Kajin
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229 votes
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…
Kajin
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An error occurred while saving the comment Kajin
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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
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190 votesKajin
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543 votes
Requires support from TransLink. The City will continue to support this idea, through measures including secured rights-of-way (e.g. the centre median on 1st Avenue near the Olympic Village). The recent Olympic Line streetcar demonstration was very successful and helps make the business case for this project.
Kajin
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Please read, in the Tyee:
