The good old SeaBus sailing towards the North Shore.

The final public input phase of the North Shore Area Transit Plan starts Friday, May 18. If you’re unfamiliar with the NSATP, I wrote a post on the first part of Phase 3 in January. In short, the plan is to create a long-term transit vision and identify the service and infrastructure investment needs to meet that vision. This time around, we’re looking for feedback on a set of priorities for the region should funding and/or resources become available. Those funds/resources would come from possible future funds provided for via a base or supplemental plan or through service optimization.

On Friday, May 18, an online questionnaire will be available to fill out. Also on that day, information on the high priority projects will be available on the TransLink website. On Saturday, May 19 until June 9, will be attending community events. At the events, we’ll be looking for your feedback on the high priority projects. Here’s some specifics for what you need to know:

Sunday – May 19, 2012 – 11am – 4pm – Bowen Island - Snug Cove General Store

Wednesday – May 23, 2012 – 11am – 6pm – City of North Vancouver - Civic Plaza Farmers Market

Saturday – May 26, 2012 – 9am – 4:30pm – District of North Vancouver, Lynn Valley Days at Lynn Valley Park

Saturday – June 2, 2012 – 10:30am – 5pm – West Vancouver, Centennial Community Day Celebration at Ambleside Park

Thursday – June 7, 2012 – 11am – 6pm – Lions Bay, General Store

Saturday – June 9, 2012 – 11am – 5pm – City of North Vancouver, SeaBus Terminal

Once this phase of the consultation is over, we’ll be moving into the fourth phase of the plan, monitoring. That means we’ll be watching to see if the priorities chosen still make sense. For now, you have your choice of providing your feedback in person or online. As usual, I’ll be forwarding your comments to the team responsible for the plan. So stop by one of the public events or download the online questionnaire on Friday and provide your feedback!

We’re holding our 2012 annual general meeting at Vancouver Transit Centre this year! (That’s the bus depot in Vancouver on the way to the airport — you might have seen a fleet of buses parked there if you’re going by.)

After the presentation, you can stay for a question and answer period, and tours of the transit centre, which houses our trolley fleet and training space. Note that tour space is limited—you can only sign up for a spot in-person when you attend the meeting, and you must attend the meeting to go on the tour.

The details:

Wednesday, May 30
AGM: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Tours will follow. Please wear flat, closed-toe shoes.

Vancouver Transit Centre
9149 Hudson St., Vancouver

Parking is quite limited – so plan your trip on transit (use the TripPlanner or call 604-953-3333)

And if you’re unable to attend in person, join us for a live webcast via our webcast provider (please register in advance) where you can see the whole meeting live and ask questions.

I would have loved to ask Ian to comment on all of your questions and suggestions, but he’s a busy man. Here are the ones I was able to ask him:

Question from Jack:

Ian and his coveted coat rack.

I think more private investment options as seen with the Canada Line should be taken into consideration. If you look at New York’s massive subway/underground system, various investors and companies manage it, not just one.

Ian -Thanks for your input, Jack. I agree that we need to continue to examine different approaches for implementing and delivering service. As with any of our strategies, we need to consider the tradeoffs in terms of impact on overall service quality and integration. You point to the Canada Line, and I would note that our HandyDart service are provided under contract as well as some of our Community Shuttle Services. You may want to check on your assumptions regarding New York – my understanding is that all the underground systems are operated in house.

Question from REIG:

Transit users have helped to reduce the region’s congestion and CO2 emissions, which are produced by automobile users. Thus, it’s only fair that automobile users help reduce the costs of transit users. In particular, monthly or annual vehicle licensing fees can have a progressive structure by being tiered according to the energy efficiency/emission rates of the registered vehicles. The goal of TransLink is to promote public transportation, which leads to a sustainable future for Metro Vancouver. This cannot be achieved until people fundamentally change the way they reach their destinations. The best way to do this change is to collect revenue from automobile usage, while increasing funding for public transportation.

Ian – I appreciate you taking the time to provide your perspective. As you are likely aware, TransLink has examined the implementation of a vehicle charge, or as we referred to it a Transportation Improvement Fee. The concept was to vary the charge based on the engine size, which was a proxy for environmental impact. Many share your perspective and many would disagree with your perspective. It  is important that we continue the dialogue on funding to determine a mix that residents and businesses believe is fair and equitable.

Question from Riva:

I have to agree with Mike that TransLink should not be responsible for both roads and transit. There should be a separate transit authority with a separate transit budget.

Ian – I would ask you to consider a different perspective. Our overall goal is to improve the mobility for goods, services and people. An effective transportation network considers all modes – walking, cycling, transit and roads. Transit, cycling and personal and business vehicles all share our roadways – the fact that TransLink has a role in all modes is seen as very progressive by the many delegations that come to visit us each year. The fact that we have a role in roads and provide funding for roads enables us to influence the design and use of roads and bridges to integrate pedestrian and cycling use.

Question from Gary:

What is TransLink doing to ensure the maximum utilization of its trolley bus fleet? The only way to increase the use of these vehicles is to increase frequency of existing routes or to have capital projects to expand the network. Please do what you can to maintain this unique and emission free part of our transit network.

Ian – Great question, Gary! We want to optimize the use of our existing Trolley Infrastructure, and some preliminary work has been done to assess gaps in the existing trolley network along high frequency corridors. It’s important to understand the financial trade-offs required to expand the infrastructure. At a cost of a $1M per km price tag to expand the network, it’s a big investment that we want to make sure is the right one before proposing long-term expansion. However, of note, in 2005, we made a commitment to maintaining a trolley fleet by replacing it with new trolleys, and even added articulated trolleys. We remain committed to reducing energy use and emissions from fleet and facilities. We are also working with the City to make bus stop changes to enable us to make more effective use of the articulated models, and this requires capital funding as well.

Question from Xerxes:

Has anybody considered replacing the CNG buses with Hybrid instead? The CNG buses seem quite costly compared to the regular diesels and the hybrids.

Ian – We constantly examine the most appropriate vehicle types for our use and make the decision when we replace fleet. We have invested in the CNG’s and are committed to run them until they need replacement. Interestingly, we are finding that CNG engine technology has improved significantly since our last CNG buses were purchased in 2006, improving reliability and performance.  Also, the price of CNG has dropped about 60 per cent in the past two years from $10.00/Gj to $4.00/Gj, making CNGs very inexpensive from a fueling perspective. Thanks for asking.

Old and new bus stop signs in North Vancouver. You can hardly see the old sign!

Astute riders may have noticed some new signage up at bus stops and transit exchanges in the region lately! It’s all part of our new wayfinding strategy, designed to help everyone better understand the transit system. (For more, check out Robert’s overview post on the strategy here.)

I got planner Jeff Deby to help explain what new signage is out there right now. Here we go!

New signage at selected bus stops

The old and new bus stop plates.

First, stops that currently have narrow bus stop signage are being replaced with new T-plates, which also carry text identifying the location of the stop.

You can probably guess why these are an improvement on the old signs, but here’s a list anyway:

• You can now quickly see the bus stop from far away
• You now know the exact location of the bus stop
• The location written on the sign matches the location description in our trip planner and the audio announcements on the bus!

The replacement work is starting in North Vancouver, and the majority of their stops with narrow signage should be changed over this year—about 200 have been installed so far. (North Vancouver was already scheduled for regular bus stop signage replacement work this year, so that’s why we’ve started there first.)

New maps and signage at transit exchanges

The new Regional Transit Map. Click the image to download a large PDF version.

Detail of the Regional Transit Map.

The next big development is the new wayfinding signage up at selected SkyTrain stations and their associated bus loops—all the downtown Expo and Millennium Line stations, plus Lonsdale Quay, Marine Drive, Richmond-Brighouse, Bridgeport, and New Westminster. (And soon, new maps and signage will be installed at Expo Line stations, included with the renovations to install faregates.)

That includes updated maps showing nearby bus routes, locations where you can walk to, and a brand new Regional Transit Map! Grab it as a PDF here.

The Regional Transit Map shows ALL the transit service in our system, and the new version has lots of great improvements, including:

• It’s a large format that shows the entire transit system on one page (the previous version stopped just past Pitt Meadows—you had to look on the back for Langley and Maple Ridge)
• Regular service and limited service buses are clearly distinguished (so riders know not to expect buses that run just in the peak to come along all day)
• Bus routes are easier to follow, as the lines have been carefully distinguished in tricky spots on the map
• NightBus has been separated out as its own map, so riders won’t think NightBuses are available during the day
• the Frequent Transit Network corridors are now shown, so you can figure out which streets to quickly catch a bus!

(Eagle eyes will also note that the Frequent Transit Network highlighting on this map is consistent with the colours used on the actual Frequent Transit Network map, too. Synergy!)

