Free transit for all would be a huge help. Stop creating more parking except for vehicles driven by people with disabilities. Encourage more alternate ways to get around.

NOTE: Lisa Giroday's idea "Make public transportation FREE in the core" has been merged with this one.

If we want to realistically look at reduction in emissions, look at methods that truly encourage change. Make public transit free in the core.

Transit (and transit fares!) are controlled by TransLink, not the city. Having said that, reducing or eliminating transit fares is an interesting idea.

Unfortunately it's not very feasible, at least as TransLink is currently funded. Unlike most North American cities, Vancouver's transit problems aren't due to a lack of demand but rather a lack of capacity. Anyone who's ever tried to squeeze onto one of our busy buses or trains knows this all too well -- there isn't enough space even when people have to pay, let alone accommodate the additional demand that would be created if transit were free. Compare this to cities with fare-free zones, which are typically struggling for increase demand, and which typically have (a) less frequent service and/or (b) plenty of extra capacity to accommodate more riders.

In Vancouver, we need to provide more transit capacity to meet existing demand -- and a LOT more capacity to meet our long term targets -- and to do so we need to identify additional funding sources. On that front, some good news: in September 2010, the Province of BC and Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation signed an MOU opening the doors for possible new ways to help pay for transit.

For more information on the MOU, visit http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2010PREM0169-001129.htm .

If we gave Translink this much power, there would be a toll on every bridge, street and lane way in no time. For this to be successful we need to have our public transit operated by a public organization again that is specifically mandated by the local and municipal government to exceed the level of service required for the GVRD well ahead of that need.

This is a good idea. But, charge more than $70-100 a YEAR, as a monthly pass is already almost $90. if every resident of GVRD paid $400 a year (or $33/month), Translink would receive almost $900 million/year before government subsidy. (as of the population of 2007) Using this money, they could restructure bus routes to make them more efficient (which is desperately needed) and upgrade carrying capacity of many routes. I am also of the personal opinion that the electric buses that already operate in the city are a great idea, and more of this is needed (especially on lines like the 99). Now, this might be stretching it, but to compliment the links the planning team posted, I suggest shutting down the entire downtown core (thurlow to main) to non-transit traffic in order to make it more pedestrian friendly. I personally love it when granville is shut down and the street is flooded with people. However, residents of the area (and the west end) would need to get through, as well as buses. In order to shut down traffic inside the zone, but not through-traffic, parking should be made illegal. In order to compensate, parking NEEDS to be created at skytrain stations as well as at the edge of the no-drive zone.

@ Drive More

The issue of lost vehicle/gas tax with this one is a valid point but only if we assume that translink funding is not affected by other departments in government. As the number of cars on the road goes down and the number of transit users goes up the environmental and health benefits will help cut costs in other government departments which would free up funds that are currently needed.

The other thing to consider when comparing a pre-paid fare tax and the current taxation system is that in this case there is an incentive to encourage change. Property and gas taxes currently pay for a significant amount of transit fees but do not directly encourage people to take transit because then they still have to pay a fare. by taking the fare away, this kind of a taxation policy would actually encourage people to change their lifestyle and therefore the other benefits of the plan would become more of a reality.

The vehicle tax idea should be brought back and so it can include the tax on low and non petro fueled vehicles such as bicycles, EVs and Hybrids. These do not pay a gas tax or less gas tax which goes towards road maintenance. More people paying tax may one day achieve a less expensive fare system for transit.

At the same time get rid of translink's improper tax on property tax. One home can most likely has more than one vehicle so a vehicle tax is more likely to increase tax revenue.

\/ Nut Bar
No one forces anyone to buy a vehicle. It is a persons own choice to pay for their mode of transportation.
No roads no problem, people that still want to drive, would buy off road 4x4s.

Some people really should just get a job and pay for the services they use instead of trying to get everything free. That is what keeps the world going, products and service.
If you really want a fare free transit, volunteer to be a bus driver for free and ask the rest of them to work for free. Ask the bus train manufacturers to donate for free. Work for free get free room and board. The only problem with everything for free is there will be some greedy bastards who take advantage of the system and take more than they really need and go sell for a profit somewhere else.. This is not yet Star Trek this is the real world.

Good one, Matthew. And one I think almost all my friends would agree with. I know I do.

This would be so very beneficial to SO many folks here. And I look at it partly this way. Regarding something like fare 'evasion' (which one might risk getting tasered for, which is absurd): I don't think anyone actually likes to 'evade' fares. More often its a reflection of plain economic necessity (remember too, we are in a recession, and Vancouver has the poorest postal code in the country). And people do need to move around.

Following a better line of reasoning, it would be fairer and also make a lot of sense for car manufacturers or the auto industry to foot some of the bill. After all, they don't pay (as far as I know) anything into building/maintaining the infrastructure which allows their products to actually exist (and also be sold), as in roads, bridges, traffic lights, and more (for more info/context on this, one can read about the beginnings/tactics of the automotive industry in California in, of all places, 'Fast Food Nation', Eric Schlosser. The book is quite an eye opener). It is actually long overdue for them to pony up and contribute back in to what we gave them.

This is especially relevant when understood in this way. This is the story of how Vancouver's earlier streetcar system, which was widely used, cheap and very popular, was bought up by the auto industry. After a few years of operating the line, they reported a significant loss, giving them a pretext to shut down the lines, then melt down the streetcars, which they in turn transformed into their automobiles, which the public was now pressured into buying. And this also factors into how government was pushed into dipping into the public coffers to pay for roads, as they became more and more 'necessary' for motor vehicles and the transport of people.

