Mayors recommend gas levy to pay for Evergreen Line

[gars]

Originally Posted by hk20000

Translink should whore itself out to more advertising opportunities. Run it like Facebook so you think you are getting free service but you are just bombarded with commercial goodies.

In Asia all stations and train bodies and anywhere that eyes can see are plastered with advertisement. THAT's where you can get big bucks without putting your damn hands into the average joe's pocket.

hahaha, the buses that are completely covered with an advertisement isn't enough for you?

i do agree that they could probably sell more advertising in the stations.

[Eff-1]

Originally Posted by hk20000

Translink should whore itself out to more advertising opportunities. Run it like Facebook so you think you are getting free service but you are just bombarded with commercial goodies.

In Asia all stations and train bodies and anywhere that eyes can see are plastered with advertisement. THAT's where you can get big bucks without putting your damn hands into the average joe's pocket.

no you can't. increasing supply means nothing when there is no increased demand to meet it.

it's so stupid when people here always compare vancouver to massive asian cities with massive populations (or even any other north american city like toronto or NYC)

[Eff-1]

It's not reasonable to raise transit fares any higher than what they are. For low income people, it's expensive enough, and it's on par with other N American cities.

To be honest, I don't have a problem of paying 2 cents per litre if I know it's going specifically to the Evergreen Line. We need it. Gas will probobaly go up 2 cents tomorrow just on its own and that hurts more because that money goes to the oil company profits. And we're not all suddenly going to be homeless because of it.

It's been well established Translink barely has the money to keep the existing transit system running. Everyone always says "install turnstyles blah blah blah" but don't be stupid and think that is the solution to everything.

BUT what makes me angry though is the fact that we're ALREADY paying for a carbox tax and THAT should be going to the evergreen line. We don't need to be paying ANOTHER tax. That's the retarded part.

[Mr.C]

Yeah, so, where's my Skytrain to Langley and better bus service in Surrey?

[goo3]

Originally Posted by tiger_handheld

2 interesting links

Gas Tax: MyHusky.ca | B.C. Fuel Tax Rates
2010 translink annual report : http://www.translink.ca/~/media/docu...orts/2010.ashx

geeky accountant note-- how often does a business make 45% of sales from "Other Income"?? -- check out Translink's Tax Revenue and revenue from services provided. I think they are in the wrong business...

Public transit is a money losing venture, not a business. The only places where it makes money is where it's too expensive to park your car.

Originally Posted by Mr.C

Yeah, so, where's my Skytrain to Langley and better bus service in Surrey?

Buy a car.

[minoru_tanaka]

Originally Posted by Mr.C

Yeah, so, where's my Skytrain to Langley and better bus service in Surrey?

They should build a bullet train to Langley

[mr_chin]

Umm, put a tax on transit fares... increase it or something... don't take it out on people who don't take public transit.

[hotjoint]

Originally Posted by Eff-1

BUT what makes me angry though is the fact that we're ALREADY paying for a carbox tax and THAT should be going to the evergreen line. We don't need to be paying ANOTHER tax. That's the retarded part.

This is what one of the ndp critics was saying yesterday on the news. If they did this then they would have way more money to put towards the evergreen line.

[Tapioca]

Another thread on public transit and another bunch of misinformed posts.

Users should pay! Fuck Translink! Fuck the hippies! Fuck this, fuck that.

I have two cars and one sucks gas like there's no tomorrow. But you know what? I'm willing to pay more in gas taxes to fund this expansion. Driving and owning a car is a privilege, not a right. And you should pay for that privilege. I think many of you need some perspective. Public transit is good for the movement of goods and people. It's good for the economy. It's a sound investment that pays dividends for generations. Where would we be without the Expo Line? Hell, even the Canada Line (despite the shitty technology) is full most of the day. Build it and people will ride it.

I'm one of the lucky ones who works downtown and lives within a 5 minute walk of the Millenium Line, so Skytrain is absolutely wonderful for me and my needs. To those people who think Skytrain breaks down all of the time: you're idiots. It doesn't break down all of the time - it's fast and very reliable. I use it 10 times a week for 50 weeks a year. I maybe face 1 or 2 delays every couple of months and usually, they're resolved within minutes.

[gdoh]

i would like to know the bonuses and salaries of these fuckers and the annual raises

[CP.AR]

Coming back from HK just 3 days ago. I think I'm going to go back to ride some actually effective mass transit yo.

