TransLink (British Columbia)
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TransLink, formally the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, is the
statutory authority A statutory body or statutory authority is a body set up by law (statute) that is authorised to implement certain legislation on behalf of the relevant country or state, sometimes by being Primary and secondary legislation, empowered or deleg ...
responsible for the regional transportation network of
Metro Vancouver The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), or simply Metro Vancouver, is a Canadian political subdivision and corporate entity representing the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver, designated by provincial legislation as one of the 28 ...
in
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, Canada, including public transport, major roads and bridges. Its main operating facilities are located in the city of
New Westminster New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capita ...
. TransLink was created in 1998 as the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (GVTA) and was fully implemented in April 1999 by the Government of British Columbia to replace
BC Transit BC Transit is a provincial crown corporation responsible for coordinating the delivery of public transportation within British Columbia, Canada, outside Greater Vancouver. BC Transit is headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia. In , the syst ...
in the Greater Vancouver Regional District and assume many transportation responsibilities previously held by the provincial government. TransLink is responsible for various modes of transportation in the
Metro Vancouver The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), or simply Metro Vancouver, is a Canadian political subdivision and corporate entity representing the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver, designated by provincial legislation as one of the 28 ...
region as well as the
West Coast Express The West Coast Express is a commuter railway serving the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it provides a link between Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Regional District and is the only commuter railway in ...
, which extends into the
Fraser Valley Regional District The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) is a regional district in British Columbia, Canada. Its headquarters are in the city of Chilliwack. The FVRD covers an area of 13,361.74 km² (5,159 sq mi). It was created in 1995 by ...
(FVRD). On November 29, 2007, the province of British Columbia approved legislation changing the governance structure and official name of the organization.


History


2007 reorganization

On March 8, 2007, BC Minister of Transportation
Kevin Falcon Kevin Falcon (born 1963) is a Canadian financial executive and a provincial politician who is the leader of the British Columbia Liberal Party as of 2022, and the Leader of the Opposition as of May 2022. He is the member of the Legislative Assem ...
announced a restructuring of TransLink. Major changes include new revenue-generating measures, a restructuring of the executive of the body, and increases in the areas under TransLink's jurisdiction. The reorganization of TransLink proposed the following changes: * The old board will be replaced by a Council of Mayors from the municipalities in the area served by TransLink, a board of non-political experts, and a regional transportation commissioner appointed by the Council of Mayors. * The provincial government will set the regional transportation vision. * The Board will guide the operation of TransLink as per the 3- and 10-year transportation plans. It will also develop the options for 3- and 10-year plans; one option will be a base option that maintains the status quo. * The Council of Mayors will vote on which 3- and 10-year transportation plan options to adopt. Mayors will receive one vote per 20,000 people or portion thereof in their jurisdiction. * The TransLink independent commissioner will ensure that TransLink's 3- and 10-year transportation plans are consistent with the regional transportation vision set by the provincial government. * TransLink's jurisdiction is initially planned to be expanded to include
Mission Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...
, Abbotsford, and Squamish. In the long term, this may be further expanded to include the area along the
Sea-to-Sky Highway Highway 99 is a provincial highway in British Columbia that serves Greater Vancouver and the Squamish–Lillooet corridor over a length of . It is a major north–south artery within Vancouver and connects the city to several suburbs as well ...
as far north as Pemberton and east to
Hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life or the world at large. As a verb, its definitions include: "expect with confidence" and "to cherish ...
. * TransLink will be funded using an approximate ratio of 1/3 of revenue from fuel taxes, 1/3 of revenue from property taxes, and 1/3 of revenue from other non-government sources (e.g., fares, advertising, property development). * TransLink will hold the power to increase funding from fuel tax from 12 cents per litre (55 cents per Imp gal or 45 cents per US gal) to 15 cents per litre (68 cents per Imp gal or 57 cents per US gal). In 2012, the rate was increased to 17 cents. * TransLink will increase funding by raising property taxes, parking sales taxes, and other sources of revenue (e.g., fares, property development). * TransLink will eliminate the parking tax (different from parking sales tax) and the BC Hydro transportation levy. * AirCare will be removed from TransLink's authority and will become the responsibility of
Metro Vancouver The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), or simply Metro Vancouver, is a Canadian political subdivision and corporate entity representing the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver, designated by provincial legislation as one of the 28 ...
. * The provincial government will continue to contribute toward rapid transit projects, but funding will be contingent on municipalities increasing population densities around planned rapid transit stations. Falcon had called the old board "dysfunctional", saying that board members were focused on the interests of their own municipalities instead of the broader interests of the region. According to Falcon, the board of directors had "no ability there to develop the skill-set to understand major, multi-billion projects."
British Columbia New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party of British Columbia (BC NDP) is a social-democratic provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. As of 2017, it governs the province. It is the British Columbia provincial arm of the federal New Democrati ...
critic David Chudnovsky responded that the reorganization was "ludicrous" and that its purpose was "to get power away from our elected municipal politicians because once in a while they disagree with the aggressive privatization agenda of Mr. Falcon". Chudnovsky was also worried about the consequences of a property development slowdown. On April 26, 2007, the provincial government introduced legislation to restructure TransLink. The proposed successor body was to be known as the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority. The legislation received
Royal Assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
on November 29, 2007, and came into effect on January 1, 2008, with some parts of the organization, like the Council of Mayors, beginning functions the day after the legislation was approved. On March 19, 2008, the ''Vancouver Sun'' reported that TransLink was launching a real estate division that could produce over $1.5billion in revenue over the ensuing ten years. NDP critic
Maurine Karagianis Maurine Karagianis (born August 17, 1950) is a Canadian politician, formerly the New Democratic Party MLA for the riding of Esquimalt-Royal Roads in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. She was first elected in the 2005 election t ...
introduced a private member's bill dubbed the "TransLink Openness Act".