New loop signage

Stops at these bus loops also have new signage, to better indicate the bay locations and the associated buses at those stops.

In the future, all bus stops that have routes listed on them will look like these loop stops!

Next steps

The full rollout will continue throughout the region in the coming year, especially in concert with renovation projects and the like. And signs will also be replaced on an ongoing basis around the region as needed: for example, if a bus stop gets damaged.

We don’t have confirmed dates on the rollout yet, but we will keep you updated as it unfolds. If you have specific feedback, please make sure to submit it through the Customer Feedback Form or at 604-953-3333, so we can log your concern and get it to the wayfinding team.

And of course, your comments are welcome below!

Violet Patrich's transit pass dress, made for the Garbage Fashion Show at Heritage Woods Secondary.

Here’s a young designer with a refreshing take on transit passes!

This picture was taken at the “Garbage Fashion Show” held at Heritage Woods Secondary. The first place winning dress made with 2700 fare transfers won first place in the show.

Violet Patrich, the designer of the dress, said this about her creation:

“I started out collecting discarded FareSavers on the ground around bus stops and the Skytrain. As a high school student, I take transit nonstop. After a while, I recruited friends and even friends of friends to gather their FareCards for me. I ended up collecting over 3000 passes (including transfers, prepaid tickets, monthly passes and U-Passes), 2700 of which compose the dress. The rest are scattered about my room.

The dress itself took about a week to construct. The base is shaped out of recycled chicken wire and there are six used hula hoops to keep its shape on the inside. The dress is inspired by Victorian era fashion, and has been dubbed the “Bus Pass Princess”.

With this dress I was hoping to promote waste reduction (reduce, reuse, recycle) and taking public transit instead of driving.”

Thanks for sharing your creation and reusing your tickets, Violet!

One more picture:

Violet Patrich's transit pass dress.

It's a bear. Bear with us. Get it? Ha!

Hi all!

This is Jhen here—for those of you who might not know me, I am the first Buzzer blogger, who went on maternity leave last year. But I’m back now! Hello!

I wanted to put up a note to let you know that blog posts might be sporadic for the next week or so — my counterpart Robert will be staying on (yay!) and we’re in the process of sorting out our workflow and other sundries.

So, you know. Hang tight! We’ll have this all sorted out soon enough.

Buy a ticket to board the system, yo!

Hey! The Province is introducing new legislation today, giving TransLink powers to enforce fares, impose and collect fines, and reduce fare evasion on the transit system.

Here’s a few details from the Province’s backgrounder:

The South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act will be modified to create a mechanism for TransLink to collect fines from unpaid fare evasion tickets. TransLink will be able to keep that money to help pay for the cost of collecting fines.

TransLink can use small claims court and collection agencies to collect unpaid fines as well as these other options:

* Offering discounts for early payment.
* Imposing continually escalating fines and interest over time.
* Filing certificates in Provincial Court to recover the amounts owed.
* Recovering fine amounts from the new Compass Cards.
* Refusing transit service, monthly passes, and transponders until fines
are paid.
* Refusing a drivers’ licence or vehicle registration by ICBC.

In extreme situations of repeat offences and refusal to pay fines, TransLink can request the Province to reduce a provincial payment to an individual, such as a provincial tax refund.

The new legislation also includes a few more things:

• two more seats on the board of directors for the chair and vice-chair of the Mayors’ Council,
• periodic performance audits of TransLink
• and adding the director of Electoral Area A to the Mayors’ Council (that’s an area in Metro Vancouver including several unincorporated communities)

For more, check out the Province’s full press release and backgrounder on their website.

We’ve also got a number of past posts about fare evasion you can check out:

• The costs of fare evasion
• Estimating fare evasion
• On the system: fare evasion

And of course, ask questions below: we’ll help you out with as many answers as we can.

And by the way: yes, I’m back! Be patient while I get back into the swing of things though :)

EDIT 05/11/2012: Just wanted to add that the Transit Police are hearing from lots of people lately, asking how to clear up their fines before the legislation passes. So here’s some info on how to do that (I’ll put it in the main post too).

Information for paying outstanding violation tickets is located on the back of the ticket. However, if a customer is no longer in possession of a ticket, but is aware of one that is outstanding, they can contact ICBC at 1-800-950-1498 or visit their website at http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/tickets/paying-disputing/paying-violation for payment information, or visit a drivers license issuing office.

Send in those questions and ideas for Ian!

