Translink at it again..
 

TransLink is losing as much as $15 million a year to lost, stolen and resold U-Passes, prompting officials to threaten to cancel the student program if the problem persists.

In a bid to eliminate the online resale of the transit passes, TransLink has asked Craigslist to help crack down on those posting U-Pass resale ads, but has yet to receive any cooperation from the classifieds website.

TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie said the Transit Police sent a letter to Craigslist two weeks ago asking for help in either not allowing U-Pass resale ads or allowing TransLink to flag them so they can be removed from the site.

Craigslist hasn’t yet responded, Hardie said, and as of Wednesday there were 29 transit passes for sale or wanted on the website — up from just two a few weeks ago.

“We’re doing our best but we could use more help from the schools, the student associations and Craigslist,” Hardie said.

About 80,000 U-Passes were provided to students this year at the University of B.C., Emily Carr University, Simon Fraser University, Capilano University, Langara College and Vancouver Community College at a discounted rate of about $30 per month.

The passes, which are non-transferable, can be used throughout the region on buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus. Regular transit users pay $151 for a similar multi-zone monthly pass.

With the U-Pass program set to expand this fall to Douglas College, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and BCIT, the potential loss could rise to $25 million, Hardie estimates.

And the rising losses, he warned, could put the program in jeopardy because if it’s not sustainable, TransLink will consider shutting it down.

TransLink estimates it loses between $7.8 million and $15 million every year from lost, misplaced, stolen or resold U-Passes. In an average year, about 11 per cent of U-Passes are lost, either by students or in the mail, and are replaced. If those passes were used for three-zone travel, the value equates to $9 million a year.

At the same time, about five per cent of students who register for school and receive a U-Pass drop out and do not return the passes, which are potentially worth a total of about $6 million. Another $2.4 million is lost as two per cent of U-Passes sent to schools for distribution are unaccounted for, Hardie said.

The passes are supposed to be used in conjunction with student cards but this isn’t always done.

Transit Police Staff Sgt. Ken Schinkel said those caught with a legitimate card belonging to someone else will be charged $173 for improper use of a fare as well as another $173 for not having a fare.

“It’s not uncommon [for fines to be laid] and it’s not just with a U-Pass,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a legitimate U-Pass that a student doesn’t require any more so they try to make a little money off it or some manufacture them on a computer.”

Those caught could also be charged with fraud although no one has been charged lately with the offence, but investigations are ongoing.

Meanwhile, TransLink is setting up an advisory group with the universities and student associations to monitor U-Passes. A meeting is scheduled next week to also discuss the new Compass Card, a universal electronic fare card that will replace all the transit passes and will allow TransLink to automatically shut down a U-Pass it suspects is being misused.

Gordon Price, director of the City Program at SFU, said TransLink will always likely see some fare cheating on the system. But he noted students themselves have a stake in maintaining the integrity of the U-Pass because they’re getting a good deal.

Hardie said TransLink will also continue to pressure Craigslist for help.

Craigslist didn’t respond Wednesday to an emailed interview request from The Vancouver Sun.

ksinoski@vancouversun.com

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun


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http://www.vancouversun.com/TransLin...844/story.html

lol. theyre acting as if their not turning a profit. they just wana crack down on this to make more. they just want the money from people buying u-passes who arent going to school

how about forcing schools to make a U-Pass Student ID (everyones forced to pay a $120+ semester student id; better not lose it either :D)

cuts their problem and raises costs to students

everyone in the govt is happy ;)

fucking translink makes it sound like they're actually losing money on the program, that's complete bullshit

they're stating POTENTIALLY lost revenue from misuse, assuming that if the users of fraudulent U-passes can't get them they will buy $151 translink passes, but would obviously never happen

U-pass system is such a money maker for translink they'd never dare shut it down

How does this get rid of the problem? The upass already has a picture.

does it? then how do ppl misuse it? (ive never used one/know what htey look like) ;)

i thought they were just a stack of transit passes

^ You know when they say all Asians look alike they mean "I can't fucking tell this picture from these 50 Chinese guys on my bus right now"?