2015 plebiscite

In 2015, residents of Metro Vancouver were asked to vote in a mail-in plebiscite on a proposal to adopt a new 0.5% sales tax to fund improvements in transit infrastructure, and completion of current TransLink projects. Ballots were mailed in March, and had to be returned by 8:00 pm on May 29, 2015. The tax was designed to generate annual revenue of $250million to help fund an $8billion, 10-year transit plan including the following projects: * Adding bus service and 11 new B-Line rapid bus routes * Increasing service on SkyTrain,
SeaBus The SeaBus is a passenger-only ferry service in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It crosses Burrard Inlet to connect the cities of Vancouver ( Waterfront station) and North Vancouver (Lonsdale Quay). Owned by TransLink and operated by ...
, and
West Coast Express The West Coast Express is a commuter railway serving the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it provides a link between Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Regional District and is the only commuter railway in ...
* Maintaining and upgrading of major roads * Building a new
Pattullo Bridge The Pattullo Bridge is a through arch bridge that crosses the Fraser River and links the city of New Westminster to the city of Surrey in British Columbia. It was named in honour of Thomas Dufferin Pattullo, the 22nd Premier of British Columbia. ...
* Building LRT connecting
Surrey Centre Surrey Centre (french: Surrey-Centre) is a federal electoral district in British Columbia. It encompasses a portion of British Columbia previously included in the electoral district of Surrey North. Surrey Centre was created by the 2012 feder ...
with
Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, around southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The name "Guildf ...
, Newton, and
Langley Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Elizabeth Langley (born 1933), Canadian perfor ...
* Extending the Millennium Line along
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
in Vancouver * Extending cycling and pedestrian walkway networks The tax was supported by environmental groups, student groups and nearly every local government. Opposition to the tax was headed by the
Canadian Taxpayers Federation The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF; french: Fédération canadienne des contribuables, link=no) is a federally incorporated, non-profit organization in Canada. It claimed 30,517 donors and 215,009 supporters in 2018–19. Voting membership, ...
who drew the public's attention to purported misuse of funds by TransLink. Supporters countered with other analyses that showed TransLink to be ranked first by cost per service hour, service hours per $1million and service hours per capita. The Yes campaign outspent the No campaign by $5.8million to $40,000. Surveys conducted by
Insights West Insights West was a full service Canadian market research and polling company. It was established in 2012 by Steve Mossop to provide services to private and public sector clients across Western Canada. Insights West's headquarters were located in ...
showed the Yes side ahead in December 2014, but support dropped to 37 per cent the week before the ballots were mailed. After the failure of the plebiscite, several executives at TransLink were removed from their positions.