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Commissioner’s Review and asked for your feedback on how TransLink can plan for the future. There have been some fantastic comments and novel ideas shared. While I continue to respond to comments and find answers for others, I’ve managed to reserve some time with TransLink CEO, Ian Jarvis, to put a few to him directly.

I’m collecting some of your comments from that previous post and posing them as questions for him. However, if you didn’t get a chance to present your ideas or to ask your question previously, now is your chance to do so.

I’ll be again collecting questions today and tomorrow via the comments section. As I’ll have a finite amount of time with Ian, I won’t be able to ask all your questions. Please keep them straightforward so that they are answered as clearly as possible.

If you’re not sure what to ask or if your questions has been answered already, Ian took questions from media and Buzzer blog readers via a video and phone briefing in April.

Ian and I look forward to answering your questions and hearing your ideas!

This month's illustration and the illustrator.

It’s the first Friday of the month and that means a new issue of the Buzzer is out! The main feature of this issue is the official launch of m.translink.ca. If you’re a regular Buzzer blog reader and have a smartphone, you may have already used the new service. If you haven’t, it can tell you where your bus is in real time! As in the past, we’re always looking for recommendations to improve the website, so please do continue to send your feedback to the mobile team.

Another important item included in this issue is the TransLink annual general meeting which will be held on May 30. This year, we’re going to have the AGM at the Vancouver Transit Centre! This is particularily significant because we’ll be offering tours of the facility after the meeting. If you’re like me and haven’t toured VTC before, you won’t want to miss out on the opportunity! The AGM and tours are open to everyone, but space is limited. Make sure to come early so you’re not disappointed. I’ll be updating you all on more details on the AGM and tour in the weeks to come.

Victoria Day is on Monday, May 21 this year. Info on transit schedules for the day can be found in this issue or on the alerts and advisories page on the TransLink website.

Bike to Work Week runs from May 28 to June 3rd. Yours truly will be participating and blogging about it. If you haven’t dusted off the old two wheeler this year, there’s nothing like finding inspiration through your work colleagues to motivate you. There will be prizes and wonderful resources for the week which can be found at the Bike to Work Week 2012 website or HUB (formerly the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition).

The illustrator this month is Ed Appleby. He was a lot of fun to work with and did a very playful illustration. He was nice enough to answer a few questions about his craft.

Tell us about yourself and your art.

I’m a full time cartoonist, humorist and semi-pro pirate. I went to Vancouver Collage of Art and Design for design and my illustration style is self taught. It’s a combination of different styles inspired by comic strips of the late 80′s, comic books from France and Japan, with a healthy dose of Art Deco thrown in.

Who's got m.translink.ca?

How did you come up with your illustration?

We all have those moments where we’re not sure about the bus. Is it coming soon? Is it being held up somewhere? Did it go by while I was grabbing my nonfat cappuccino? I wanted to relate this problem to the simple solution that m.translink.ca can solve, and then joy that comes from knowing.

Have you used m.translink.ca yet?

Yes, It’s amazing. It let’s me know if I have to run to the bus stop or if I can just saunter.

What’s your favourite mode of transportation?

Skytrain. It’s fast, efficient, and a great source of interesting characters to sketch.

Half of the readers who took the poll eat on transit.

The most striking example of this was when we invited people to join the Transit Pet Peeve Battle last year. The Hungry Hippo (OK it’s actually Hungry Hamster) character generated a lot of comments. So it’s not surprising that when I asked Buzzer readers a month ago if they eat on transit, we received some great feedback and over 350 votes. Here’s the breakdown of the results:

• Yes, I sometimes eat on transit. (50%, 179 Votes)
• No, I never eat on transit. (46%, 166 Votes)
• Yes, I eat every time I’m on transit. (4%, 12 Votes)

As far as comments go, Reva’s about occasionally eating on transit was echoed by others. Her comment also brought up another issue that we haven’t looked at much on the blog: With eating can come wrappers and other types of potential garbage. Garbage not only makes for an unpleasant transit experience, it also makes for more work for our cleaning staff and potentially dangerous situations.

Some of you mentioned the desire for more signage and other means to let people know what’s acceptable for food and drink on transit. While I work on getting the Transit Pet Peeve Battle characters on the system in the form of signage, I’d love to hear your other ideas to get riders thinking about the issue and hopefully change some attitudes that are less than tasty to other riders.

Thanks, everyone, for taking the poll! The mixing of food and transit is a lively topic and one that most people have an opinion on.

Reva's comment