Eric Chris Tackles Vancouver’s Media and Politicians SkyTrain Hubris

A picture that Vancouver’s SkyTrain lobby do not want the public to see! Modern LRT on a lawned rights-of-way.

Eric Chris’s letter to Vancouver media and politicans.

SkyTrain is by far the worst possible alternative for theAi?? proposed Evergreen Line from Burnaby to Coquitlam in Metro Vancouver.Ai?? HereAi?? are some highlights from a recent UBC research paper comparing tram lines andAi?? light rail transit (LRT) lines to SkyTrain lines:

Cost

Total cost per trip (Figure 22 on page 10 of researchAi?? paper):

Tram = $3.04 (best)

LRT = $7.64

SkyTrain = $12.34 (worst)

Total cost per passenger mile (Figure 21 on page 10 ofAi?? research paper):

Tram = $1.22 (best)

LRT = $1.68

SkyTrain = $2.66 (worst)

Environment

Lifecycle carbon emissions per passenger mile (page 7 ofAi?? research paper):

Tram = 32.59 (best)

LRT = 51.6

SkyTrain = 156.3 (worst)

Efficiency

Energy use in kWh per passenger mile (page 5 of researchAi?? paper):

Tram = 0.11 (best)

LRT = 0.13

SkyTrain = 0.30 (worst)

Occupancy

Number of passengers by transit mode (page 4 of researchAi?? paper):

Tram = 155 (close second best)

LRT = 178 (best)

SkyTrain = 105 (worst)

By any measure and by a huge margin, modern tram lines areAi?? superior to outdated SkyTrain lines.Ai?? Tram lines move more people and useAi?? much less energy than SkyTrain lines.Ai?? Tram lines are much more economicalAi?? than SkyTrain lines, and on an trip by trip basis, SkyTrains are 306% moreAi?? expensive than trams to operate.Ai?? SkyTrain isnai??i??t just a financialAi?? disaster; however, SkyTrain is also an environmental disaster.

According to the UBC research paper, carbon emissions for aAi?? SkyTrain line ultimately exceed carbon emissions for a tram line by 380%.Ai??Ai?? All SkyTrain lines require extra diesel buses to shuttle transit users to theAi?? distantly spaced SkyTrain stations.Ai?? When carbon emissions from theseAi?? diesel buses are included, carbon emissions by SkyTrain are far worse than theAi?? UBC research paper suggests.Ai?? Moreover, SkyTrain lines rely on redundantAi?? rapid bus routes (articulated diesel or hybrid diesel bus routes) to fill in theAi?? gaps of the SkyTrain network and to connect SkyTrain lines (99 B-Line routeAi?? operating underneath existing trolley bus lines in Vancouver, forAi?? instance).Ai??

These rapid bus routes, which would not be necessary with tramAi?? lines, often operate in parallel to existing bus routes and increase carbonAi?? emissions tremendously.Ai?? From an environmental perspective, tram lines areAi?? far more effective in the fight against climate change than SkyTrain lines ai??i?? SkyTrain lines are lemons.Ai??Ai??Ai??

SkyTrain is inconvenient to use and deters transit use (byAi?? drivers who donai??i??t have to take transit) ai??i?? most transit users donai??i??t live near aAi?? SkyTrain station and have to walk a long distance or transfer from a bus toAi?? reach a remote SkyTrain station located every two kilometres apart in distanceAi?? on average.Ai?? Tram lines have closely spaced stops and result in fasterAi?? overall trip times than SkyTrain lines for the vast majority of transit usersAi?? because the bus transfer or long walk required for the SkyTrain line isAi?? avoided.Ai?? Really, SkyTrain is being promoted by certain individuals whoAi?? wonai??i??t admit that it is terrible mistake because if they do, they will be out ofAi?? a job.Ai??

