Translink at it again..

[Mancini]

Originally Posted by Captain Picard

how about this translink: let students omit themselves from the u-pass program. (currently only disabled or students that live outside the metro area can do that)

I could count how many times I use that little sheet of plastic.
1.5 hours by bus from richmond to UBC (if the 480 isn't full.. which it always is) - OH YEAH, THE SHITHEADS CUT THE LINE SHORT NOW TOO!
30 minutes by car.

you decide.

Agreed. I don't like having to pay for a u-pass that isn't used. Translink is earning significant revenue because students are unable to opt-out.

[twitchyzero]

did translink cut service anywhere else recently? Few months ago the bus to the closest skytrain station from my house had its service cut...the bus now runs every hour after 8pm...fucking bullshit if you ask me considering I live IN the city proper and they wanna jack prices up.

[melloman]

Only reason their trying to screw us is to get MORE money. Maybe if Translink didn't do things like.. trying to build a Gondola to SFU ($70 million) or keep hounding for a new Pattullo bridge (Estimated $1 billion) they wouldn't be losing all their funds. Canada Line soaked up tons of money but also made them tons, I'm sure the new Portman will do the same. The only thing that I can figure is making them lose money is the Golden Ears bridge. But that's their own fault for having stupidly high rates, it's an optional bridge, you don't have to drive on it. -.-

[wingies]

They wouldnt have this problem if they let people omit from getting a upass at school. Going to school is costly enough, with all the school fees and other stupid shit we have to pay, we dont need to fork out more for upass. Give the option for those that drive and dont need it as a "credit" towards a cost for a parking pass and those that do not drive let them have a upass.

I would strongly assume that the only people who are selling their upasses are those who have been forced to pay and dont need it. I hope craigslist doesnt give in and tells them to handle their own shit lolol

[gars]

I just compare the UPass to other school fees that I never used - such as the Athletics and Recreations fee at UBC that is now $190 a year. And I knew a lot more people who used their UPass than people who benefited from the Athletics/Recreation Department.

And no, the Intramurals fee is separate - and it's only $21 a year.

[Mr.HappySilp]

^^ acutally I think in SFU if you lose your U-pass you can get another one free. So I could sell the one I get in the beginning of the semster and claim i lost mine and get another one for free. Win Win!

[CorneringArtist]

Originally Posted by melloman

Only reason their trying to screw us is to get MORE money. Maybe if Translink didn't do things like.. trying to build a Gondola to SFU ($70 million) or keep hounding for a new Pattullo bridge (Estimated $1 billion) they wouldn't be losing all their funds. Canada Line soaked up tons of money but also made them tons, I'm sure the new Portman will do the same. The only thing that I can figure is making them lose money is the Golden Ears bridge. But that's their own fault for having stupidly high rates, it's an optional bridge, you don't have to drive on it. -.-

Dont forget the talks that they're planning to TEAR DOWN the old Port Mann Bridge instead of twinning it. Now there's only one way to cross the Fraser (and the Patullo is already fucking terrible as it is), and the most direct method to Coquitlam/Vancouver will be tolled. TransLink is basically shunning anyone who lives on the Surrey/Langley side of the Fraser River, and diverting traffic to one of the worst bridges in the Lower Mainland.

WHY do I have to pay money just to leave my own city?

[twitchyzero]

the solution is so damn easy, make replacement passes cost just as much as the original so people can't scalp these.

So those rumours about translink making fake u-pass ads to fine people, were they actually true? Entrapment?

[JesseBlue]

Let's look at outrageous bonuses first...save tens of millions a year from "executives"

[shawn79]

if the prices werent so high people might consider taking the bus more and not jumping on skytrains

[Gilgamesh]

They extensively do checks on the Canada Line. They seldomly do checks on Millennium and they never check the Expo line. I think transit would easily catch a lot of people on the b-line to ubc since I doubt most people on it, actually pay.

[CP.AR]

Originally Posted by CorneringArtist

Dont forget the talks that they're planning to TEAR DOWN the old Port Mann Bridge instead of twinning it. Now there's only one way to cross the Fraser (and the Patullo is already fucking terrible as it is), and the most direct method to Coquitlam/Vancouver will be tolled. TransLink is basically shunning anyone who lives on the Surrey/Langley side of the Fraser River, and diverting traffic to one of the worst bridges in the Lower Mainland.

WHY do I have to pay money just to leave my own city?

The horrid massey tunnel. Oh great! let's build a new "south perimeter access road" to channel more people into it!

[Geoc]

To be honest, the UPass is one of the more practical fees that is being charged compared to the rest of the fees we get charged along with tuition, sure a sizable amount of people don't use it, but it is needed for some people to get to the school and get their education.

But the bullshit fees like the mandatory health insurance, rec, and sport teams that doesn't affect your ability to get your education in anyway to should be dumped.

SFU being culturally devoid as it is, and the majority of the student population lives over 50km away from the hill, it's not like anyone is going to actually go use what they pay for anyways.

[Frank D'Angelo]

Originally Posted by Mr.HappySilp

^^ acutally I think in SFU if you lose your U-pass you can get another one free. So I could sell the one I get in the beginning of the semster and claim i lost mine and get another one for free. Win Win!

Um, no.

