[Great68]

Worst recession since the great depression, and they still want to increase taxes and levies.

I feel sorry for you guys on the mainland under the control of the translink gestapo, but I guess they gotta pay for their infrastructure upgrades somehow.

Translink wants to hit drivers with $100 levy
Updated: Thu Mar. 12 2009 18:36:35

ctvbc.ca

Needing to raise cash, the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (Translink) is working on a plan to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to fund its bus fleet and rapid transit line.


Translink says it needs new money from new sources otherwise its service will be cut drastically.


To avoid that doomsday scenario, Translink is proposing a $100 per-vehicle levy, fare hikes, property tax increases, and a tax on every container entering local ports.


It's expected that the whole package could get Translink $350 million per year



"We want to try to keep as many of those funding options on the table [as possible],'' said Translink Chief Executive Officer Tom Prendergast.


However, Lower Mainland residents should not expect to see their taxes skyrocket just yet. A provincial election is coming up and Translink needs the provincial government to get on board with its plan. It likely means any potential tax hikes may be delayed until after the election.


With a report by CTV British Columbia's Jon Woodward

[CRS]

Unlikely.

[Black SC2]

I wonder what would happen if the government just said "no" to Translink? How would they survive? You know, being creative, frugal, fiscally responsible like real businesses?

[Volvo-brickster]

I'd torch a few busses at their compounds and call it even steven if this passed.

[cococly]

Get out there and buy your own cars and stimulate the economy!!! STOP TAKING BUSES :D , pay more for your gas. Buy more 8.4L sports cars

I had been studying for my ECON midterm lately, sorry for any inconvenient. :)

[lilaznviper]

haha the only way out of recession is spend
get the demand up agian so supply has to go up therefore more jobs haha

anyways translink should do pay cuts at this time as the auto company's are doing

[Death2Theft]

How about they just raise the fares for F sakes?

[hongy]

How about they just raise the fares for F sakes?

Because some of us don't have cars and depend on public transit and we can't afford to pay even more for bus fare, passes, etc.

[alex.w *//]

dont think the bill will pass on this one

[Blinky]

For those translinkophobes: translink is also responsible (it appears at least in part) for road projects as well.

http://www.translink.bc.ca/Projects/Roads_Bridges/default.asp

So the levies don't go completely to public transit.

[StylinRed]

translink wants some icbc action

[blkgsr]

translink and icbc can suck my balls

but i take the skytrain everyday so they better not up the fees lol

[Synaptik]

ugh. wealth transfer ftl. they're not even being subtle about it.

[optiblue]

... WTF... if this passes, I will be very upset. Unlike the gas tax which hit only drivers, this tax seems to target everyone, and drivers will get hit even harder!!!

[keifun]

^ exactly what I think too. Translink needs more money and from everyone. Whether you're privileged to drive a car, or take public transit..we all gotta pay!!


This sucks..hope this bill doesn't pass. I can see lots of opposition to this bill.

[Hot Karl]

in times of recession more people use transit. and more people will start using transit.

kinda makes sense. and in the grand scheme of things you'd want and expect more folks to use transit. making it better or at least maintaining it is a good thing.

it's not like it's a "tax drivers only" thing. fare hikes are right there. and let's face it. barring stupid circumstances you aren't that poor if you're still driving. besides the more folks on the bus means more room for you drivers. it's a win win.

[Jason00S2000]

Because some of us don't have cars and depend on public transit and we can't afford to pay even more for bus fare, passes, etc.



How do they manage in China?


Bikes!


Too bad westerners are fucking lazy and fat.

[CRS]

The only problem I have with translink is that they still have the open system where anyone can hop on a skytrain and not having to pay anything. Ridiculous! They think of where they can get new revenue? How about installing gates and simple measures to prevent fare evaders.

[Jason00S2000]

The only problem I have with translink is that they still have the open system where anyone can hop on a skytrain and not having to pay anything. Ridiculous! They think of where they can get new revenue? How about installing gates and simple measures to prevent fare evaders.


I'm sure some poverty group supported by the NDP will protest, saying that fare evasion is neccessary due to maginalization and racism, or some bullshit similar to that.

