TransLink’s Compass Card Boondoggle Revisited

Well, here we go again, new numbers from TransLink clearly shows that the much touted Compass Card is $23 million over budget and Cubit Industries will be paid $12 million annually to operated the system – more money than was thought lost through fare evasion! So, let’s look at more TransLink expenditures. *TransLink CEO Ian […]

ZA?rich Suburban Light Rail Line Approved

From the Railway Gazette. The Swiss city of ZA?rich has approved a new suburban 13Ai??4 km tram line, the Limmattalbahn light rail line which would link the ZA?rich suburbs of Altstetten, Dietikon and Killwangen-Spreitenbach. The project is backed by the cantons of ZA?rich and Aargau, which would pay 75% and 25% of the estimated SFr670m […]

Advice Notes For Promoters Who Are Considering Light Rail

Thanks to David Cockle of Leewood Projects for sending the following ‘guidance notes’ for light rail, ultra light rail and more. UK Tram has produced a general Guidance Note and a series of Advice Notes for promoters who are considering a Light rail, Ultra Light Rail or Personal Rapid Transit Scheme.Ai?? These Notes provide promoters […]

Transit Can Only Improve If TransLink Is Dissolved

The following PostScript to a letter sent by Eric Chris, a professional engineer, is worthy of a post because he addresses the hidden issues of the U-Pass. For those who live outside of TransLink’s realm, the U-Pass is a universal transit pass giving unlimited travel, forcibly sold to over 110,000 post secondary students in Metro […]

TransLink CEO, Ian Jervis Made Over $394,000 Last Year

Not bad for a career bureaucrat who has no background in public transit. Maybe a little thrift in TransLink’s senior bureaucrats stipends, would translate to a little thrift in operations, resulting in realistic planning, financingAi?? and operation. From CKWX News 1130 radio. TransLink CEO making thousands more than counterpartsIan Jarvis makes $100,000 more than head […]

Tram looks ahead to avoid collisions

New technology will make trams safer and here is a lesson to be learned. Modern light rail, trams and streetcars are constantly evolving, into a safer and and more convenient transit mode. There is no such evolution with SkyTrain as it is essentially the same mode since 1978, just tarted up every now and again. […]

Does the Provincial government Want TransLink To Fail?

Like a death dirge, the TransLink referendum drags on and on, yet the provincial Premier is steadfast on the question of a funding referendum for TransLink. The regional mayors are more and more making fools of themselves wanting one of many tax proposals to fund the TransLink behemoth, yet abhor a “none of the above” […]

The 1986 LRTA Study: Bus ai??i?? LRT ai??i?? Metro Comparison

I thought I would again reprint this post from May 20, 2010 as it may clear up some major misconceptions about LRT capacity, especially our friend in Vancouver who are very confused about modern light rail. There is an ongoing debate today that LRTAi??can only carry a limited number of riders and that the magic […]

Is The Canada Line A Classic White Elephant?

From Wiki: A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost (particularly cost of upkeep) is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth. The term derives from the story that the kings of Siam (now Thailand) were accustomed to make a present […]

A comparison of Canadian Rail Transit Systems

Please note station platform lengths, SkyTrain and the Canada Line’s station platforms, as well as the vehicles are smaller than most, which means TransLink’s claimed high capacity for Metro Vancouver’s rail system maybe more of a fairy tale than reality. Pixie dust planning and operation seems to be TransLink’s forte.