Kevin Munro OP Contributor Students may find the trip to school easier and faster in September, thanks to recently announced changes to transit service. The Labour Day long weekend will host the full opening of the new SkyTrain Millennium Line, as well as the introduction of a new 97 B-Line bus route and a new shuttle service for the Thomas Haney campus. The Millennium Line will open on August 31. A new shuttle will connect SFU with the Production Way/University station, located on Lougheed Highway, just west of Gaglardi Way. This service will run at least every 10 minutes during the day. A new evening shuttle, starting September 3, will leave Thomas Haney campus at 10:08 p.m. Monday to Thursday, arriving at the Haney Place Mall at 10:13 p.m. This will help provide better connections to other routes. These changes “will represent an improvement in services, particularly in peak service times,” said TransLink spokesperson Ken Hardie. For example, currently the 99 B-Line runs between Commercial Drive and Lougheed Mall every half-hour, taking approximately 35 minutes to travel that distance. On the Millennium line, that trip will take 17 to 18 minutes, with much more frequent service, representing a drop in travel time by almost 50 per cent. Hardie says that some people may have to make a transfer they didn’t have to make before, but with the increase in service times, there will be an overall net benefit to riders. A new B-Line service will operate between the Lougheed SkyTrain station and Coquitlam station. This service will run every 10 minutes, increasing service over the current 147 route, and will have limited stops along the way. Overall this should lead to easier access to transit service for those living in Coquitlam and connected areas. Car Crime Rising Eileen Velthuis News Editor Statistics released by ICBC last month show that auto crime is on the rise again. The statistics say that an average of 60 vehicles are reported stolen every day in BC. In New Westminster alone, the amount of auto thefts rose by 20 per cent over a one-year period: There were 571 cars stolen in the year 2000 and 686 stolen in “other press = >>> NEWS Transit Changes Arrive in the Fall The B-Line is an intermediate step to see if ridership numbers will justify the con- struction of a SkyTrain line in the region. Asked where the money for these expansions will come from, especially after recent transit cutbacks, Hardie responded “extra fuel taxes, extra fares and extra property tax. Those three things combined amount to pretty close to $80 million.” That money will pay not only for increased bus services and integration with SkyTrain, but also for the operation of the SkyTrain line itself. Not only are these changes good news for many students, they are good news for the proponents of bringing a U-Pass to SFU as well. A U-Pass is a universal transit pass, where every student pays into it as part of their student fees, lower- ing the cost for transit users. Students for U-Pass founder Phillip Gander says the changes are key to implementing the U-Pass and having a successful vote on the issue. “There’s no point in going ahead with a U-Pass if there’s not going to be any changes or improvements in the system,” Gander said. Gander believes that the U-Pass could be a catalyst to improving transit servic- es even further for SFU students, since it would provide an influx of money for TransLink to do so. Gander and others working for the U-Pass are still trying, however, to get a written commitment from TransLink to ensure that if the U-Pass iS approved in a fall semester referendum, that the money will go to improving transit for SFU students. There hasn’t been any discussion about a U-Pass for Douglas College students as of yet. Gander feels a victory for U-Pass supporters will be achieved with the help of these recent announcements. “In my mind, I’m confident it'll go through. We just need to be able to hold it.” 2001. The same study shows that Maple Ridge and Coquitlam experienced increas- es of 27 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively. There were 130,784 auto crime claims reported to ICBC in 2001 over a slightly lesser 123,468 in 2000. While theft claims increased by 17 per cent across BC, vehicle break-ins increased by 9 per cent and vandalism claims actually dropped by one per cent. “The incidence of this type of crime has increased significantly over the past year and is one of the reasons that claims costs are rising as rapidly as they are,’ said ICBC’s CEO Kevin Benson in the press release. ICBC has some recommendations to make your vehicle less appealing to thieves. They suggest never leaving a spare key in your car, (always put it in your wallet), close your windows and lock your doors, and don’t leave possessions in plain view. Park your car in the open, in well-lit, well-traversed areas. Look into stereos with removable faceplates, and don’t forget to take them with you when you leave the car. Engrave your driver's licence number onto the stereo. Finally, use an anti-theft device. There are various types of anti-theft devices and they are all good deterrents, but ICBC suggests that electronic immobilizers are the most effective way to combat auto crime. | BCs top 5 most stolen vehicles are: _ Honda Civic, 1988-2000 Dodge Caravan, 1991-1995 Toyota Camry, 1984-1991 Plymouth Voyager, 1991-1995 Honda Accord, 1986-1994 For more information on how to protect your vehicle visit .