Transit Price Hikes…how does all this relate to the city?

In 2008, costs of fares will rise as follows:
-one-zone monthly pass will go up from the current price of $69 to $73
-one-zone Faresaver ticket will go from $1.80 to $1.90
-normal one-zone ticket will go from $2.25 to $2.50
(Story: http://www.straight.com/article-95198/transit-cash-fares-up-11-percent)

These fares are the result of the need for Translink to increase funding in order to pay for more transit police and other miscellaneous projects. No word yet on the effect that the price increases will have on the U-Pass…

So far, I have discussed the establishment of the Transit Police, installation of more security cameras and other security measures implemented by Translink. As mentioned in the text, there are several properties of cities that are vital to the understanding of how a city functions. The most important factors relating to public transit are proximity, urban/municipal governance and capitalization.

Capitalization involves the usage of money and resources to build structures and utilities that are needed for a city to function. Since these projects are usually expensive and cannot easily be modified or restructured once in place, proper research and planning must be carried out before making any of these important and permanent decisions.

This leads to the next point of urban governance. Every city needs to have a strong central governing body that is able to assess a city’s needs, plan for the future and make the right decisions to develop the required infrastructure. A safe and efficient transportation network is key to the complex interactions that occur in the city.

Finally, proximity facilitates communication, as face-to-face human contact is central to a city’s economy. However, with municipalities stretching out across broader landscapes and increased densities in the city core, land values have also soared and cities are becoming more dependent on a public transportation network to ease congestion. Therefore, the establishment of a dependable and sustainable transportation system (especially one with sound security measures) is crucial to the maintaining the economic success of a city.

All aboard…say cheese!

Earlier it was announced that Translink would install security cameras onboard the West Coast Express. (May 15, 2007 story: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=6c0621cc-83bc-4936-bd24-513a301520dd&k=14142)

TRANSLINK'S SHOPPING LIST
The list of counter-terrorism equipment requested by TransLink to protect the West Coast Express includes:
- Digital video recorders;

- Cameras;

- Motion detectors;

- Video servers;

- Infrared illuminators;

- Central-system video viewing and management hardware and software;

- Long-term video storage and software;

- Lamps and lighting-control systems.
(http://www.mrtimes.com/issues07/053207/news/053207nn3.html)

There has also been a recent pilot program on the buses that tested four types of cameras on eight buses, along with future plans of installing cameras inside Skytrains and updating the cameras in the stations to digital formats.

I have to agree with the people interviewed in the article that cameras on the West Coast Express are just not a necessity at the moment. Skytrain security is probably more important, whether in the form of a visible presence, like the transit police, or a “Big Brother” approach like London, with close-circuited televisions (CCTV).

But one has to question all of these new security measures. Would these initiatives have taken place if Vancouver was not hosting the Olympics? Or would they have just taken longer? Is this overkill, or just the beginning?

Transit Police/Fares

The Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police Service (Transit Police Service)(More info at http://www.gvtaps.bc.ca/) was established in December 2005, making Vancouver’s public transit system the first and only system in Canada to have its own armed police force.

The establishment of this force was fraught with controversy, however, as many of the general public (especially tourists and new immigrants) saw the officers with firearms as threatening, rather than reassuring.

The force was originally used to mainly patrol Skytrain stations, but is expanding onto buses as well. It was earlier announced (in March 2007) that transit police would start patrolling the 99 B-Line, in search of fare evaders and to help protect bus drivers. The pilot project is scheduled to begin in June 2007.(Full story: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/03/27/bc-bus.html)

In my opinion, I think that Translink is going a little overboard with the amount of money they are spending with the establishment of an armed police force. I mean it's a good idea to maintain law and order, but when it comes to catching fare evaders on the Skytrain, I think that the installation of turnstiles would be more effective and more cost efficient (contrary to what Translink thinks), thereby allowing the police force to deal with more pressing issues, such as drug dealing and violence etc.

What I would like to see Translink implement is a type of "smart card", similar to the Oyster Card in London, the Touch 'n Go Card in Malaysia, and the Octopus Card in Hong Kong. These cards are all contactless smart cards that are rechargeable, with stored dollar values on them. The contactless cards only require a swipe, which is much more convenient and time-saving than inserting a transfer into the fare box, which takes several seconds to process. Some of these cards can even be used at convenience stores, supermarkets, fast-food restaurants and parking meters! Unfortunately, with the current budgets and cost overruns that Translink is facing, this is still far from becoming a reality.

Introduction

In this blog, I will be discussing the operation of the transit system in the Lower Mainland by Translink and how its projects are affecting communities and cities at both micro/macro levels.

Some of the issues that I plan to address include: transit security (installation of security cameras on buses/Skytrain, along with the creation of the transit police force), the expansion of the current bus fleet (energy-saving buses, new buses etc), the positive/negative effects of expanded rapid transit lines (the current operations of the Expo/Millennium Line and the communities that have sprung up around certain stations) and the future construction of the Canada/Evergreen line). I will try to relate these projects with personal/local experiences and stories whenever possible.

This topic was of particular interest to me, as I commute to UBC regularly. As many commuter students can attest, commuting is usually not the most enjoyable time of the day, especially on buses that are normally overcrowded (like the 99 B-Line).

Rapid transit is quickly moving to ease the burden on the B-Line buses. The 99 B-Line originally began at Lougheed Mall, but with the opening of the Millennium Line, the 99 now begins at Commercial Drive. Also, the new Canada Line to Richmond Centre will basically replace the 98 B-Line, while the proposed Evergreen Line to Coquitlam Centre will take over the current 97 B-Line.

The result of constructing these transit lines is basically along the lines of "if you build it, they will come." There has been tremendous growth along the Expo Line, with the most obvious example being Metrotown, while rapid construction of residential condos and high-rises is taking place around Millennium Line stations. It is only evitable that similar (if not greater) growth will occur in the future with the expansion of the Canada and Evergreen Lines.