The cost of running a successful public
transportation system through a

s public transportation in

Metro Vancouver a huge
success or one big flop?

There is a growing debate
about whether or not TransLink
is maintaining its goal of
sustaining a safe and reliable
transportation system. This
private corporation has had
many ups and downs over the
course of its more than 15 years
of existence. TransLink is facing
criticism for its management
of revenue, which is provided
through ridership and various
taxes. In recent years the
public’s vocal dissatisfaction
has been increasing. Positive
company relations, system
infrastructure, and programs
to increase ridership are being
drowned out by users’ negative
reactions.

Many in the public are
frustrated with TransLink’s
allocation of its revenue.
Taxpayers’ money does not seem
to be invested effectively within
the transportation system.

In some cases, infrastructure

large private company

and programs controlled by
the company are not living
up to expectations, and this is
undermining the company’s
integrity with the residents of
Metro Vancouver.

It is believed that many
are losing confidence in the
public transportation system
due to a number of commuter
headaches. In the past year
alone, there have been system-
wide shutdowns of the SkyTrain,
less than expected ridership,
and delayed implementation
of the Compass Card system.
Adding to the frustrations
regarding events such as these,
a 0.5 per cent sales tax increase
has been proposed in part to
help fund a new Light Rail
Transit Project, as described on
TransLink’s official website.

Many believe that the current
tax collection and user revenue
should be enough to support
these developments—if money
was handled and allocated
more wisely—without putting
more costs onto residents. As

reported by NoTransLinkTax.ca,
this sales tax increase amounts
to $258 annually per household;
it would also be added to the
$0.17 per litre of gas from the
TransLink gas tax; 21 per cent
from parking tax; $0.05 per litre
of gas from the federal gas tax;
$22.80 a year on electricity bills;
property taxes that increase
three per cent every year; and
finally the $4.30 toll fora single
trip across the Golden Ears
Bridge.

The publication of salaries
of senior staff at TransLink
on NoTransLinkTax.ca is
perpetuating the need to
investigate recent increases
in taxes and rider fares. It
is believed that if senior
management were to adjust
current salaries to reflect
similar positions, it would
create circumstances for a
better oversight of how money
is allocated. Jan Jarvis, former
CEO of TransLink, had an
approximate total compensation
of $468,000 for the year of 2013

alone. He was paid roughly
$140,000 more than the
country’s Prime Minister—was
this salary justified?

Newly appointed TransLink
CEO Doug Allen is paid a total
of $35,000 a month. That’s
more than some people make
annually, but Allen claims that
this is a reasonable amount due
to the significant responsibilities
that his position entails. Many
have been asking why Allen’s
compensation is significantly
higher than those of other
senior management officers
in districts such as New York.
For example, Metropolitan
Transportation Authority
chairman Thomas Prendergast
received a total compensation of
approximately $350,000 for the
year of 2013. When calculated,
Allen’s total compensation for
a single year is approximately
$70,000 more than
Prendergast’s. NYDailyNews.
com also shows, along with the
figures above, that Prendergast
is the top earner of upper