TransLink’s Ridership Numbers – Can They Be Trusted?

Several local blogs have trumpeted TransLink’s claim thatAi??Ai??March’s ridership is up over 19% from the same time last year. http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Olympic+commuters+sticking+with+public+transit/3065957/story.html#Comments Yet ‘Zwei’ has some nagging questions as to how TransLinkAi??Ai??counts transitAi??Ai??ridership, especially on the metro system. Back in BC Transit days, the transit agencyAi??Ai??proclaimed in annual news releases; “that ridership on the SkyTrain metro has […]

SkyTrain service shut down between two Surrey stations

From the Vancouver Sun. According to the SkyTrain Lobby, SkyTrain operates trouble free; well not today it seems. SkyTrain service shut down between two Surrey stations May 25, 2010 SURREY – A problem with a train near the end of the Surrey section has shut down SkyTrain service between Gateway and King George stations. Coast […]

Bad Practise!

From David CockleAi??Ai??in the UK. Some interesting video clips. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unhXEQQk8G8 and a few more; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rETMf03JYL0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9cf9dOqxjs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5fjKwloMww&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfu3t68dzI8&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgCPPeYmyKw&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh-NyFBWM6k&feature=fvw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2cBgqpllfw&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-6q6TI_7_U and the good practise. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdB9xXzvsw8&feature=fvsr http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGHyGQn98Z4&feature=channel enjoy

The Failure To Understand Modern Light Rail = Public Transit Chaos

‘Zwei’ has been taken aback by the viciousness of the SkyTrain Lobby and the great lengths they haveAi??Ai??taken in discrediting the LRT, while at the same time refusing to acknowledge the marketing failure of the proprietary (ICTS/ALRT/ALM/ART ) light-metro system, known in Vancouver as SkyTrain. ‘Zwei’ is also taken aback by abject refusalAi??Ai??by many supposed […]

Broadway Transit meeting – June 22

Business and Residents Association for Sustainable Alternative Transport re: Broadway and w 10th proposed Translink Community meeting on June 22nd 7.30 P.M. St. James Community Centre, West 10th Ave and Trutch. Speakers includeAi??Ai?? Patrick Condon of UBC Mel Lehan, localAi??Ai??NDP candidate and comm. organizer. All welcome

The 1986 LRTA Study: Bus – LRT – Metro Comparison

The followingAi??Ai??is from the Light Rail Transit Associations hand book Light Rail Transit Today, comparing the operating parameters of bus, light rail, and metro on an unimpeded 8 kilometre route with stations every 450 metres. Using real data based on acceleration, deceleration, dwell time, etc., the study gives real time information for the three transit […]

A Poll That the Main Stream Media Ignored. Can We Expect The Same For Other Non SkyTrain ‘Rail’ Projects?

A very strange thing happenedAi??yesterday with ‘Zwei’. When I was discussing a transit matter with an US transit type about the RAV/Canada line. He told me that TransLink officials claimed that over 80% of Vancouverites supported RAV and if it were not for the high costs of the metro, many more metro type transit systems […]

The SkyTrain Lobby Just Can’t Debate Transit Issues

The followingAi??Ai??letter to the Georgia Straight sums up transit planning in Vancouver and the region, an almost mythicalAi??Ai??blind faith in the SkyTrain light-metro and the complete inability to debate transit issues. The SkyTrain lobby’s preference is based purely on mass hysteria not technical merit and the commentsAi??Ai??following letter clearly illustrates a hysterical response; there is […]

The new Ottawa LRT Will save $100 Million in Operating Costs Over 30 Years!

As with all projects in Canada’s Capital, the New LRT line is heavily gold-plated, including a nearly billion dollar, 3.2 km. tunnel under the city. Just a few years ago, Ottawa’s city fathers canceled a 29.7 km., $780 million light rail line contract with Siemens (which cost the city $36.7 million), to build light rail […]

Has TransLink Already Struck The Finacial Iceberg?

Ai??Ai?? The problem with TransLink is simple, it operates two very expensive and Ai??Ai??incompatibleAi??Ai??metro systems on routes that do not have the ridership to sustainAi??Ai??them,Ai??Ai??which translates into higher annual subsidies (read higher taxes) and ever higher fares. The annual subsidy for just the two SkyTrain lines is over $230 million annually. As well, TransLink offers […]