Results


10-Year Investment Plan

After the failure of the 2015 plebiscite, TransLink developed the 10-Year Investment Plan. The plan was structured to be delivered in three phases over ten years, starting in April 2017.


As originally released

Phase one was scheduled to be rolled out between 2017 and 2026, and it included the launch of five new B-Lines, and service improvements on buses, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and HandyDART. TransLink planned to purchase 171 more buses, 50 new SkyTrain cars, five new West Coast Express passenger cars, and one new SeaBus vessel. It also provided funding for improved roads, cycling paths, and sidewalks. Phase two was scheduled to be rolled out between 2018 and 2027, and it included the construction of the Broadway SkyTrain extension, the construction of the Surrey–Newton–Guildford LRT, the launch of two more B-Lines, the replacement of the Pattullo Bridge, pre-construction of the Surrey–Langley LRT, and more rail and station upgrades on the existing SkyTrain network. It also included continued service improvements on buses and HandyDART, and continued funding for improved roads, cycling paths, and sidewalks. Phase three is the final delivery of the 10-Year Investment Plan, which was scheduled to be rolled out between 2020 and 2030. It included four new B-Lines, more service improvements on buses, SkyTrain, and HandyDART service. It also included the construction of the Surrey–Langley LRT as well as continued funding for improved roads, cycling paths, and sidewalks.


Implementation and alterations

Phase one was approved by the Mayors' Council in November 2016; implementation began in January 2017. Phase two was approved in June 2018, and phase three is scheduled for approval in 2019. In November 2018, the Surrey light rail system, including the Surrey–Newton–Guildford (SNG) route and the Surrey–Langley route, was rejected by Surrey City Council after a municipal government change that saw
Doug McCallum Doug McCallum (born April 19, 1944) is a Canadian politician who was mayor of Surrey, British Columbia, from 1996 to 2005 and from 2018 to 2022. McCallum was first elected to a seat on Surrey City Council in 1993.(2004).Mayor Doug McCallum, Surr ...
return to the city's mayorship. McCallum had campaigned on cancelling the plans for light rail and instead extending the Expo Line from King George station to Langley. This plan was approved by the Mayors' Council in principle that same month, but the $1.65billion in funding that was earmarked for the light rail project, which was intended to be repurposed to construct the extension to Langley, was determined to be insufficient to fund the entire extension, with $1.9billion more needed to complete the project. The existing funding would only extend the line to
Fleetwood Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census. Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830 ...
in Surrey and add four new stations, terminating at 166th Street. In July 2019, the Mayors' Council voted to extend the Expo Line to Fleetwood using these existing funds. The Council also voted to proceed with preparing a detailed business case for the full Surrey–Langley SkyTrain extension, which was expected to be completed by early 2020. Revenue service to Fleetwood was projected to start in late 2025; however, the project has been postponed to 2028.


