Transit Service Discussion (Articulated/Conventional/Shuttle/Skytrain/Seabus)

[Zortan]

1 hour ago, GoCanGo said:

And word is another round of cuts coming sometime in June (further reducing the FTN and nightbus network). Additionally, there is a resounding fear that a lot of service will be permanently cut unless Translink gets significant funding (hearing 2 bil to make up for the losses and anticipated losses).

 

I would strongly urge you all to write to the MLA/MP in your riding. Get family and friends to as well. Transit should be an essential service.

I have written my MLA and MP - hopefully something comes of it

[9924]

36 minutes ago, Tidom said:

Frequent Transit Network

Cool, thanks 

[GORDOOM]

3 hours ago, GoCanGo said:

And word is another round of cuts coming sometime in June (further reducing the FTN and nightbus network). Additionally, there is a resounding fear that a lot of service will be permanently cut unless Translink gets significant funding (hearing 2 bil to make up for the losses and anticipated losses).

 

I would strongly urge you all to write to the MLA/MP in your riding. Get family and friends to as well. Transit should be an essential service.

And this on the same day that Dix and Henry announce the beginning of the re-opening. Truly the left hand has no clue what the right hand is doing.

[9924]

It's all politics.

In regards to the above comment about the "word" being more cuts coming in June, that could very well be.  But, another "word" is that service will increase once the economy opens up (June, July, August), more run indexes will be added as demand picks up.  So, who to believe? 

 

[GoCanGo]

54 minutes ago, GORDOOM said:

And this on the same day that Dix and Henry announce the beginning of the re-opening. Truly the left hand has no clue what the right hand is doing.

Regarding additonal cuts. What was forwarded to me last week could already be outdated. I'm sure the provinvial government is in talks with the transportation agencies about the recent developments.

What is sure is that Translink will need relief funding and additional funding to bring back the level of service it had prior to COVID19. 

[Express691]

Not sure if anyone here agrees, but the late implementation of service cancellations by TransLink makes it feel like translink is slow to react to quickly changing emergency situations. There should be (or should have been) ways to shorten the process of planning in order to enable a faster reaction.

[Zortan]

I believe all the future planned cuts are still going to happen... unfortunately. Haven't heard anything about them being canceled.

The province may be reopening, but that doesn't mean Translink is getting more money, and financial problems won't go away instantly. Not to mention, if this reopening is too soon and we see another spike, they'd just have to cut service again to stay alive. So I'd say with the current financial mess, the cuts are really the only move they can make.

7 minutes ago, Express691 said:

Not sure if anyone here agrees, but the late implementation of service cancellations by TransLink makes it feel like translink is slow to react to quickly changing emergency situations. There should be (or should have been) ways to shorten the process of planning in order to enable a faster reaction.

I agree that there should have been a faster reaction. However, I also don't feel like Translink was all that much slower than other transit agencies from what I've seen. Not saying that's a good thing, just that it seems they were going with status quo.

[GoCanGo]

Someone made a good point with regards to Translink funding. The Mayors Council and the Board of Directors would have to meet to discuss funding resolution prior to requesting aid from the higher levels of governments. This prospect is slim to nil at this point.

[GORDOOM]

25 minutes ago, GoCanGo said:

Someone made a good point with regards to Translink funding. The Mayors Council and the Board of Directors would have to meet to discuss funding resolution prior to requesting aid from the higher levels of governments. This prospect is slim to nil at this point.

State of emergency, remember? Dr. Henry has the authority to order TransLink and its operating agencies to restore service, and to order the laid-off workers to accept recall.

[Zortan]

36 minutes ago, GORDOOM said:

State of emergency, remember? Dr. Henry has the authority to order TransLink and its operating agencies to restore service, and to order the laid-off workers to accept recall.

I really hope that does happen, but I also hope that the "order" includes some $$ as well otherwise it's just an order for disaster.

[9924]

As Kevin Desmond said, transit can't just change overnight, either in reductions or increases, it does take time.  Given the situation, there was no time to plan.  Normal economic slow downs are gradual, and transit can adapt accordingly, but this time, the economy was literally shutdown with a snap of a finger.  They're reacting the best they can given the circumstances.

