Edmonton Transit approximately the same to put someone onto transit, right?Ai?? Wrong, it costs TransLink much more than Edmonton Transit to provide transit.

In 2009 for the 189 million annual ridership, it cost TransLink $3,637 to put someone onto transit for one year ($943 million operating budget / 259 thousand transit users based on a ridership of two daily trips on average per transit user).Ai?? In 2009 for the 68.5 million annual ridership, it cost Edmonton Transit $2,216 to put someone onto transit for one year ($208 million operating budget / 94 thousand transit users based on a ridership of two daily trips on average per transit user).

Edmonton Transit operates in a longer and harsher winter climate than TransLink in Metro Vancouver.Ai?? As a result, Edmonton Transit has higher operating costs than TransLink in mild Metro Vancouver.Ai?? Despite this, it costs TransLink 39% more ($1,421 annually) than it costs Edmonton Transit to put someone onto transit (without factoring in the added cost for the long and harsh winter climate in Edmonton).Ai?? In other words, almost $4 out of $10 spent by TransLink is not being used to provide transit.Ai?? Bureaucrats at TransLink have merely fabricated a costly transit economy to give themselves cushy jobs for big money.Ai?? Transit users and taxpayers are paying for it.

Transit Ridership

TransLink has been going on and on about moving so many people in Metro Vancouver and has been making a fuss about all its ridership records, year after year, as if TransLink is doing such an outstanding and unique job.Ai?? Every added person on transit is a ridership record by definition and any city with a growing population is going to continually break ridership records for transit use.Ai?? If TransLink canai??i??t brag about anything other than more people on transit owing to the exploding population here, TransLink is in deep trouble.Ai?? Per-capita, transit in Edmonton moved 12% of the population on average in 2009 based on weekday, weekend and holiday transit use.Ai?? Transit use in Edmonton increased by 19% from 2006 to 2009:

http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/ets/about_ets/ets-statistics.aspx

As a percentage of the population served, TransLink moves fewer people than Edmonton Transit.Ai?? Per-capita, TransLink moved 11% of the population on average in 2009 based on weekday, weekend and holiday transit use.Ai?? Transit use in Metro Vancouver increased by 14% from 2006 to 2009 (less than in Edmonton over the same period):

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/More+people+transit+many+evade+fare/5870384/story.html

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/TransLink+track+another+ridership+record/5876827/story.html

While the population has risen sharply in Metro Vancouver, in Edmonton, the population growth has been much less dramatic (about two-thirds as much as the population growth in Metro Vancouver).Ai?? Consequently, the transit increase of 19% by Edmonton Transit from 2006 to 2009 is phenomenal compared with the disappointing transit increase of 14% (largely induced by population growth) from 2006 to 2009 by TransLink.

Moreover, to achieve its relatively meager ridership records considering population growth, TransLink has cheated.Ai?? TransLink has lured many post secondary students, who would normally be walking or cycling, onto transit with the U-Pass program targeting students at post secondary institutions and discounting the monthly transit pass for qualifying students by two-thirds to four-fifths:

http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Student-Passes/U-Pass.aspx

http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Monthly-Pass.aspx

Unlike working commuters who are too pooped to change into their party outfits after work, students with their transit passes and their high energy are ready to boogey on Friday and Saturday nights. TransLink takes advantage of this to bolster its ridership figures by running its buses longer and harder until almost 4 am for the partying students hitting the dance clubs.

Finally, in Edmonton and in Metro Vancouver about 62% of the population drives.Ai?? TransLink isnai??i??t removing many vehicle drivers from the roads to increase ridership with transit.Ai?? Almost all transit spending by TransLink is being used to accommodate the growing population here.Ai?? TransLink has performed poorly for the money spent on transit and deserves no accolades in the media.Ai?? If it werenai??i??t for TransLink spreading propaganda to portray a false reality of its greatness in Metro Vancouver and if reporters didnai??i??t rely on TransLink for twisted and misleading propaganda, many people would see TransLink for what it truly is in Metro Vancouver:Ai?? an abject failure created by individuals who are benefiting from it.

Fare Evasion

TransLink blames fare evasion for its rising costs.Ai?? It estimates the 2010 fare losses to be $5.3 million (0.5% of TransLinkai??i??s $1 billion operating budget in 2010).

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Skyrocketing+fare+evaders+cost+TransLink+millions/5788036/story.html

Retail stores experience anywhere from 1% to 8% in shrinkage or losses. Losses from fare evasion are the natural consequence of the SkyTrain network operating without transit operators to keep the dishonest ai??i?? honest.Ai?? Neither electronic fare cards nor fare gates will stop fare evasion, completely. If TransLink is keen to eliminate losses from fare evaders, streetcar transit or LRT with a vigilant driver would arguably do more than fare cards or gates (which can be compromised) to mitigate fare evasion.

