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. […]

The Current Vacuum In Regional Transit Planning

Where’s the transit? This question is being asked more and more and despite the hype an hoopla from Translink in their quest for more money, there is absolutely no concept of a regional transit strategy. Oh yes, we have SkyTrain for Vancouver; light rail for Surrey; and express buses (BRT is somewhat a fraudulent term) […]

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 […]

The Bateman Strategy: Killing TransLink and the regional vision – NOT!

Gordon Price has entered the TransLink fray and with gusto, blaming Jordan Bate of having the audacity to ask for “none of the above” on the ballot in the upcoming election. Without a “none of the above” on the ballot means the much ballyhooed TransLink referendum would be nothing more than a wet squib, in […]

Eric Chris’s Study – Not having transit is more environmentally sustainable than having transit in Vancouver

Eric Chris, sent the following to all local newspapers and municipal governments. It seems, TransLink and our regional transit planners may have it all wrong. To view the study in its entirety, please click on the link below. Transit in Metro Vancouver, Canada recently won the gold award from APTA (American Public Transportation Association) for […]

BRT = Build Rail Transit

Easy and simple to understand, then why doesn’t TransLink get it? Forget about B-Line buses, which only exacerbates TransLink’s financial woes and build with LRT, replacing heavily used bus services with affordable and efficient light rail. Despite of cries of doom and gloom about light rail construction, the new First Hill streetcar line in Seattle […]

Debunking the SkyTrain Myth – A Repost From 2009

Debunking the SkyTrain myth. Rail for the Valley answers the UBC SkyTrain Lobby! With updates. First posted by zweisystem on Thursday, April 23, 2009 It was brought to Zweisystemai??i??s attention yesterday that a blog site was established by the UBC SkyTrain Lobby, critiquing modern LRT.Ai?? Zweisystem responded,Ai?? posting corrections for the many myths, half truths […]

A John Buker Re-Post From 2009 – Prendergastai??i??s parting words on Rail for the Valley

A re-post from 2009. Tom Prendergast, who was briefly CEO at TransLink, left (or was forced out) after just over a year at the post because of the Skytrain lobby. The SkyTrain Lobby still holds great sway with transit planning in Metro Vancouver, which is very bad news for the taxpayer. Too bad that the […]

TransLink Digs An Even bigger Hole For Itself

One has to laugh and cry at the same time. Right on the heels of the discovery that when the Compass Card regime comes into being not allowing bus transfers on the SkyTrain and Canada Line light-metro systems, TransLink’s top bureaucrats are getting pay hikes. This, at the time when TransLink is crying poverty and […]