Transit


Buses

Buses in Metro Vancouver are operated by three companies.
Coast Mountain Bus Company Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) is the contract operator for bus transit services in Metro Vancouver and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, known locally as TransLink, the entity respon ...
operates regular transit buses, generally powered by diesel or natural gas, in most of the region's municipalities, in addition to trolley buses, primarily within the city of Vancouver. The District Municipality of
West Vancouver West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, West Vancouver is to the northwest of the city of Vancouver on the northern side of English Ba ...
operates the Blue Bus system serving West Vancouver and
Lions Bay Lions Bay ( Sḵwx̱wú7mesh: Ch'ích'iyúy Elx̱wíḵn, ) is a small residential community in British Columbia, Canada, located between Vancouver and Squamish on the steep eastern shore of Howe Sound. In the 2021 census the community had a pop ...
.
First Transit First Transit is an American transportation company. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, First Transit operates over 300 locations, carrying more than 350 million passengers annually throughout the United States in 39 states, Puerto Rico, Panam ...
is contracted by TransLink to operate nine community shuttle bus routes in Langley and on Bowen Island. The schedules, fares, and routes of these services are integrated with other transit services operated by TransLink. Within the city of Vancouver, buses generally run on a grid system, with most trolley bus routes operating radially out of
downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...
and along north–south arteries, and most diesel buses providing east–west crosstown service, with the
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...
(UBC) as their western terminus. Outside the city of Vancouver, most buses operate on a hub-and-spoke system along feeder routes that connect with SkyTrain,
SeaBus The SeaBus is a passenger-only ferry service in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It crosses Burrard Inlet to connect the cities of Vancouver ( Waterfront station) and North Vancouver (Lonsdale Quay). Owned by TransLink and operated by ...
,
West Coast Express The West Coast Express is a commuter railway serving the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it provides a link between Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Regional District and is the only commuter railway in ...
, or other regional centres. Five high-capacity, high-frequency RapidBus express routes use mostly
articulated bus An articulated bus, also referred to as a banana bus, bendy bus, tandem bus, vestibule bus, wiggle wagon, stretch bus, or an accordion bus, (either a motor bus or trolleybus) is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usua ...
es, rounding out the regional public transportation backbone provided by SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express. Electric trolley buses operate on major routes in the city of Vancouver, with one route extending to neighbouring
Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard I ...
. Most trolley bus routes operate in a north–south direction. Trolley buses receive electricity from a network of
overhead wires An overhead line or overhead wire is an electrical cable that is used to transmit electrical energy to electric locomotives, trolleybuses or trams. It is known variously as: * Overhead catenary * Overhead contact system (OCS) * Overhead equipment ...
. In the fall of 2006, TransLink introduced a new generation of electric trolley buses, replacing the old models built in the early 1980s. The new trolley buses have low floors and are fully wheelchair accessible. Many local routes are served by buses manufactured by
New Flyer New Flyer is a Canadian multinational Bus manufacturing, bus manufacturer, specializing in the production of transit buses. New Flyer is owned by the NFI Group, a holding company for several bus manufacturers. New Flyer has several manufacturing ...
and
Nova Bus Nova Bus (stylized as NOVABUS) is a Canadian bus manufacturer headquartered in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada. Nova is owned by the Volvo Group. The company has roots in the General Motors Diesel Division, which opened in 1979. Nova Bus was est ...
. TransLink has begun using hybrid diesel-electric buses. Some suburban routes use Orion highway coaches with high-back reclining seats, overhead reading lights and luggage racks. After a successful pilot project through 2017 and 2018, TransLink announced the purchase of 32
Alexander Dennis Enviro500 The Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (previously known as the TransBus Enviro500) is a three-axle double-decker bus built by Alexander Dennis (formerly by TransBus) in the United Kingdom. It was unveiled in 2002 and is one of the Enviro-series bus mod ...
double-decker bus A double-decker bus or double-deck bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. They are used for mass transport in the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, Europe, Asia and also in cities such as Sydney; the best-known example is the ...
es. TransLink began using
double-decker bus A double-decker bus or double-deck bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. They are used for mass transport in the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, Europe, Asia and also in cities such as Sydney; the best-known example is the ...
es to serve the 555, 620, and 301 routes. More double-decker buses were deployed to more routes starting in September 2020. In 2007, all TransLink buses became designated fare paid zones. Under this system, a rider is required to be in possession of a valid fare (transfer or transit pass) while on board the bus and produce it upon request by a transit official. Enforcement of fares is conducted by Transit Security officers. On all RapidBuses, as well as the
99 B-Line The 99 B-Line is an Express bus service, express bus line with bus rapid transit elements in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It travels along Broadway (Vancouver), Broadway, a major east–west thoroughfare, and connects the Universit ...
, larger, , three-door buses allow passengers to board through rear doors. As they are bypassing the driver and fare box, they must have a valid fare in their possession. On all other buses, passengers are required to board through the front doors and should produce a valid fare to the bus driver. Fare inspections on buses are normally conducted by Transit Security officers and on occasion by the
South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service The Metro Vancouver Transit Police (MVTP), previously the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police Service and formally the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service (SCBCTAPS), is the police force for Trans ...
. Failure to produce proof of payment may result in ejection from the bus and/or a fine of $173. TransLink also operates a late-night bus service, called NightBus, on 10 routes extending from downtown throughout the city and to several suburbs. NightBuses leave downtown Vancouver until 4:30 a.m. For the safety of passengers late at night, Transit Security officers ride some of the night buses and respond to calls onboard others. These buses are popular since SkyTrain ends service at 1:30 a.m. but downtown clubs and bars do not close until 3 a.m.


