Bus Rapid Transit Vs. Light Rail

Too often theAi??Bus versus Light Rail debate omits to mention the operational costs associated with public transport.Ai?? This is the great weakness of the bus when there are significant numbers of passengers to be carried. Official American cost comparisons show that the cost of carrying a passenger on light rail is approximately 2/3rds that of […]

Brisbane, Australia (BRT) Bus Rapid Transit

If there could be any doubt, of the cost effectiveness and the capability to relieve urban congestion of Bus Rapid Transit [BRT], study the following image of Brisbaneai??i??s system. http://www.translink.com.au/about-translink/what-we-do/infrastructure-projects/busways TransLink in BC are actively promoting BRT as the answer for transit in the Fraser Valley, they & the City mayors & councillors who are […]

The Silence of TransLink Speaks Volumes

Since Rail for the Valley released the RftV/Leewood TramTrain report in September, there has been a silence from TransLink and the government's two favoured media outlets, the Vancouver Sun and CKNW radio on the valley rail project. All the TV stations did reports, as did all the regional (semi)weekly newspapers, which is credit to their profession; but […]

Mayors face tax dilemma

 More thoughts on the TransLink/regional mayors funding debate. What I do not see is any hint of fiscal responsibility from TransLink, just demands for more money with dire threats on what will happen if funding doesn't come through. In South Delta, three bus routes, the C-84, C-89 and the 609, which operate at 60 minute headways or […]

A Letter From Jacob de Raadt

There is a growing realization from Fraser Valley taxpayers that the South Fraser region should secede from TransLink and even the GVRD. For far too long, the North Fraser cities have used the South Fraser as a 'Milch cow' for taxes to fund politically prestigious light-metro projects such as SkyTrain. Valley taxpayers are waking up […]

The Canada Line Fizzles In The Snow

Ai?? The $2.5 billion Canada line fizzled today in the 10 cm of snow that fell in the Richmond area. Unlike the SkyTrain proprietary light-metro system, which had a small army of attendants stationed on trains and station platforms to prevent the snow shy SkyTrain from stopping, TransLink seemed unprepared with the weather related problems […]

Rail For The Valley In The International News Again!

Rail for the Valley and the RftV/Leewood report is featured again in an international publication. In the December issue of Tramways & Urban Transit (the official magazine of the Light Rail Transit Association) is a two page feature of the RftV/Leewood report. As the magazine is distributed not only to LRTA members but internationally as well, […]

Surrey’s main issue is simple: better transit – From the Vancouver Sun

Kudos’ for Surrey mayor Diane Watts to think “out of the SkyTrain box” and think light rail, but to do so requires hiring real light rail experts to assist local planners and engineers in planning a usable and efficient LRT/tram network in Surrey. Our local transportation planners still do not get it that the difference […]

Streetcars – The missing Link Symposium

The following is for the links for the speaker's presentations and the audio for the townhall meeting. Other that not one of the presenters could define what a streetcar is, the following should be of some value. For Zweisystem's view of the streetcar symposium http://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/the-streetcar-symposium-translink-doesnt-get-it/ Streetcars: The Missing Link? 29 September 2010 Renaissance Vancouver Hotel […]

AdiA?A?s the Evergreen Line?

It seems TransLink’s game of brinkmanship will be their undoing. They have played this hand too often and regional politico’s are tired playing against a stacked deck. We all know that public transit is good, but when you have Gordon Price saying on the radio, that the LRT/SkyTrain debate is theological and radio personality singing […]