Having said that, regardless of what funding crisis may exist today and in the future, Translink has been given the responsibility to serve the public of Metro Vancouver with safe, efficient and reliable transportation today and tomorrow.  Some of the cuts they've taken so far I really have to question, regardless of their respective ridership levels.

There will be funding, guaranteed, the only questions are how much and what does Translink intend to do with it.  If the money is not as much as they deem they need, then Translink needs to come up with the shortfall and shelve their future plans for the time being and reallocate that money even if it means the projects will cost more in the future.  

It's wise to look a mile down the road but not at the expense of whats right in front of you.

[Zortan]

I'm not quite sure why transit can't "change itself overnight". Sure, not literally overnight, but at the end of the day, the decision to cut service and then actually cutting service don't have to take very long at all. For example, airlines adapted quite quickly, and were cutting service before it became a crisis in North America. Sure, transit isn't impacted in the same way, but it still was impacted similarly once COVID-19 became a global crisis. For example, commuter routes to places like UBC which have been closed down completely could have been terminated far earlier. Definitely the 4, 14, 9, 99 and some other local routes are important to maintain, but Translink could have been much quicker at temporarily eliminating the 44, 258, 480 and others.

Yes, Translink might not receive enough funding. However, in my opinion the best strategy would be to protect future investments, such as the Broadway subway extension, new RapidBus routes, and others. If they don't cover the shortfall, it's highly unlikely that the government is going to let them just sit there and die. However, if they put off projects, the price goes up, and the projects are at more and more risk of being canceled or reduced in some way. Long-term, demand will recover, and Translink needs to be ready for that with an on-time and properly built expansion to the system.

[8010]

14 hours ago, Zortan said:

Yes, Translink might not receive enough funding. However, in my opinion the best strategy would be to protect future investments, such as the Broadway subway extension, new RapidBus routes, and others. If they don't cover the shortfall, it's highly unlikely that the government is going to let them just sit there and die. However, if they put off projects, the price goes up, and the projects are at more and more risk of being canceled or reduced in some way. Long-term, demand will recover, and Translink needs to be ready for that with an on-time and properly built expansion to the system.

Both SkyTrain extensions are pretty much covered by the provincial and federal governments, if there is a shortfall on TL's end I'm sure one of the two can cover the cost until TL is financially stable again and able to pay them back.

[Phillip]

I listened on the news that the federal government has announced a $4 Billion deal to help essential workers stay on the job, $3 Billion from the federal and $1 Billion from provincial government. It will be up to the provincial government to decide who qualifies. Could this be Translink's break??  

[9924]

14 minutes ago, Phillip said:

I listened on the news that the federal government has announced a $4 Billion deal to help essential workers stay on the job, $3 Billion from the federal and $1 Billion from provincial government. It will be up to the provincial government to decide who qualifies. Could this be Translink's break??  

No, what was announced today was a "top-up" for some people working some jobs.

20 hours ago, Zortan said:

I'm not quite sure why transit can't "change itself overnight". Sure, not literally overnight, but at the end of the day, the decision to cut service and then actually cutting service don't have to take very long at all. For example, airlines adapted quite quickly, and were cutting service before it became a crisis in North America. Sure, transit isn't impacted in the same way, but it still was impacted similarly once COVID-19 became a global crisis. For example, commuter routes to places like UBC which have been closed down completely could have been terminated far earlier. Definitely the 4, 14, 9, 99 and some other local routes are important to maintain, but Translink could have been much quicker at temporarily eliminating the 44, 258, 480 and others.

Yes, Translink might not receive enough funding. However, in my opinion the best strategy would be to protect future investments, such as the Broadway subway extension, new RapidBus routes, and others. If they don't cover the shortfall, it's highly unlikely that the government is going to let them just sit there and die. However, if they put off projects, the price goes up, and the projects are at more and more risk of being canceled or reduced in some way. Long-term, demand will recover, and Translink needs to be ready for that with an on-time and properly built expansion to the system.

Adapting quickly is not changing overnight, there is a difference between the two.  And every industry and every situation is different.   Transit has adapted as quickly as it can just as airlines have adapted as quickly as they could, granted, once borders were shutdown, the only adapting was to park their aircraft.