SkyTrain

The first SkyTrain line, which later became known as the Expo Line, was built in 1985 as a transit showcase for
Expo 86 The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo 86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from May 2 until October 13, 1986. The fair, the theme of which was "Transportation and Communicatio ...
. The automated
rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...
system has become an important part of the region's transportation network. The Expo Line operates from downtown Vancouver to southern
Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard I ...
,
New Westminster New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capita ...
, and
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
. The system was expanded with the opening of the
Millennium Line The Millennium Line is the second line of the SkyTrain rapid transit system in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada. The line is owned and operated by BC Rapid Transit Company, a subsidiary of TransLink, and links the cities ...
in 2002, which now links
Coquitlam Coquitlam ( ) is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Mainly suburban, Coquitlam is the List of cities in British Columbia, sixth-largest city in the province, with a population of 148,625 in 2021, and one of the 21 municipa ...
,
Port Moody Port Moody is a city in British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It envelops the east end of Burrard Inlet and is the smallest of the Tri-Cities, bordered by Coquitlam on the east and south a ...
,
Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard I ...
, and Vancouver. Construction on the
Evergreen Extension The Evergreen Extension (previously known as the Evergreen Line) is a extension of the Millennium Line of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system. The extension runs from Lougheed Town Centre in Burnaby to Lafarge Lake–Douglas in Co ...
of the Millennium Line began in 2012 and completed in 2016. The
Canada Line The Canada Line is a rapid transit line in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, that is part of the SkyTrain system. The line is owned by TransLink and InTransitBC and is operated by ProTrans BC. Coloured turquoise on route maps, it op ...
, which was opened on August 17, 2009, runs underground through Vancouver and then along an elevated guideway with two branches, to
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...
and
Vancouver International Airport Vancouver International Airport is an international airport located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, serving the city of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region. It is located from Downtown Vancouver. It is the second busiest ...
. It meets the Expo Line at Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver, but it is operationally independent and there is no track connection between them. The Expo Line and Millennium Line are operated by British Columbia Rapid Transit Company Ltd., a subsidiary of TransLink. The Canada Line is operated by ProTrans BC, a division of
SNC-Lavalin SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. is a Canadian company based in Montreal that provides engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services to various industries, including mining and metallurgy, oil and gas, environment and water, infrastructure, a ...
.


West Coast Express

The West Coast Express is a commuter railway connecting downtown
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
to
Metro Vancouver The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), or simply Metro Vancouver, is a Canadian political subdivision and corporate entity representing the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver, designated by provincial legislation as one of the 28 ...
municipalities to the east and terminating in
Mission Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity *Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...
in the FVRD, north of the
Fraser River The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Blackrock Mountain in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia just south of the City of Vancouver. The river's annual d ...
. It is operated by the British Columbia Rapid Transit Company.


SeaBus

SeaBus The SeaBus is a passenger-only ferry service in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It crosses Burrard Inlet to connect the cities of Vancouver ( Waterfront station) and North Vancouver (Lonsdale Quay). Owned by TransLink and operated by ...
is a passenger ferry service across
Burrard Inlet french: Baie Burrard , image = Burrard Inlet 201807.jpg , image_size = 250px , alt = , caption = Aerial view of Burrard Inlet , image_bathymetry = Burrard-Inlet-map-en.svg , alt_bathymetry ...
between Vancouver and the North Shore municipalities that is operated by Coast Mountain Bus Company and integrated with the transit system. It holds approximately 400 people and sails every 15 minutes during rush hour.


