Solve bus problems: Make TransLink accountable
It takes a #49 bus driver to talk sense on the overcrowding issue, but is anyone listening?
Note to TransLink: Being passed by by your bus makes the transit service seem customer unfriendly and unless one has a ‘cheap‘ bus pass, taking the bus becomes a second or thirdAi??transit option, with the car being the first.
In Europe, transit companies suffer penalties if customers are passed by a full bus.
Will TransLink listen to Mr. Magowan?
Somehow I doubt it, as those six figured salaried transit planners and managers, with their $750 a month car allowances, seldom, if ever take the bus and haven’t a real clue how a transit system works, nor care to learn.
Solve bus problems: Make TransLink accountable
Re: On the buses -or not, May 14
Winning the title of bus route with the most pass-ups must be tough for riders of the 49 bus when they see everyday how easy the solution could be.
Most passengers get on and off at major destinations. Yet each packed bus pulls into every stop, making the trip from Metrotown to UBC and back -a plodding two and a half hours.
Buses make just five round trips from morning through the end of the [afternoon] rush.
Alternate bus routes operating with express buses, as is the case just eight blocks over on the 41 line, could complete seven round-trips in the same time.
More importantly, express buses would complete their loop in time to pick up a second load of commuters during peak periods, when most passups occur. Buses under the current schedule arrive too late to help.
Many might attribute the problem to a paucity of planning. Actually, it’s a product of politics.
Christy Clark’s erstwhile rival for premier, Kevin Falcon, made Trans-Link a cloistered, unaccountable body, with no way for frustrated commuters to appear and ask: “Why [is there] no No. 49 express when it would save me time and you money?” In contrast, Premier Clark ran on a platform of open government.
Reopening TransLink to public scrutiny is the most pressing and obvious opportunity to fulfil that promise.
Next stop, Christyville!
David Magowan, 49 Driver Richmond
Don’t you guys know? Don’t you listen to the media? Translink is infallible as it is a world class transit system that everyone wants to copy. According the ‘NW radio last week, Vancouver’s transit system is world class and hundreds of transit planners come every month to see how its done!
Er, well that is what Translink and the Skyscraper boys want you to think!
Wow Evil Eye, we are shocked & awed at the revelation that you have informed us of.
Just to think, even the radio stations are reporting this news, so its got to be true we guess?
It very hard to getting rail service far away from Chillwack to Abbotsford to go or surrey to Langley its only need ex BC Electric tracks have needed to remove 25 thousand volts are high voltage wires moved other areas for safety wires why not Translink should try new service to Fraser Valley rail better to relax no worries of heavy traffic best to have each train to 4 to 6 cars least 1000 passenger once every hour in Seattle Sounder transit like Skytrain carry each transit driver with 1000 passenger rush hour morning every 7 minutes next one very quite traffic every 15 minutes Why not using old B.C Electric tracks is politics still sleep wait until 200 years from now