no sorry but it was discussed with a translink rep on cknw a few weeks back and they refused to throw out an exact number but it was more then 50%

edit: i see you posted numbers. and i don't really care how we compare to other cities. i care about my money and where my tax dollars are being spent.

Just waiting for that day when we have to pay for breathing the air in vancouver. Because this city is just that fucking amazing. Majority of the people can't seem to tell how bullshit smell like.

I'd say how we compare to other cities is relevant, because it is a reflection of the efficiency of the system even if the subsidized model isn't preferable. If Translink were inefficiently running the subsidized model, we would have two very serious grievances with our transit system: the model, and the inefficiency. At least this way we only have the one issue to focus on, and can take comfort in the knowledge that as long as we are subsidizing transit the money is being relatively well managed.

Not trying to argue at all, those are just my thoughts.

they will start charging us to take a piss and shit too. and if we shit during high sewage hours it is going to cost more than if we take a shit at later hour when everyone else isnt shitting.

This city is strange with it's city work... It seems like most of the city work is concentrated on under ground sewage and drainage systems. I think it's a good measure because it's always raining in this city, but most of the time those crews rush the process which leads to problems with the pipes or with the bases for the pavement. Even when they finish the job they finish the pavement so poorly you wish they'd just spend the extra million to pave the rest of the route.

It's funny, most of the streets in eastvan don't even have curbs. They have ditches from the 60's... Hippies and the like have fought for their streets to remain unchanged and in general terrible condition, just to keep in tune with the old style community feeling. I thought this was a myth until i hung out with some true to life hippies who simply wrote to the mayor one time and no one seemed to be against it.

If you all hate this idea so much, plan a protest. The city hates nothing more then protests and transit commuters will only defend this if they see no real reason for you to use your cars. And if you have some actual wise tales to crack about this city and it's poor planning, then you might actually change some of the peoples minds who are responsible for the future of it. One of my greatest hates about this cities future city planning is the new lougheed highway leading to maple ridge. First off, this is a highway, WHY IS THERE SO MANY LIGHTS ON A FRIGGEN HIGHWAY. This is someday going to be a major corridor, possibly vancouvers version of san jose. But noooo, they spent all this money on recent construction to slow down traffic, cause the same amount of congestion that was already in place, and cause more trouble for the future. It is undeniable that maple ridge, mission and further valley sections could become a major populous such as surrey and langley. Honestly, I'd much rather live in maple ridge then surrey. They could have done the right thing and built underpasses at all these intersections so you could maybe get to maple ridge from cape horn interchange in fifteen minutes. now even in normal traffic it takes half an hour, in rush hour, it's up to an hour.

I work early in the morning so commuting by bus is never an option for me. But I do know people who live within walking distance from their work and still drive to work, or live in surrey and work downtown, and drive downtown an hour early to find a free parking space. People who are a main target for this type of scheme. It would definitely make them reconsider their ridiculous ways.

Sorry for the drunken rants. this cities transportational network makes me upset sometimes. All that sim city 4 I've played.

point taken. but for someone like me, who hasn't used transit whether skytrain or bus or taxi for that matter, in 5 years. I do feel like i'm directly paying for people to use the bus. and like mentioned before i'm not expecting no subsidies but there is far to much money going to just the operation of current systems.

then people complain that we need a skytrain (greenline) but again they can't fund projects from their current multi billion dollar operations so they automatically turn to some form of taxation.

i look at it like the small business owner that i am: if it costs me 1 dollar to make a meal and the government is paying me 50% of every dollar in subsidies i should not be selling that meal for 50 cents. i should be selling that meal for something higher. maybe a dollar. that way i'm actually turning a PROFIT. allowing me to expand, repair renovate, improve my business as time goes on.

instead translink seems to do its best to keep rates low by CHOOSING not to make a profit. instead they constantly run deficits and then turn to government and tax payers to foot the bill.

i just want the government to say we will subsidies 50%,40%,30% w/e of the bill not more not less. you translink need to provide the city with A,B,C,D. let the over paid execs then figure how much they need to charge to do A,B,C,D and then let them operate like any normal company.


Edit: wait i realize i took skytrain ONCE downtown during the olympics

I think in London you have to pay a fee to go into the city by buying credits at small corners stores... and I believe the big brother camera's are constantly running plates to check who didnt pay. Correct me if Im wrong.

These purposed city crossing taxes could work the same way...and at the end it would push out the lower income people from taking any leisure visits into town and reduce traffic that way... it would also push out even broker folk to take the train to save ~10-20 bucks a day overall.

The government wont ever just hike up the "actual" cost of transit and buses to the public transport tickets because the poor people that take them are the back bone of this province.

Reality is B.C.'s rich resources are being looted, where that money could've been used to build huge projects like a tunnel running under the city with more pathways for everyone.
To really lessen road traffic, make skytrain free and reduce the bus fares to 50 cent!

it won't matter if shits free... i still wouldn't take the bus.

your logic is as socialist as it gets.

I'm just waiting for the fucking day the city decides to put parking meters in front of residential housing.The fucking day that happens,I will chop off that meter imediately and throw it into the fucking dumpster.

^ Welcome to Richmond. Where most parking spots in front of condos are pay parking only during the day time.

Pretty sure he's talking about single dwelling.

Correct

I believe this expert was hired to speak on behalf of Translink is for testing water whether how much voice was feedback to them. That's the tactics that they use nowadays when proposing any dumb idea/ project

I love faregates.

That lost 9 million I would say is an underestimation, that's based on "estimated ridership and the number of tickets written"; ever noticed people who stand at the doors and will instantly get off when they see transit cops? Or the people who BS their way out and get warnings? Or the people who know that except for the first three days of the month it's almost impossible to find someone checking transit fares?

For me, though, even with the money aside, it's a question of the fringe benefits. Namely, getting rid of the "crimetrain" moniker. With faregates, everyone has to pay. With faregates, you'll have attendants at the station to make sure nobody's jumping. With faregates, you'll have greater security at and around the stations. Anyone remember about 5 years ago, that rash of thefts and sexual assaults at Nanaimo and 29th Ave? Well, probably would've been different had there been attendants there.



But I digress. For the most part I agree with Mindbomber. I think Translink is doing a not-terrible job at what they do. And if anyone wants to make Translink more efficient, then let's make the maintenance of roads a separate entity, so that we can blame roadworks instead of busses for wasting our tax dollars.

I only visit Vancouver once a year but I've never seen so many fucking traffic lights on "highways" before. Most ridiculous one is the light just south of the Alex Fraser bridge. There was a major accident on hwy1 so I decided to take 91 coming from DT into Langley. Smooth sailing towards and over the bridge then it was like hitting a wall, I sat there for half an hour. Who is the fucking retard that decided to put a light on 72nd ave? Christ, at least put a bypass around the lights for the people just driving through. Morons.

Anyone remember that arbitrary speed bump that used to be on highway 11, just as you would exit Abbotsford going towards Mission?

Stoplights on highways are an example of very poor planning, but at least they have a purpose. That fucking speed bump, it was nothing more than a vain and idiotic attempt at slowing cars down momentarily by creating a massive hazard.