In regards to your comments "they could have done this, they could have done that".  Its a lot easier to say things like that after the fact from behind your computer then it is when you're responsible for the whole transit system at the very moment everything is changing from one day to the next.

Regardless, the biggest hurdle that Translink is facing in the present, is the increase in current ridership and the restricted seating.  If it wasn't for that, the cuts themselves would be more reasonable.  As long as limiting the number of people onto a bus at such a low level, the loss of revenue vs cost of operating the service will continue to be incredibly high even if fare revenue increases.

 

[Phillip]

12 minutes ago, 9924 said:

No, what was announced today was a "top-up" for some people working some jobs.

Got it, I only heard a briefing from Amazon Alexa 

[9924]

17 hours ago, Phillip said:

Got it, I only heard a briefing from Amazon Alexa 

So let's see, "essential" workers who have not lost any income are getting a pay raise, but transit workers, who have been defined as "essential", don't.   Non "essential" workers, who've lost their jobs are entitled to receiving 75% of their wage through the CEWS program, but "essential" transit workers aren't entitled to the same benefit, because they're public sector.

[GoCanGo]

https://twitter.com/jackermann/status/1258812407889059840?s=19

#BREAKING:  @TransLink and its operating companies to suspend service reductions that were set to begin on May 18th and rescind layoff notices issued to approximately 1,500 employees.

No surprise considering the dramatic increase in commuters the past 2 days. Many companies are re-opening offices and resuming operations next week.

[Zortan]

2 minutes ago, GoCanGo said:

https://twitter.com/jackermann/status/1258812407889059840?s=19

#BREAKING:  @TransLink and its operating companies to suspend service reductions that were set to begin on May 18th and rescind layoff notices issued to approximately 1,500 employees.

No surprise considering the dramatic increase in commuters the past 2 days. Many companies are re-opening offices and resuming operations next week.

Hopefully they'll get money for that somewhere...

[GORDOOM]

What’s the timeline for restoring normal SkyTrain service? Maintaining distancing on the Expo Line is nearly impossible.

[9924]

Well, let's see what details Horgan gives later today in his daily press conference.

1492 employees are going to be extremely grateful to the BC Government as well as to Translink, Mayor's Council and Unifor for their determination for the much needed funding.  Fingers are crossed that the Government of Ontario does the same as well as other Provinces that have laid off employees.

[Orion6784]

16 hours ago, 9924 said:

So let's see, "essential" workers who have not lost any income are getting a pay raise, but transit workers, who have been defined as "essential", don't.   Non "essential" workers, who've lost their jobs are entitled to receiving 75% of their wage through the CEWS program, but "essential" transit workers aren't entitled to the same benefit, because they're public sector.

The government believes that private sector employees are better to invest in than public sector employees. Why is that? Because private sector employees provide a guaranteed return on investment through heavy taxation because they draw private checks, not government checks. Public sector employees are paid for by some form of government and the taxpayer. Therefore the government can't gouge them as heavy. That's what it looks like to me.

[9924]

11 minutes ago, Peterbiltguy1989@gmail.com said:

The government believes that private sector employees are better to invest in than public sector employees. Why is that? Because private sector employees provide a guaranteed return on investment through heavy taxation because they draw private checks, not government checks. Public sector employees are paid for by some form of government and the taxpayer. Therefore the government can't gouge them as heavy. That's what it looks like to me.

Oh I know that.  Private sector = revenue and public sector is funded by that revenue.  During a normal economic downturn, I'd completely understand, but given the current circumstances though, no one should be left in the cold regardless if they're private or public sector.

[Orion6784]

33 minutes ago, 9924 said:

Oh I know that.  Private sector = revenue and public sector is funded by that revenue.  During a normal economic downturn, I'd completely understand, but given the current circumstances though, no one should be left in the cold regardless if they're private or public sector.

Another reason for not funding public transit is the restriction of public movement. The government does not want anyone moving around.

[GORDOOM]

9 minutes ago, Peterbiltguy1989@gmail.com said:

Another reason for not funding public transit is the restriction of public movement. The government does not want anyone moving around.

Except that the workers deemed “essential” during this crisis — health care, retail food, construction labour — are disproportionately transit-dependent. Overcrowding on transit directly jeopardizes our safety.