More money won't solve TransLink's problems
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Updated: October 07, 2009 4:32 PM
Editor:
TransLink is broke and the reasons are easy to understand.
TransLink operates light-metro (in the guise of SkyTrain and the Canada Line) on routes that do not have the ridership to support them. SkyTrain is subsidised by over $230 million annually and to date over $8 billion has been spent on light metro in the region, yet TransLink’s regional share of ridership is about 11% to 12% and has not changed in almost two decades.
There has not been a discernible modal shift from car to transit in the region in almost two decades!
TransLink operates buses on routes with little or no ridership for social reasons and squanders vast amounts of money trying to please everyone, yet pleasing no one.
TransLink offers deep discounted fares such as the U-Pass, while operating a premium light-metro system. This causes much crowding of the transit system in strategic areas, discouraging transit customers who pay full fares; while at the same time starving TransLink of much-needed revenue.
Yet TransLink wants more taxpayers’ money to do more of the same; building more light metro, operating more buses on questionable routes and offering more deeply-discounted fares.
Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results has been defined as madness.
Regional politicians must ignore TransLink’s well-orchestrated propaganda campaign of deceit and deception and see the organization for what it is; a poorly-run bloated bureaucracy, achieving very little at great expense and walk away from it and let it die a natural death.
Malcolm Johnston,
Light Rail Committee, Delta
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