Supposed urban planning and transportation guru, Gordon PriceAi?? of SFU, as well as self professed transportation expert and City of VancouverAi?? Councillor, Geoff Meggs have little credibility and donai??i??t know the first thingAi?? about civil, electrical or mechanical engineering to give any worthwhile adviceAi?? on the efficient design of transit networks; yet, they never miss theAi?? opportunity to support more taxes to pay for more SkyTrain when simply cuttingAi?? our losses to switch to tram lines would be the shrewd move.Ai?? Perhaps theirAi?? inflated egos just prevent them from admitting that they are wrong aboutAi?? SkyTrain.Ai?? Gordon Price and Geoff Meggs are entitled toAi?? express theirAi?? simple thoughts in the media; however, for the media to ignore technicallyAi?? qualified university professors and professional engineers who disagree withAi?? Gordon Price, Geoff Meggs and the rest of the Mickey Mouse club at TransLink isAi?? censorship.Ai?? For the media to withhold the truth and to print liesAi?? favouring SkyTrain is tantamount to propaganda, and the media appears to beAi?? promoting SkyTrain for TransLink to reward the media with thousands to millionsAi?? of dollars annually in bribes advertising.

Peter Fassbender who is the vice-chair of the Mayorsai??i?? CouncilAi?? has capitulated with TransLink to obtain his rapid bus route for Langley.Ai??Ai?? He is a toady for TransLink, and it is disgusting to read articles about PeterAi?? Fassbender wanting to raise taxes for more SkyTrain lines by TransLink.Ai??Ai?? SkyTrain is a scam as far as doing anything significant to reduce vehicle useAi?? (it does reduce some vehicle use but it also reduces walking and cycling,Ai?? too).Ai?? SkyTrain is primarily being used to spur development alongAi?? SkyTrain lines for developers to profit.Ai?? This is not the purpose ofAi?? transit; the purpose of transit is to move students, retirees… tourists in aAi?? cost effective and sustainable manner.Ai??

After the Canada Line fiasco (SNC Lavalin submitted a low bidAi?? to win the job and then open cut rather than bore Cambie Street to save moneyAi?? while businesses on Cambie Street paid the price and went bankrupt as a result) ai??i?? it is incredible to see TransLink attempting to build another SkyTrain lineAi?? (Evergreen Line) with SNC Lavalin ai??i?? unbelievable.Ai?? The depth of depravityAi?? at TransLink is amazing.Ai?? Because TransLink is spending too much onAi?? SkyTrain lines, conventional transit is being sacrificed,Ai?? consequently:

• TransLink operates diesel buses on trolley bus routes to saveAi??Ai?? money and air quality suffers to increase respiratory and heart diseasesAi??Ai??Ai??
• TransLink reduces the budget for buses to save money andAi??Ai?? transit buses become overcrowded at peak hours
• TransLink gouges drivers and homeowners who are unfairlyAi??Ai?? taxed to pay for over priced SkyTrain lines

Fundamentally, TransLink is a make work program created toAi?? increase employment.Ai?? Not one inch of the proposed Evergreen Line will beAi?? built by existing TransLink staff.Ai?? Everyone at TransLink could be purgedAi?? and the new palace being built to house the 500 staff at TransLink in NewAi?? Westminster could be sold to raise cash for transit.Ai?? TransLink is an awfulAi?? drain on the economy and employs overpaid economists, planners… accountantsAi?? who are not required to operate transit.Ai?? In March of 2012, ShiroccaAi?? Consulting ranked TransLink as the worst run transit organization in Canada ai??i?? transit could only improve if current Metro Vancouver staff replaced everyone atAi?? TransLink ai??i?? at least Metro Vancouver is staffed by competent planners andAi?? engineers who are in touch with the communities in the LowerAi?? Mainland.

This isnai??i??t a game; people are being harmed and cheated whenAi?? the bungling buffoons (accountants and economists) making the decisions atAi?? TransLink commit to build more SkyTrain lines with money raised by taxingAi?? drivers and homeowners.Ai?? Do your readers a big favour and write the truthAi?? for a change ai??i?? expose TransLink for what it is ai??i?? a sick organization headed byAi?? corrupt individuals building SkyTrain lines when tram lines would lower carbonAi?? emissions from transit and lower personal taxes for transit.Ai?? Here is theAi?? UBC research paper for your perusal:

http://www.sxd.sala.ubc.ca/8_research/sxd_FRB07Transport.pdf