Fares

Note that fares differ for those paying with stored value on their Compass cards versus those paying by cash or contactless credit card. Cash and stored value fares are the same for concession riders. Fares were last increased on July 1, 2022. Compass card holders and those with Compass transfers (issued by Compass vending machines at SkyTrain, SeaBus, and West Coast Express stations) are permitted unlimited transfers within a 90-minute period on the bus or on SkyTrain or SeaBus. All buses are considered one-zone fares, but cash fares on buses are not transferable to the SkyTrain or SeaBus owing to technological incompatibility between bus fare box–issued transfers and Compass fare readers. Zone fares apply weekdays before 6:30 p.m. During evenings and on weekends, passengers can travel throughout the system on a one-zone fare. There is a $5 surcharge, the "YVR AddFare", applied to most fares paid at Canada Line stations on Sea Island— YVR–Airport, Sea Island Centre, and Templeton—for eastbound trips to Bridgeport station or beyond. Trips using a monthly pass are exempt, as are trips using DayPasses purchased and activated off Sea Island. Trips the three stations are not subject to the surcharge. Trips between the three Sea Island stations are free. Beginning September 2021, fares were adjusted so to that children aged 13 and younger were permitted to ride for free. Concession fares apply to youths aged 14–18 with identification proving age, and seniors aged 65 and over. Students from all public post-secondary institutions in the Lower Mainland, with the exception of the
Justice Institute of British Columbia Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) is a public, post-secondary educational institution in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, that is focused on training professionals in the justice, public safety and social services fields. JI ...
, receive a U-Pass, which is included in student fees. The pass is valid across all three zones. A Fare Paid Zone is a clearly marked territory on which passengers must have valid proof of payment and produce it for inspection upon request of a Transit Employee. Initially, these were only in effect in SkyTrain and SeaBus stations and vehicles until June 25, 2007, when the law was changed. Now, all buses, including West Vancouver buses, are designated Fare Paid Zones. The reason for implementing Fare Paid Zones on buses was to remove the responsibility of fare enforcement from bus drivers, as too many of them were being assaulted in disputes over fare payment. Fare enforcement on all buses are now the responsibility of the Transit Police and Transit Security Department. Officers may conduct a fare inspection at any time. Those who fail to pay the fare or fail to produce a valid fare could be removed from the transit system and/or fined $173. Currently, only Transit Security and Transit Police have the authority to issue fare evasion fines. Customer Service Attendants and other transit employees may request compliance in regards to fares, but have no authority to issue a fine. Failure to pay the fare or produce valid proof of payment is an offence. Fare inspections are conducted by the
South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service The Metro Vancouver Transit Police (MVTP), previously the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police Service and formally the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service (SCBCTAPS), is the police force for Trans ...
and Transit Security. Fraudulent use of fares (e.g., using a fake pass, using another person's non-transferable pass,) may result in criminal charges. Passengers found without a valid fare or who fail to produce valid proof of payment are served with an Infraction Ticket of $173, under the Fare Collection Regulation. In September 2012, amendments to the ''South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act'' came into effect, making TransLink responsible for collection of fines issued by Transit Police and Transit Security. Since October 5, 2015, all bus travel is considered one-zone travel and no additional fares are required for crossing fare boundaries on the bus. On April 4, 2016, TransLink's new fare gates were implemented for ridership on SkyTrain and SeaBus. To open the fare gates, to enter or exit the system, a Compass card or Compass ticket (purchased from a Compass vending machine) must be used. Compass cards may be used to pay fares on and buses, although FareSaver tickets may still be used on buses. Buses continue issue paper passes for fares paid in cash. Neither FareSavers nor the transfer tickets may be used to open fare gates. Compass cards work on all transit services using a tap in method to pay fares. Tap out however is not required on buses. The cards may be loaded with monthly passes, day passes, or stored value, or any combination, with the ability to auto-load the fare choice. Annual passes have been eliminated. After the December 2015 TransLink announcement that the gates would close on April 4, 2016, groups working with those who have disabilities complained about potential accessibility problems with the fare gate system. TransLink's response was to have staff assist those with disabilities enter or exit the system, or to leave the gates open when staff were not present. This lasted until July 25, 2016, when the gates were fully closed. No data have been presented to indicate if the system has reduced fare evasion, estimated at between $6 and $7million per year, which was the promise of the new $194million system, although preliminary data showed that revenue had increased by 7% after its introduction. On May 22, 2018, the ability to pay with contactless
Visa Visa most commonly refers to: *Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company ** Visa Debit card issued by the above company ** Visa Electron, a debit card ** Visa Plus, an interbank network *Travel visa, a document that allows ...
and Mastercard credit cards (including
mobile payment A mobile payment, also referred to as mobile money, mobile money transfer and mobile wallet, is any of various payment processing services operated under financial regulations and performed from or via a mobile device, as the cardinal class of d ...
software) was added to Compass readers. Fares paid in this manner are charged at the full cash fares. On March 20, 2020, TransLink suspended fare collection on all buses indefinitely in an effort to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in the province, specifically to meet
physical distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious dise ...
requirements in combating the spread of
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. Part of the measures included allowing the boarding and alighting of passengers only via a bus' rear door, which lack the means to collect cash fares. Those needing mobility assistance could continue boarding through the front door. TransLink later reduced capacity on all buses by 50 percent to further physical distancing goals. No changes to fares or capacity were implemented for the SeaBus, the SkyTrain or the West Coast Express. On June 1, 2020, TransLink resumed fare collection on buses, citing improved safety features for drivers and the over $2 million dollars a month in lost revenue due to the fare suspension.


