management within the
Metropolitan Transportation
Authority. It is also important
to put the population of

these geographical areas

into perspective. The city of
New York has a population

of approximately 8.4 million,
while Metro Vancouver has a
population of approximately 2.5
million; so, one could argue that
between the two, Prendergast
should be the higher annual
earner for running such an
efficient public transportation
system serving so many people,
compared to Allen who has

not been very successful

in satisfying the users of
TransLink.

How will TransLink gain back
the trust of Metro Vancouver
residents? Removing Ian Jarvis
was the first step of possibly
many in the hopes of winning
approval, but how much
more will need to be done to
renew the company’s financial
integrity with the public? This is
a question that many residents

)

4 7

may not have an answer to, but
which puts TransLink in a more
challenging situation.

Despite criticisms of
TransLink’s fund allocation,
taking on a broader and
impartial view of Metro
Vancouver's transportation
system could allow for people
to see that it is quite strong. On
a day-to-day basis this network
of arteries carries an incredible
number of people with minimal
disruptions of commuter travel
to their destinations. Projects
such as Surrey Light Rail Transit
and expansion of the Evergreen
Line are required to develop
and enhance Metro Vancouver’s
public transportation system.
The trials of new, consumer-
conscious systems such
as the Compass Card are
understandable because such
technology and ideas have
never been implemented in
the Lower Mainland before.
Both areas of improvement
within the system are aimed to
please riders and make using

ita greener, easier, faster, and
more affordable option of
transportation.

Two Metro Vancouver mayors
have recently been elected to
TransLink’s Board of Directors.
This may be seen as a positive
step in revitalizing the public’s
trust and image of TransLink;
that Vancouver Mayor Gregor
Robertson and Surrey Mayor
Linda Hepner can, with their
experiences with residents,
effectively represent interests of
the public within the company.

Do current costs and
proposed increases reflect
prices needed to run a world-
class public transportation
system? And if this amount
of capital does indeed echo
what is required to run sucha
system, are taxpayers willing to
contribute the revenue needed
to maintain and further develop
this level of service? Both
Robertson and Hepner back
the proposed sales tax increase,
among others. Many in the
Lower Mainland respect both

the mayors, so is their “yes”
vote an indication that this
revenue is truly needed? Some
argue that Metro Vancouver
residents’ quality of life and the
health of our environment rely
on the efficiency of the public
transit system. Unfortunately
it costs money to provide a

safe and comfortable public
transportation system, so Metro
Vancouver's citizens may have
to be satisfied with absorbing
supplementary costs.

Despite this, it is extremely
easy to pump more revenue
into a system, but best utilizing
taxpayers’ investments is the
complicated part of running
a public transportation
system. To create change, it is
up to the individual users of
TransLink to come together asa
collective whole and effectively
communicate with TransLink
about concerns regarding the
way the system is managed.

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