Observations On A Broken Regional Transit System

The past few month, Zwei has been on the road, throughout the lower mainland attending rugby games (my son plays first div.) and has made a very depressing observation. Despite over $30 billion invested or will be invested in the regional light metro system, traffic is getting worse and congestion, spiced with gridlock is endemic. […]

Over-Designed’ Megaprojects Are Bad For Environment And Taxpayers

Sadly, the same is true in BC and Canada, where politicians fully believe the more money one spends on transit, the better is is. We are currently spending around $11 billion to extend the SkyTrain light metro system a mere 21.7 km. Current Cost Estimates: Surrey Langley SkyTrain – $4.6 billion to $5.1 billion Broadway […]

Listen To The Experts

When Patrick Condon, BSc, MLA,  Professor Chair, Urban Design Faculty of Applied Science School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture says a new transit vision is needed in metro Vancouver, we should listen. We should have listened to the experts in the 1980’s when the then social Credit government forced ALRT onto the regions regional transit […]

Maintenance Costs – What Politicans Ignore

This is a must read as maintenance is one of the least understood functions of operating a transit system. It is often ignored by politicians because most politicians do not understand it nor want to due to unpleasant tax implications that tend to be embarrassing at election time. The Ottawa LRT/Light-Metro is a very good […]

T.E.A.M’s LRT – Offering Much More Light Rail At A Far Cheaper Cost.

Again, old Zwie, the Curmudgeon Laurette of transit, is delighted that Vancouver T.E.A.M. mayoralty candidate Colleen Hardwick is talking LRT while those running against her are still talking dated light-metro. So, let us have a look at costs of the three proposals. T.E.A.M’s Hardwick’s 58 km of LRT The Aprox. 7 km Millennium Line subway […]

Sparkle Ponies And Pixie Dust – Kennedy-Stewart’s Loopy Line

At least some politicians get it, some politicians actually read this blog, obviously Vancouver’s current mayor Kennedy Stewart does not read this blog and more pity to him.! In a re-election bid, Mayor Kennedy Stewart has promised to build a SkyTrain loop in central Vancouver. Really? What will be the cost of this SkyTrain subway […]

Mississauga and Brampton – The Hurontario LRT

It is an interesting comparison that in Vancouver, 5.7 km of SkyTrain light-metro subway will cost over $3 billion and 16km of new SkyTrain light metro in Surrey and Langley will cost around $5 billion (both projects will actually cost over $11 billion for 21.7 km of new line, including the much needed rehab), while […]

What Is The Real Cost For The Expo & Millennium Line Extensions?

It is the civic election season, or more fondly called the “silly season” and all sorts of claims and promises are made. Recently on a local radio talk show a politcal wannabe claimed that; “SkyTrain operates almost free because it does not have any drivers and is cheaper than LRT” and the host agreed with […]

Take the H Train

It now seems hydrogen powered trains are now mainstream and set to become the worlds least polluting transit mode. It is time Canada and BC politicians get on board the H-Train, but I am afraid in Canada, politicians and bureaucrats have left at the station and gone to the airport to travel on the taxpayer’s […]

Zwei Replies……………………

  The following has been posted on Facebook and other transit blogs with some unfavorable comments about RftV. First off, the article is by Alon Levy, a chap I have never heard of before, who has been described as an expert. An expert, well I think not, but neither is good ole Zwei for that […]