© the other press ¢ Opinions

Translink Services Less Than Adequate

Kim Meier ' David Lam Coordinator

With a projected population of three million in 2031, the Greater Vancouver region is growing faster than it has ever grown in the past. Vancouver is growing taller and denser. Suburbs sprawled across the Lower Mainland are beginning to expand further, offering more room for residential development. This areais soon becoming host to the Olympic Games, and is known

around the world as one of the best .

places to live. However, Vancouver's expanding population, industry, tdurism, and suburban development have given rise to a very crucial issue—the issue of transportation. Ample incomes and long commutes have been two major contributors to the problem of congestion on Vancouver's roads—after all, if it will take a while to get from point A to point B, why not do it in the comfort of a personal car? The effi- ciency of Translink’s bus and SkyTrain systems and the recent changes and’additions made to these must be evaluated in order to deter- mine the current transit system's sus- _ tainability.

When exploring the current transportation system of the Lower Mainland, the first component to be looked at should be the bus. Buses are the ideal replacement for the car. Recently, Translink has added a completely new sort of bus to its sys- tem. Community shuttles are small buses, like large vans, which cover bus routes that are not used as fre- quently as average bus routes. These shuttles are effective in that they are less costly to maintain. They are more comfortable vehicles than the regular buses. Shuttles, unfortunate- ly, are quite small. It is difficult to fit wheelchairs or baby strollers onto

these buses. Rather than flashing a route number and name, communi- ty shuttles in Coquitlam often dis- play apologetic signs explaining that the shuttles are too full to pick up any more passengers. Commuters are left waiting at bus stops until the next shuttle comes by.

One particularly useful addition to Translink’s bus system is the night bus service. Night buses run Saturdays and Sundays in the very early morning hours. The creation of these buses indicates the public transit ‘system's willingness to accommodate changes—with bars closing as late as 4am now, the night buses acknowledge growing safety concerns. Patrons are able to get home quickly, safely, and affordably. The night buses run between the last regular bus of one day, and the first regular bus of the next, so it essentially creates a 24-hour accessi- bility to the transit system. Unfortunately, while there are ample downtown Vancouver night bus services, the service to the suburbs is less than acceptable. Increasing night bus services to suburban areas like the Tri-Cities would positively impact drunk driving and mugging rates. As useful as the downtown night bus service is, it is easier for downtown residents to walk home from a downtown bar than it is for a suburban resident to bus home from a downtown bar.

At the other end, the SkyTrain is one of the most useful components of the public transit system. It is a quick, efficient way to travel from the suburbs to downtown Vancouver. Unfortunately, the original Expo line was much too linear, and left out many suburban communities. The Millennium line addition has enabled the SkyTrain to become more accessible, but there are still many communities located signifi-

March 31, 2004

cant distances away. Also, the SkyTrain is no longer efficient dur- ing rush hours—commuters must wait as full trains go by, until a car comes along with just enough room to fit one more person. The addition of the upcoming Airport line will only stress the Expo and Millennium lines even further, as thousands of airport staff will be encouraged to commute to work using the SkyTrain. More direct, convenient routes must be planned.

Overall, the public transit system is doing all right—but not for long. With the ever-increasing stress on the system, Translink must acknowl- edge and adjust to these increasing levels of commuters. To ease up road traffic, commuters must be con- vinced to use public transit, but they will only become convinced once Translink is able to accommodate everyone. Translink has participated in a number of public transit aware- ness promotions, including the U- Pass program implemented for UBC and SFU students. The U-Pass is a great way to discourage driving, but the bus system was not initially modified to accommodate the sud- den jump in users. As a result, many students were late for classes because buses would be too full to make any stops.

This is just one of many examples demonstrating how the public tran- sit system must be more carefully planned. Consequences from addi- tions and changes to the system have to be more cautiously thought out and meticulous planning ahead is needed. Generally, however, public transit is on the right track to being very sustainable and efficient. Time and trial will be required until it gets to an optimum level, but when it does, it will be worth it.

Do Extra Paperwork for an

Extraordinary Person!

Janice Penner

March 31 is the deadline for the Excellence Awards. When you've seen those green/black posters around campus, I’m sure you've thought of at least one per- son who has contributed sig- nificantly to your learning experience here at Douglas College. Why not invest some time and get two more nominators to submit a nomination package?

The nominees can be stu- dents, staff, faculty, or administrators. The forms in the library, department

offices and on _ the Douglas website outline the criteria to address in your let- ters of nomination. You can get as many people as you can to submit other docu- ments to support your nomi- nation.

The Excellence Committee (which consists of faculty, staff, administrators, and stu- dents) reviews each nomina- tion package carefully. Sometimes it is too diffi- cult to choose one for the category, so two have been chosen, It’s not really a con-

test—but more so it’s a focus on celebrating the exception- al people in our community. Take some time to reflect on who has made a differ- ence for you. Don’t delay!

- The Committee hopes to be SWAMPED with submis- sions.

Fran Johnson, from General Nursing, is also able to answer any logistical ques- tions you may have. She can be reached at johnsonf@douglas.bc.ca or by phone at 604.527.5062.

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