U-Pass Fraud Tops $15 Million Annually

As predicted, the much vaunted U-Pass program isAi??costing TransLink at least $15 million annually, more thanAi??reported fare evasion, yet there is nary a peep from the mainstream media. Zwei’s sources at TransLink report that the U-Pass program is costing the taxpayer a lot more than what is being reported and there is no way that […]

But, What About Hard Numbers?

In classic fashion, a TransLink news release to the mainstream media claims that, “there was a 17-per cent increase in the total number of trips taken on transit from 2008 to 2011.”, yet no hard numbers are used, and why not? TransLink wants money, a lot of money and how better to groom the taxpayer […]

SkyTrain Is At The Centre Of TransLink’s Finacial Woes

SkyTrain, the sum of TransLink’s financial evils. Long time transit advocate, Malcolm Johnston has had a very good letter printed in the weeklies and at least one daily newspaper, pointing out that the SkyTrain and light-metro are at the root of TransLink’s financial ills. No doubt the SkyTrain lobby will react negatively to Mr. Johnston’s […]

SkyTrain & Canada Line Hubris At The Vancouver Sun

I see that the Vancouver Sun is continuing its propaganda campaign for the Canada Line with Saturday’s effort; “Future is bright for Cambie Corridor as development booms.” http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Stories/813152/story.html#ixzz29rcrw1OW What the article boils down to, is that the Canada Line was never about moving the public, nor reducing auto use (remember the 200,000 car journeys taken […]

The Guru’s of Tax & Spend Are Grooming the Public for Road Pricing

Like a pervert on the Internet grooming children for lewd encounters, the powers that be in METRO Vancouver are grooming the public for “road pricing” for a very rude tax grab. What is road pricing anyways? Road pricingAi??and congestion charging are direct charges levied for the use of roads, including road tolls, distance or time […]

Audit says TransLink could save $41 million by reducing SkyTrain frequency, taking other measures

The empty VCC/ClarkAi??SkyTrain, maybe a candidateAi??for closureAi??in non-peak hours. This comes as no surprise. As everyone knows, except for the most die-hard SkyTrain enthusiast, one tends to run driverless transit systems at close frequencies at times when there isn’t the demand for such a service. SkyTrain is a railway and like all other railways, the […]

Vancouver second most traffic congested city in North America: report

Ha, ha, ha – or should I weep. I guess “rubber on asphalt” with a $8 billion SkyTrain Canada Line sweetener hasn’t worked. Does the taxpayer really want to throw more money at TransLink to carry on with their unworkable and unaffordable light-metro dreams? The failure of the SkyTrain and the Canada Line light-metros to […]

Should We Convert the Canada Line metro to LRT?

The George Massey Tunnel is back in the news, as Premier Christie Clark is using the tunnel as an election gimmick, promising to replace the tunnel within 10 years. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Christy+Clark+announces+plan+replace+Massey+Tunnel/7315511/story.html Replacing the tunnel with a larger structure, bridge or tunnel will only send the gridlock to the next choke point, the Oak Street & Knight […]

Tours ‘architecture in motion’ tram unveiled

The new Alstolm trams being delivered to Tours certainly demonstrates the 21st century streetcar or tram. The 43.7 metre (143.3 feet), seven section articulated tram has a nominals capacity of 300 persons, with seating for 88. This equals the capacity of a four car rake of Mk.1 vehicles. Being 100% low-floor, means easy access for […]

TransLink’s Demands and the Mainstream Media’s Embarrassment

Liz James, whoAi??pens opinion pieces for the North Shore News has taken the time to study and understand our regional public transit debacle, unlike the immortal scribes who inhabit the mainstream media andAi??are nothing more than shills for TransLink. The failure by the mainstream media to understand why TransLink is in economic peril is breathtaking […]