TransLink
TransLink, officially the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, is the transportation planning and management organization in the Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. The organization's responsibilities include public transit, major roads, and bridges.
TransLink's Security and Law Enforcement provides security and enforcement for Coast Mountain Bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain, and the West Coast Express.
Compass Card
The Compass Card is a stored value smart card used for payment of public transport fares in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Testing began in 2012 and as of Summer 2015, university students enrolled in the U-Pass BC program, members of the Canadian National Institute of the Blind, West Coast Express customers, and those on welfare programs have successfully transitioned into the Compass Card.
August 6, 2015 Announcement
On August 6, 2015, Translink decided to start distributing the Compass Card to the general public. They also announced the temporary elimination the current zone fare structure. As of October 5, customers of both adult and concession categories have been paying a single zone 90-minute fare for solely bus service. [1] This disables the ability to transfer from a bus to a skytrain using the same paper ticket. The only way this will be possible is through a compass card. It was also announced that passengers will not need to tap out of the system when exiting a bus. This will only be applicable when exiting the Seabus, West Coast Express, and Skytrain.
Overview
| Compass Card with Deposit |
Price |
|---|---|
| Adult and Concession |
$6.00 |
One can obtain a Compass Card through one of these methods.
- Compass Vending Machines (Adult cards only)
- 18 London Drugs Locations [2]
- Compass customer service center (Stadium Station, open 8:00am-4:00pm weekdays)
- West Coast Express offices (Waterfront Station, open 6:45am-6:00pm weekdays)
- Customer Service phone line
- Compass website[3]
- Traditional faredealers (Initial deposit only)
Upon purchasing the card, users will need to register their card at the website. Registering the card enables the following benefits:
- Auto-load (for monthly pass users)
- Balance protection
- Balance history (Tax benefits)
Stored Value
Trips paid for using stored value have the same value as the current faresavers. One can purchase the following using stored value.
- Daypasses
- Compass paper tickets (Useful when travelling with others who do not have the Compass Card)
- Exit tickets (If said user loses their ticket or has stayed on the Skytrain network longer than 120 minutes)
- Addfares
| Peak Hours | Adult | Concession |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Zone | $2.10 | $1.75 |
| 2 Zones | $3.15 | $2.75 |
| 3 Zones | $4.20 | $3.75 |
| Off-Peak Hours | Adult | Concession |
|---|---|---|
| All Zones | $2.10 | $1.75 |
Peak hours are normal weekdays from the start of service until 6:30pm.
Daypasses and Monthly Passes
Despite the change to the fare structure on October 5, the value of all Daypasses and Monthly passes have not changed. However, one can still load these such products onto his or her card.
Fares
Translink operating subsidiaries operate under a fare zone structure. With the exception of daily, monthly, or annual passes fares are valid for any direction of travel up to 90 minutes. Fares must be valid while on a Translink vehicle. Those without proper fare are subject to a fine.
Age catagories for fares: Adult, 14-64 Concession, 5-13, 65+, and 14-19 holding a Go Card (registered Middle/Secondary/High School student)
| Zone | Adult | Concession |
|---|---|---|
| All Zones | $2.75 | $1.75 |
With stored value the fares cost the same as fare savers per trip on SkyTrain and SeaBus.
| Zones | Adult Fare saver Card |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2.10 |
| 2 | $3.15 |
| 3 | $4.20 |
Cash fares
Zones are not in effect after 6:30pm daily, and on weekends/holidays.
| Zones | Adult | Concession |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.75 | $1.75 |
| 2 | $4.00 | $2.75 |
| 3 | $5.50 | $3.75 |
FareSaver
FareSavers include 10 transfers that are validated on the rider's first trip. Zones are not in effect after 6:30pm daily, and on weekends/holidays.
| Zones | Adult | Concession |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $21.00 | $17.50 |
| 2 | $31.50 | N/A |
| 3 | $42.00 | N/A |
Day Pass
Day-passes are valid from the start of the service day to the end of the service day. Service days are determined by bus departure times and not by clock time. On a typical weekday, the start of the service day starts when the first #10 bus departs Marpole Loop, and lasts until the last N10 Nightbus arrives in Richmond. Therefore, one can not transfer from a late night N10 to a #10 bus along Granville Street using the same daypass.
| Zones | Adult | Concession |
|---|---|---|
| All | $9.75 | $7.50 |
Monthly Pass
Zones are not in effect after 6:30pm daily, and on weekends/holidays.
| Zones | Adult | Concession | Employer Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $91.00 | $52.00 | $79.25 |
| 2 | $124.00 | $52.00 | $106.75 |
| 3 | $170.00 | $52.00 | $146.25 |
University Pass
All students at participating institutions buy into the U-Pass BC program. The U-pass fee is paid along with the student's tuition for a 4 month semester of 35$ {previously $30) each month. Students could retrieve their passes through dispensing machines on campus. All students must carry their student ID for the case of fare inspections.
Service area
TransLink provides service in all 21 municipalities that make up Metro Vancouver (the former Greater Vancouver area). These are: Anmore, Belcarra, Bowen Island, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, City of Langley, Township of Langley, Lions Bay, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver, and White Rock.
Coast Mountain Bus company also operates three passenger ferries that move passengers from Waterfront Station, across the Burrard Inlet, to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver.
Service is provided using a large fleet of conventional diesel, trolley, and community buses, as well as three passenger ferries that move passengers from Waterfront Station, across the Burrard Inlet, to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver.
SkyTrain provides rapid rail transit to six communities in Metro Vancouver.
History
- 1986 - SkyTrain open operated by British Columbia Rapid Transit Co. Ltd. under contract to BC Transit
- 1999 - Vancouver Regional Transit System spin - off from BC Transit to create the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority.
- 2005 - Created the only Transit police force in Canada.
- 2007 - Name changed to South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority and this came with controversial reorganization.
- 2015 - First Canadian transit referendum in modern times.
Operating Companies
Bus Operating Companies
- Coast Mountain Bus Company (SeaBus and Bus services excluding West Vancouver)
- West Vancouver Municipal Transit (Buses primarily in West Vancouver)
Rail Rapid Transit Organization
- British Columbia Rapid Transit Co. Ltd. (SkyTrain)
- West Coast Express Ltd. (WCE)
- Canada line Rapid Transit Inc. (CLCO)
Other operating companies
- Fraser River Marine Transportation Ltd. (Albion Ferry)
- Pacific Vehicle Testing Technologies Ltd. (AirCare)
- Transportation Property & Casualty Company Inc.
External links
- ↑ Compass Project moves ahead this fall, translink.ca, retrieved 06-08-2015
- ↑ London Drugs Compass Vending Machine Locations, translink.ca, retrieved 11-10-2015
- ↑ Compasscard.ca, Compasscard.ca, retrieved 11-10-2015
- ↑ Compass Project moves ahead this fall, translink.ca, retrieved 06-08-2015