[minoru_tanaka]

Originally Posted by Hehe

I say fuck this.

Yes, motorists are the one who cause congestion, but Vancouver officials have to realize something, Skytrain, as our economy and population is not an economically viable plan. Very few percentage of population live close to the stations. Our public transportation has fundamental problems, self-sustainability.

I don't even bother to google what's the amount of ppl translink serves in a year. But I will be you NYC can do that in a month.

Lower mainland officials should spend the money to promote urban development. Develop "downtowns" outside of current centers. So people don't need to commute that far for their jobs.

And I have said many times, make our "park and ride" program better. There is not a single riders designated parking anywhere along our skytrain system that I know of. People drive for a reason... our public transportation SUCKS and don't get us anywhere except 2 or 3 transfers at least.

I agree, fuck it.

Compare Toronto, 5.5 million people vs our 2 million. We both have approx 70km of track except ours go out to the boons.
Toronto has 18 stops in downtown but we only have 6.
I'm not as familiar with Montreal but it's 3.6 million people and looking at the map most of the stations are on the island.
Not familiar with NYC either but doesn't look like their subway extends past Queens into Long Island.
I have coworkers in Chicago and the guys that live in the city don't have cars. Some of the guys don't have licenses.

Anyways mass transit works best to serve the most congested areas. If downtown is the densest area and where all the business is happening then that's where all the train service should be. If I live in Coal Harbour or the West End and want to go near the stadiums then there's possibly a 20 minute walk to the closest skytrain station. Does it make sense that someone in Surrey can just hop on a train and be at GM Place in 20mins?

If I choose to live 30 km away from downtown and want to work downtown then I should expect to have to drive. Does it make sense to spend billions of dollars shipping a few people from the suburbs while the train is useless to most people who live in the city? Want to get cars off the road? Make it so people who live in the city don't need to drive to move around the city.

No more lines going out to the suburbs and if they still want to build more lines keep them in the city.

[gdoh]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

Another thread on public transit and another bunch of misinformed posts.

Users should pay! Fuck Translink! Fuck the hippies! Fuck this, fuck that.

I have two cars and one sucks gas like there's no tomorrow. But you know what? I'm willing to pay more in gas taxes to fund this expansion. Driving and owning a car is a privilege, not a right. And you should pay for that privilege. I think many of you need some perspective. Public transit is good for the movement of goods and people. It's good for the economy. It's a sound investment that pays dividends for generations. Where would we be without the Expo Line? Hell, even the Canada Line (despite the shitty technology) is full most of the day. Build it and people will ride it.

I'm one of the lucky ones who works downtown and lives within a 5 minute walk of the Millenium Line, so Skytrain is absolutely wonderful for me and my needs. To those people who think Skytrain breaks down all of the time: you're idiots. It doesn't break down all of the time - it's fast and very reliable. I use it 10 times a week for 50 weeks a year. I maybe face 1 or 2 delays every couple of months and usually, they're resolved within minutes.

its more like....we need this new thing lets see where we can put in a new tax and leave it there permanently instead of looking where the owners can put up some of their millions made each year for their own company

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by Captain Picard

Coming back from HK just 3 days ago. I think I'm going to go back to ride some actually effective mass transit yo.

Gawd, I feel like banging my head against the wall when people compare apples to oranges.

You know why the MTR is such an awesome system? Because everyone in HK lives in dinky apartments. The MTR is also in the real estate business. Translink owns very little real estate. Even if Translink did, the NIMBYs would cry foul if Translink, an evil Crown and faceless entity, started developing land around their stations to fund expansions.

In North America, everyone wants to live in 3000 square foot homes. Everyone is lazy and everyone wants a car. Gas is cheap and so is insurance. People want rapid transit in very low density neighbourhoods. Does that make any sense financially?

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by gdoh

its more like....we need this new thing lets see where we can put in a new tax and leave it there permanently instead of looking where the owners can put up some of their millions made each year for their own company

So, you're saying that because a few fat cats at Translink are making big bucks (it's all relative when you're making 30K a year), they should just forego their salaries for 10 years (honestly, they don't make much - maybe low 6 figures to manage essentially a large company) in order to pay for their pet project that no one will use?