With the U-Pass you just flash it at the bus driver and steam roll your way on the bus. When it's busy they don't even look at you and you just hop on.

It only gets a little sketchy when it's not busy, but you just act like you own the shit, flash the "fake" U-pass and move quickly.

I've always paid. its a good service for people in Vancouver, being driving in Van is worth your life now days.

Fuck transit man. I've been paying for it since they came out with it and I havent been able to get a refund ever since. I live about an hour and 15mins from langara if I take the bus. But if I drive it takes about 20mins. I am fortunate enuf to have a car to use and taking transit just isn't logical for me if I have an 830 class that means I gotta be out the door by 7 if I wanna be on time. It doesn't make anyfucking sense the refund requirements are if you are taking night courses or if you take only one or two classes a week. Has anyone ever had luck with getting their refund?l
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I was at SFU the first year they had the Upass and I have to tell you, it was a life saver for me. That said, parking at SFU is insanely expensive and bus service up there is actually pretty good (if extremely crowded).

I don't know if it benefits all the other schools nearly as well (though I can see it working very well for Douglas too).

Screw transit! I'd rather drive.

LOL as if they werent milking the system in the first place, translink blows.


convenient? i think not

They should have people checking tickets every morning at boardway during rush hour. I bet in an hour they can fine more than 100ppl easily.

fck translink

This. Just do it a couple times a week and they can get their revenue.

Translink need's to stop bitching and check more frequently.

driving >>> busing.

my college U-Pass doesn't have a picture on it.
It's just a blue U-Pass that looks pretty much like a monthly pass.
My U-Passes are monthly though... I have to get a new one each month, $30/month
Prepaid already in my tuition fee.

They should keep bus 015 going to downtown. Ever since they re-routed it, it's been a nightmare.
I hate taking the skytrain cause it's so packed, and I can't even sit and take a nap.

so much bitching in this thread about translink, yet nothing about the greedy people who make a couple of bucks by selling it and risk sabotaging everyone, rather than just opting out of the program? Yes, Translink's goal is to make money, what's your point? The rules are the rules - if you dont like it, opt out.

And as for this being an empty threat, I disagree with that - they came close to pulling this program (at least at SFU) several times, but were overturned only by student voting. If they pull the program, most of the people who had UPASSes will choose to still take transit and be forced to pay 3 times the amount per month (a two zone pass is $110, a three zone UPASS is $30)...they will recoupe the profits easily from those who choose to not take transit any longer because of this.

If i was still in university and eligable for a UPASS, I sure would be pissed if a few people breaking the rules fucked it up for the rest of us.

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.

I would drive a nissan shitbox before i take the bus.

Translink is too greedy to do that. They want ALL the money!

When I was living in Germany they always had undercover people checking for passes/tickets. These "agents" who work in multiples of 2 or 3 would sit in different parts of the the train car pretending to be part of the public and declare themselves randomly. They check more frequent at the beginning of the month when people have to get a new pass.

These guys are smart. In Germany you bring a bicycle on the train you must pay for a more expensive ticket/pass and these agents look for these people to fine. It's very nerve racking sitting in a train without a ticket. My German friends always bought a ticket and never thought about jumping as fines are 40Euro(65 CAD). Public transit in Germany is the most convenient way to get around. There are over 17 trains where I lived and that excludes trams and buses.

This.

When I used to commute out to UBC. It would take at least 2 buses, if not 4, in order to get to school. The bus times seemed ok on paper, but in practice, since they were never on time, it would take on average an hour and a half to get to campus (the longest it took me 3 hours).
Driving took 40mins in medium traffic, 50-60 in traffic.

I understand that it really can't be helped since we lack the population density of other major cities. But things can still be done so much better. From bus drivers all the way to the execs, changes need to be made. And I know a lot of people get busted for not paying. But in all my years of using transit, I've never actually personally seen transit authority checking fares once.