Losses from fare evasion at 0.5% of TransLinkai??i??s operating budget are too small to be the cause of the ongoing financial distress at TransLink and not worth mentioning ai??i?? except to divert attention away from bumbling bureaucrats spending too much on SkyTrain transit which doesnai??i??t even generate as much ridership (as a percentage of the population) as LRT in Edmonton.

Nevertheless, TransLink is committed to improving its financial performance by tackling fare evasion.Ai?? To reduce fare evasion, TransLink is spending $171 million on fare gates and smart cards costing up to $15 million annually to maintain (resulting in an outright loss of $171 million and another $9.7 million loss annually).Ai?? This makes perfect sense to the bureaucrats at TransLink.Ai?? Bureaucrats at TransLink are able to strut around like important and powerful people awarding lucrative contracts for not only fare cards and gates but also for the Evergreen Line, SkyTrain expansion, costing a modest $1.4 billion for 11 km of track if it is built on budget.Ai?? Then, the bureaucrats at TransLink simply pass the costs of their boondoggles onto transit users (fare increases) and vehicle drivers (gas taxes) who pay for it:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/mediaroom/releases-2011-h062e-6400.htm

http://www.vancourier.com/transit+fare+card+cost+million/4032665/story.html

http://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/the-skytrain-fairgate-saga-the-farce-continues/

http://www.burnabynow.com/Burnaby+Mayor+disappointed+TransLink+funding+plan+approval/5520370/story.html

http://www.langleyadvance.com/news/TransLink/5520191/story.html

http://www.evergreenline.gov.bc.ca/

So, what is the proper course of action for Martin Crilly?Ai?? Unless Martin Crilly is working behind the scenes for TransLink, Martin Crilly must do the following to turn transit around in Metro Vancouver:

Replace SkyTrain transit with streetcar transit (avoids tunnel) for the future Evergreen Line (saving $1 billion)

Sub-lease the TransLink palace in New Westminster and use theAi??Ai?? money to fund transit improvements

Dismiss the bumbling bureaucrats at TransLink (saving aboutAi??$100 million annually)
Roll back transit fares to an average of $3 or less for allAi??zones
Increase transit during peak hours to alleviateAi??overcrowding
Disallow the unethical use of unwelcome diesel buses onAi??trolley bus routes
Dissolve TransLink and establish a moratorium on SkyTrainAi??routes
Replace TransLink with the Mayorsai??i?? Council to set prioritiesAi??for transit in Metro Vancouver

TransLink relies on blatant lies and half truths to keep many in Metro Vancouver thoroughly confused and misinformed.Ai?? Under the pretence of working to reduce traffic gridlock, air pollution and transit costs (more than slight exaggerations), bureaucrats at TransLink have raised transit fares excessively and imposed transit taxes unfairly.

TransLink advertises abundantly and unnecessarily in the media with money from transit users and taxpayers to buy goodwill from reporters covering transit.Ai?? TransLink must be the only transit organization in Canada to employ a Director of Communication (euphemism for Director of Propaganda) whose duty it is to control the media and to spoon feed reporters with articles extolling the false merits of TransLink transit.

TransLink Commissioner, Martin Crilly is to investigate whether the fare increase by TransLink is in order?Ai?? How about the Premier investigate Martin Crilly and TransLink to determine whether they are in order?Ai?? TransLink is already charging far too much for transit.Ai?? If Edmonton Transit operated transit rather than TransLink in Metro Vancouver, transit fares would be 39% lower and ridership would be 5% higher.

Regards,

Eric

Reference links:

http://www.translink.ca/en/Be-Part-of-the-Plan/10-Year-Transportation-Plan/2012-Supplemental-Plan.aspx

http://www.translink.ca/~/media/documents/bpotp/10_year_plan/2012_plans/2012_supplemental_plan_moving_forward.ashx

http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Corporate-Overview/Annual-Reports.aspx

http://www.translink.ca/~/media/documents/about_translink/corporate_overview/annual_reports/statutory_annual_report/2010.ashx

http://www.translink.ca/~/media/documents/about_translink/corporate_overview/annual_reports/2010.ashx

http://www.metrovancouver.org/about/statistics/Pages/KeyFacts.aspx

http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/Annual_Collision_Report_2010.pdf

http://www.coastmountainbus.com/careers/bus_operator/pay_benefits.asp

http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/ets/compare-positions.aspx

http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/econ46a-eng.htm

http://www.themilwaukeestreetcar.com/

http://ubyssey.ca/news/point-grey-and-kits-residents-rally-against-a-ubc-skytrain-line/

http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=233ef411-9b1a-4260-8160-029ad7176f41

http://railforthevalley.wordpress.com/page/12/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3327190136#!/group.php?gid=3327190136&v=wall

http://www.kitsilano.ca/2011/01/31/kits-point-residents-fight-to-preserve-view-corridors/

http://www.wbba.ca/

Useful links:

http://www.rockantenne.de/webplayer/?playchannel=alternative

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12218729

http://www.radioshaker.com/radio-stations/rock/alternative/radio-k__rock-hd2.html