[Mr.HappySilp]

As a regular business you don't keep invensting into something that WILL LOSE MONEY. What should be done is see what they can do to the current business and figure out how to turn it into a profit.

Keep expanding isn't the key. Transit needs to figure out why they are losing money and go from there to turn a profit. Cut wages is a good start.

[wingies]

word, i think last time i saw on a newsclip tht the top 3 people at translink had a 100% increase, 80 sth % increase, and a 70 sth% increase in wages over a year or sth. And the news is from 08, I wonder what their salaries are at now.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...translink.html

theyre getting paid $1200 per meeting, Behind closed doors and without issuing a press release, the TransLink board approved a wage scale that pays six times more than what the previous board was being paid to do similar work.

This is the clip im talking about

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

[minoru_tanaka]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

In North America, everyone wants to live in 3000 square foot homes. Everyone is lazy and everyone wants a car. Gas is cheap and so is insurance. People want rapid transit in very low density neighbourhoods. Does that make any sense financially?

So are you saying we shouldn't do it then?

[Oleophobic]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

Another thread on public transit and another bunch of misinformed posts.

Users should pay! Fuck Translink! Fuck the hippies! Fuck this, fuck that.

I have two cars and one sucks gas like there's no tomorrow. But you know what? I'm willing to pay more in gas taxes to fund this expansion. Driving and owning a car is a privilege, not a right. And you should pay for that privilege. I think many of you need some perspective. Public transit is good for the movement of goods and people. It's good for the economy. It's a sound investment that pays dividends for generations. Where would we be without the Expo Line? Hell, even the Canada Line (despite the shitty technology) is full most of the day. Build it and people will ride it.

I'm one of the lucky ones who works downtown and lives within a 5 minute walk of the Millenium Line, so Skytrain is absolutely wonderful for me and my needs. To those people who think Skytrain breaks down all of the time: you're idiots. It doesn't break down all of the time - it's fast and very reliable. I use it 10 times a week for 50 weeks a year. I maybe face 1 or 2 delays every couple of months and usually, they're resolved within minutes.

QFT

I take the SkyTrain every working day too and Monday was definitely an exception. People who say the SkyTrain breaks down all the time are idiots.

[!Yaminashi]

Originally Posted by Eff-1

BUT what makes me angry though is the fact that we're ALREADY paying for a carbox tax and THAT should be going to the evergreen line. We don't need to be paying ANOTHER tax. That's the retarded part.

What? You dont like paying a tax on the tax thats taxing the first tax?
Negro please...

[CP.AR]

YO DOG, I HERD YOU LIKE TAXES SO I PUT A TAX ON YOUR TAX SO YOU CAN PAY WHILE YOU PAY

[jackmeister]

Translink should be a for-profit corporation.

Welcome to the real world.

[Solo_D33A]

The very last time I tried to trust the bus was when I waited for 20 mins in bus stop then walked 3 km+ down the route until I saw the bus, but I've already walked to my destination.

[1990TSI]

They should over-tax transit users to pay for our roads.

makes more sense that way

[Tapioca]

As a regular business you don't keep invensting into something that WILL LOSE MONEY. What should be done is see what they can do to the current business and figure out how to turn it into a profit.

Keep expanding isn't the key. Transit needs to figure out why they are losing money and go from there to turn a profit. Cut wages is a good start.

You do realize that so-called high paid executives form a very small part of Translink's overall salary budget? The bulk of the workforce comprises of bus drivers, service personnel, and Skytrain attendants who maybe make 60K/year. There are a few professional types involved in planning etc. who make probably 60-80K a year which is not all that unreasonable. Where would you make cuts? Would you hire some schmuck with a BA who thinks they can write 2 sentences to do planning for the region for 40K just to shave a few dollars? Would you pay a bus driver $14/hour? Moreover, would you want to drive a bus for $14/hour when I couuld make that in a liquor store as a clerk?

The population of Metro Vancouver is slowly increasing each year. No matter how you look at it, there will be a need for increased transit services. The form of those services is certainly debatable. Is your solution more cars?

Originally Posted by jackmeister

Translink should be a for-profit corporation.

Welcome to the real world.

If Translink were to become a for-profit corporation, then entire municipalities in the GVRD would have no transit. It might be fine for you because you choose to drive, but others wouldn't be so lucky.

So are you saying we shouldn't do it then?

Well, what I'm saying is that you can't have your cake and eat it too.