For the curious, you can see footage of the downtown route in 1907 (be warned though, the music is a little annoying, but kinda hilarious ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHbMNDw3CMc&feature=related

And more:

http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/transport/railway/media/strcar.mov

This happened all across North America. And Vancouver often forgets that it once had a really great streetcar line, just like they have in San Francisco. Vancouver's streetcar line was inaugurated in 1890. It was shut down in 1955.

You can read a little more about it in a Beyond Robson post:

http://www.beyondrobson.com/city/2008/05/vancouver_history_streetcars/

So, tax corporations, not so much the public. What we ALREADY pay out (which is very high) should be used responsibility, acountably, and with public consent. It's money we worked hard for so that we, our friends, our families, our kids, would have a nicer, easier place to live (and transit) in. We should have A LOT of say about where it goes. Because it's the public (us) investing in the public trust (us) in order to make things better for as many people as possible, maybe even everyone.

And free transit should be one of those things. Rather than overly-inflated things (some even say 'scams') like 'security' budgets. Things we did not agree to, or even want.

And pretty much all my friends believe we should have fareless transit for all. It's not even accurate to say 'free' rides, because looked at closely, we already do pay for it.

I think this is a really relevant and good point to bring up. And very much so when examined for environmental benefit (which would be Enormous).

K

Translink has lots of buses parked unused when the Canda Line started. They can not afford to pay for any more bus drivers let alone the drivers they already have. There is a reason for rapid transit and that is to reduce the number of buses on the road to reduce costs.

The way I see this operating is that every Vancouver and Greater Vancouver tax payer would pay a transit fee of $50 to $100 extra at tax time. Considerably less than the monthly pass. If you are low income or disabled this fee would not be charged. This would eliminate the need for disability passes. It would also eliminate the fraudulent practice of selling disability passes, which is obviously occurring.
Translinks costs would be reduced because:
There would be no need to deal with money and tickets.
No need to pay staff to deal with whether or not user have a ticket.
Bus drivers will be happier and therefore the amount of altercations between transit users and bus drivers would be reduced.
However to encourage people to use transit there needs to be an increase in the number of buses. They need to offer the same service provided during the Olympics. Along the Broadway corridor for example the bus lane needs to be a designated bus lane as it was during the Olympics.

If everyone takes free transit there will be Billions$$ lost in gas taxes. Fewer taxpayers since thousands of jobs will be lost. Translink is already Billion$$ in debt and already taxes everything it can get. Parking tax is already over 50%. transit levy on the hydro bills, translink tax on property.

I suggest that people who want a free transit system donate money to Translink to fund the free transit system

Free transit is a no-brainer to me. For each person that takes public transit there is less congestion on the road, less pollution and more pressure on development to densify. All good things. When you take into account the huge amount that tax payers currently provide as a subsidy to car ownership (the $3 billion Port Mann Bridge comes to mind, as do health care costs) I bet that the marginal increase in taxes that would be required to expand free transit would be made up in savings from road expansion and the other economic impacts of car dependence within a year or two.

The Tyee did a great piece on free public transit a few years ago ( http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/07/05/NoFares/ ).
It seems to work well in cities that have underused capacity and are trying to encourage people to visit their downtowns, or college towns where the students have a U-pass. Vancouver doesn't fit either of those. As much as I'd like to see better transit, making it free isn't the solution. We need more capacity.

I live on Broadway and watch people step on and off through the back door of the buses all day long. And yes, many have passes but I know many others who don't. Seeing as how we aren't really checking for tickets anyways I think perhaps we can come to a better solution. It doesn't make sense to have the driver be solely responsible for the hundreds (thousands) of people getting on and off their bus each day, the translink ticketing system is broken! And translink repeated says that the amount of people cheating the system is negligible. I don't buy it! I know countless business professionals who jump on the skytrains and buses (normally only for short hauls) without purchasing tickets.

Here's what I propose: A farefree area in the downtown core (say Stadium to Waterfront) and a better ticketing system that allows less fare-jumpers. My guess is the two will balance each other out and more people dt will use transit rather than driving 4 blocks. Also great for the tourists dt.

If you give everyone free green homes and free green food too there would be no need to spend time traveling downtown to work. Thus freeing up more room for tourists and promoting the city's green public image and ending homelessness and poverty to the world. Actually with no one working, most of the roads can be torn up and more civic gardens can be started more trees planted. Its like back to the past to a time of a more simply life of just growing food, eating and sleeping. Pee can be recycled and poo can be used as manure so no need to build the new sewage treatment plants. Wth so much free time you can walk everywhere so might as well just get rid of transit since they take up so much road space.

Note: Lauren G's idea "Free Central Area Transit (CAT) Buses" was merged with this one:

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perth_Central_Area_Transit

Perth, Australia has a free bus service that operates around the central business districts of Perth and Fremantle. These buses are called CATS (central area transport service) and service the free transit zone (FTZ).

The buses have a low ground clearance which make it easy for people of all ages to hop on an off the buses.

The buses have a set route and arrive approximately every 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the route, time of day and day of the week. They operate on compressed natural gas. There is a Red, Blue and Yellow CAT bus for Perth, with a set route that operates in one direction. There is one Orange CAT bus for Fremantle."

These buses are always packed, with locals and tourists alike!

Note: Barbara Hartman's idea "Create "C-pass" to allow Vancouverites to travel for transit for free (after adding capacity)" has been merged with this one.

"Collect annual small contribution from all property tax to pay for it. It is fair, social action, good for tourism, eliminates fare collection costs, improves safety of drivers."

Note, Melanie Knight 's idea "Free transit" was merged with this one.

"Portland has it. Rail systems that are dependable and free for all - tourists and locals. Make visitors change their actions when they are here - so they take their new behaviours with them."

I would like to see this in Vancouver's Downtown Core.