[Synaptik]

I'm sure some poverty group supported by the NDP will protest, saying that fare evasion is neccessary due to maginalization and racism, or some bullshit similar to that.

knowing vancouver, we'd have protests saying it isnt fair to the hobos.

[hotjoint]

that shit aint gonna pass, and if it does then fuck them :)

[CRS]

I'm sure some poverty group supported by the NDP will protest, saying that fare evasion is neccessary due to maginalization and racism, or some bullshit similar to that.

knowing vancouver, we'd have protests saying it isnt fair to the hobos.

Yeah, just like how the poverty group started throwing shit infront of busses in the DTES as a protest was a good idea. That was fucking retarded. Why the hell would you congest bus routes and the buses especially when it is typically people who are poor that go on the bus anyways?! Do you think the guy from Coal Habour is thinking "Gee, what a nice day.. I think I'll hop on the bus and get to work!". All that they did was cause the people who are already poor to be even more poor by causing them to miss work or be late!

The poverty group is a bunch of fucking idiots who have nothing better to do and clearly missed the boat in coherent thoughts. I would shoot every single one of them if given the opportunity.

[Revillusion GT]

Translink can suck balls if they think I want to give them more of my hard earned money for a service I never use ... The fare increases are a good thing, but a vehicle levy and property tax hike .. as well as MORE gas taxes ? Are they on fuxxing glue ? The government should say "NO, you can't run a profitable business then you deserve to fail and let someone that could do it take over".

I'm not saying I'm too good for transit, but it would NEVER work for me .. when I worked downtown I took the bus from White Rock every day.

The Federal Government already takes far too much ... Translink deserves NOTHING !

[donot521]

I'll consider paying, IF buses will f'N get outta my way and when I don't have to YIELD to them.


I hate fat/slow buses.

[cowcowcafe]

only in vancouver...
translink and ICBC....communist corporations

[AsBannedAsItGets]

Its only a hundred dollars. The government is raping us with projects even more useless and you guys are worried about a measly $100 ??? You should be up in arms about the olympics or the downtown eastside not translink for gods sake.

[q0192837465]

Its only a hundred dollars. The government is raping us with projects even more useless and you guys are worried about a measly $100 ??? You should be up in arms about the olympics or the downtown eastside not translink for gods sake.

Agree. Over 1 Billion spent on DTES and wut did they achieve?

Absolutely nothing.

[Gtrr33]

another addition to a long list of bills to pay.... shit!

[Amuse]

Fare hike lol
So it's going to be $3 for a one zone pass?

[Chairman Kaga]

Because some of us don't have cars and depend on public transit and we can't afford to pay even more for bus fare, passes, etc.

walk or bike if you can't afford it

why should the rest of the population suffer just so you guys can get cheap fare?

[skyxx]

When the economy's good, save save save. When the economy's bad, spend spend spend....:)

[Ikkaku]

How about getting us some decent buses that don't overheat in the summer nor become unusable during the winter? I talked to some people in areas like Saskatchewan and they say buses rarely stop operation over there, even in some bad weather.

Rest of the country laughs at us because of these things, yet year after year they raise the fees to get 'improved' buses. Maybe we should also try to pull a few drivers from other provinces.

Post secondary students are already getting hit by tuition. Let's see someone from Richmond walk up to SFU. Most likely the U-Pass will be increasing their fee if this goes through.

[you]

seriously when are all these tax hike bs gonna end fuck

[twitchyzero]

some of you guys need to learn to read before commenting.

Translink is involved with building a lot of public roadways in Metro Vancouver. I think it's BS to how if they dont get extra funding not only will there be no improvement in the transit system..they'll be CUTTING BACK buses.