[Nocardia]

Originally Posted by melloman

Only reason their trying to screw us is to get MORE money. Maybe if Translink didn't do things like.. trying to build a Gondola to SFU ($70 million) or keep hounding for a new Pattullo bridge (Estimated $1 billion) they wouldn't be losing all their funds. Canada Line soaked up tons of money but also made them tons, I'm sure the new Portman will do the same. The only thing that I can figure is making them lose money is the Golden Ears bridge.

I am pretty sure you are just reiterating what you feel the media is portraying

Everything costs money but its an investment, they aren't losing money on the Golden Ears Bridge, it is just taking longer than initially forecast to pay back the loans (leading to increase in overall cost). I am sure that the Canada Line does have a lot of ridership but how many are UPASS students or people who already had monthly/yearly (so therefore, there is no increase in actual revenue)

In the end, this entire topic has been beaten like a dead horse and since we are on a car site, everyone is anti-public transit.

[Nocardia]

Originally Posted by wingies

They wouldnt have this problem if they let people omit from getting a upass at school. Going to school is costly enough, with all the school fees and other stupid shit we have to pay, we dont need to fork out more for upass. Give the option for those that drive and dont need it as a "credit" towards a cost for a parking pass and those that do not drive let them have a upass.

If you have a car + are going to school, you are way ahead of the curve. What is another few hundred a year? Its a socialized system (along with you schooling). Why are my taxes subsidizing your school? The least you can do is HELP pay for the less fortunate's transit to get an education.

Originally Posted by wingies

I hope craigslist doesnt give in and tells them to handle their own shit lolol

Seriously? I bet you are pro-child pornography and slavery too...just let them handle their own shit.

[Eff-1]

I went to SFU during Upass. Of course I voted no because I drove at the time. But really, here are the facts about Upass.

Based on the existing price of around $30 per month per student, translink LOSES money on the Upass. It's only because the Prov Gov't offers supplemental funding for the program that it even exists and becomes revenue neutral.

An opt-out isn't possible. It defeats the whole purpose. And like I said, even at mandatory $30 per student, it's a money-loser.

The reality is Translink is fucking broke and it's hard enough for them to offer a Upass as it is. The government subsidizes it. Anyone who says Upass is a profitable money-maker doesn't know what he's talking about.

Besides, if Translink was making profit, that's actually a GOOD thing. It means they can reinvest the money into new projects (like new bridges, more buses and trains) without raising more taxes or tolls. Right now that's not even close to possible, which sucks big time for all of us drivers.

[achiam]

I've said the following before on several other threads in the past several years but I'll repeat it for people who didn't read it or forgot.

I worked for UBC Parking many years ago during my undergrad degree. The real reason for the UPass was to facilitate development of the luxury apartments/condos on both UBC and SFU.

The universities wanted to earn cash from the residential developments but GVRD stipulated that net vehicular traffic to/fro campus could not increase. By introducing the UPass, students would transit and thus decrease the amount of cars entering campus. With the increase in vehicular traffic from the new luxury apartment residents, the net change would be zero.

This model allowed the rezoning to go through. The students thought they were getting a great deal. The tree fuckers were happy thinking that carbon emissions were falling. The developers and UBC bigwigs were happy with more cash, etc..

[spideyv2]

I have no remorse for translink after having to deal with the fucking 100 bus for over 5 years..that line SUCKS

[ShadowBun]

fk last year and they cancel UPASS?
parking $ at UBC is a bitch

[frozen]

The biggest mistakes are paying those uneducated bus drivers too much salary.

[SpartanAir]

It's translinks damn problem not ours. Why would you have such an easily conquerable system? Just make the pass harder to copy or figure something else out. Don't punish the people for exploiting their easily exploitable system.

[Harryt]

If there is mis use they need to do something about it instead of crying. They should have more checks then or do what they have in USA or UK. When I went there you can't enter the track area till a machine scans your card and opens the special quick access gate.

it takes literally 5 secs of your time, which you would've wasted standing anyways.

I guess translink is too cheap to do that in the first place.

What made me laugh was during the olympics. How visitors said "wow... Canadian's have so much trust with their system."

They could not believe, that we had no checking systems here. That it's completely trust based although the checking is slightly more strict now.

So they shouldn't be blaming the students. As for the Upass they should make it mandatory for student pictures and providing student ID cards. I always have mines on me anyways.

[melloman]

Originally Posted by Gilgamesh

They extensively do checks on the Canada Line. They seldomly do checks on Millennium and they never check the Expo line. I think transit would easily catch a lot of people on the b-line to ubc since I doubt most people on it, actually pay.

This is where the new system "Compass" will come into play.

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/l...shColumbiaHome

They will gain more revenue from that for 2 reasons:

1. Turnstyles will hinder people from getting a "free ride" on the Skytrain or bus.
2. This card can be TURNED OFF if Translink thinks the card is being mis-used, or is reported lost or stolen.
It's considered a debit/credit card where you can refill it and won't need those damn fare cards anymore.

P.S. They decided to tell you on that page that the gov't is paying $70 million out of $171 million, wondering how much Translink is paying compared to tax payers?

[Kalize]

...they sent craigslist a letter?...talk about lazy...they should be checking and cracking down on it themselves