They raise the fare $ every few years..and there's not much improvement in the system. They need to cut back on their worker's benefits and have a better anti-fare evasion system

[yvrnycracer]

Municipal Governments are some of the most backwards organizations... They figure out how much they want to spend and then tax accordingly... Unlike all other forms of government that figure out how much income they will have and then work within that budget... I have an idea... Put turnstiles on the skytrain... Fire the translink security (glorified rent-a-cops) and then fire HALF the Transportation Authority Police and put them inside the skytrain system and on random busses... NOT use them as a regional revenue generation force as they are our own GVRD WIDE Traffic enforcement police force... And papow... more people pay fares... less salaries to pay = More money for translink! :thumbsup:

[jimzilla]

time to move to California

[murd0c]

fucken joke escially since east of the fraser there is almost no transit system (I have to walk 20mins to a bus stop.

[anti_rice]

Municipal Governments are some of the most backwards organizations... They figure out how much they want to spend and then tax accordingly... Unlike all other forms of government that figure out how much income they will have and then work within that budget... I have an idea... Put turnstiles on the skytrain... Fire the translink security (glorified rent-a-cops) and then fire HALF the Transportation Authority Police and put them inside the skytrain system and on random busses... NOT use them as a regional revenue generation force as they are our own GVRD WIDE Traffic enforcement police force... And papow... more people pay fares... less salaries to pay = More money for translink! :thumbsup:


you have it backwards, Transit security is more useful then those stupid GVTAPS. They should get rid of transit police and hire more transit security. Transit police are the most useless over paid in the system. They pull over cars for speeding more so then do any transit related work.

[ienhz]

Translink isn't even reliable when people depend on them the most. When we had that little bit of snow on monday morning, I waited 35 minutes for the #7 bus and it never came so I ended up skipping lecture. I mean, come on, this is a bus route in VANCOUVER, not Surrey or Coquitlam. I felt more sorry for the other 10 or so people at the stop who probably had even more important things to attend to.

[twitchyzero]

snow on monday morning, I waited 35 minutes for the #7 bus and it never came so I ended up skipping lecture. I mean, come on, this is a bus route in VANCOUVER, not Surrey or Coquitlam.
It's a trolley bus though.

[Graeme S]

While I disagree with most of what has been said in this thread, I have to say:

Why should that matter?

[abinga]

Translink = new government?

[Marco911]

Because some of us don't have cars and depend on public transit and we can't afford to pay even more for bus fare, passes, etc.

Then walk. Society shouldn't be burdened with your loser-lifestyle.

[MelonBoy]

How about they just raise the fares for F sakes?

WTFS?!@, ya lets fuck students in the ass even more... about 80 bucks a month for fucking translink to school is a bitch in the pocket enoguh lol..


They should stop wasting money on those uselss fuck tards walking around the stations doing jack shit. Put up some gates at the entrances like in HK. No money, no bus pass, no open. EASY

Its only a hundred dollars. The government is raping us with projects even more useless and you guys are worried about a measly $100 ??? You should be up in arms about the olympics or the downtown eastside not translink for gods sake.

ehhh, Olympics is really controversal, ya we spend money now and shit but it does help city growth, more jobs, bunch of other shit, and it puts us on the map- overall giving US a chance to show the world how awesome vancouver is -> aka giving us more tourists.

[Drift_Monkey]

toronto's got a good system where you gotta put a token thru the machine to entera the gates.
i saw a few bums and a kid trying to hop the gates, but they coudn't b/c the security caught them haha

if this bill does pass i'm sure there is going to be some crazy protest at the translink station.

even translink passengers may own cars in which they drive on the weekends and take bus during the week days. they get double raped for the increase fares and the 100 dollar charge

[iwantaskyline]

Then walk. Society shouldn't be burdened with your loser-lifestyle.

You know a lot of students can't afford cars right? Ever thought about the fact that not everyone is powered by mommy and daddy during post secondary?

[Durrann1984]

You know a lot of students can't afford cars right? Ever thought about the fact that not everyone is powered by mommy and daddy during post secondary?

+1

[hotjoint]

You know a lot of students can't afford cars right? Ever thought about the fact that not everyone is powered by mommy and daddy during post secondary?

:werd:

[hongy]

toronto's got a good system where you gotta put a token thru the machine to entera the gates.
i saw a few bums and a kid trying to hop the gates, but they coudn't b/c the security caught them haha


I don't understand why translink hasn't installed turnstile or gates, considering how they lose so much money through fair evasion.