Ridership


Transit security

Coast Mountain Bus Company operates TransLink's Transit Security department. Transit security officers are mobile, ride buses and trains, inspect fares, issue fines and patrol TransLink properties. They work closely with transit police to ensure safety throughout the transit network. Transit security officers are authorized to arrest persons committing criminal offences on or in relation to any TransLink property, under the Canadian Criminal Code. They are also authorized to enforce the ''Transit Conduct and Safety Regulations'' and the Transit Tariff Bylaw. The Transit Security department is also responsible for the CCTV camera system aboard buses. On November 14, 2006, the Canadian government announced that it would spend $37million for improvements to transit security across Canada, including $9.8million for the Vancouver area. CCTV cameras have been installed on all TransLink buses newer than 2006, except for Community Shuttle units.


Transit police

TransLink replaced its special provincial constables, who held limited policing power, with the Metro Vancouver Transit Police in December 2005. In contrast to the former TransLink special constables, transit police constables have full police powers both on and off of TransLink property. They are based in New Westminster, BC.


Livery

Shortly after its inception, TransLink's board of directors approved replacement of the old BC Transit colours with TransLink's new blue and yellow colour scheme, or
livery A livery is an identifying design, such as a uniform, ornament, symbol or insignia that designates ownership or affiliation, often found on an individual or vehicle. Livery will often have elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or ...
. It also created brands for the agency's different services, each with a different logo based on these colours, with the exception of the
West Coast Express The West Coast Express is a commuter railway serving the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it provides a link between Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Regional District and is the only commuter railway in ...
. The board decided against changing West Coast Express's purple colour to blue, since purple and yellow create a premium brand differentiable from TransLink's blue and yellow livery. Repainting of vehicles did not incur any additional costs, as it was completed during regular maintenance repaints or new vehicle purchases. At the time of approval, TransLink estimated that it would take until the end of 2007 to convert the entire fleet to the new livery. In 2001, TransLink introduced a new set of long-distance buses under the ExpressBus brand with its own livery. In 2018, TransLink began to replace these buses and the ExpressBus livery was abandoned for a revised version of the new corporate livery introduced in 2005. In 2003, TransLink placed an order for 228 new trolley buses which began to arrive in 2005. These buses featured a new livery composed of yellow, blue, and two shades of grey, which was then adopted as a permanent corporate livery. This new livery was later added to older SeaBus vessels and SkyTrain rolling stock in an attempt to unify the fleet. In January 2020, TransLink converted most of its B-Line service into a new service called RapidBus, whose vehicles sported a new livery. The RapidBus livery is a variation of the standard TransLink livery but features a green-and-blue
colour scheme In color theory, a color scheme is the choice of colors used in various artistic and design contexts. For example, the "Achromatic" use of a white background with black text is an example of a basic and commonly default color scheme in web de ...
.


Major Road Network

TransLink works with municipalities within the region to plan and maintain the region's Major Road Network (MRN). The MRN consists of major arterial roads throughout the region which carry commuter, transit, and truck traffic. The network serves to connect the provincial highway system with local municipalities' road networks. TransLink contributes funding for the operation and maintenance of the MRN, but ownership and operation of the roads remain with the local municipalities. Road, cycling, and pedestrian improvement projects in the MRN are also partially funded by TransLink. As a part of the MRN, TransLink also owns and maintains five bridges within the region: * Canada Line bike and pedestrian bridge *
Golden Ears Bridge The Golden Ears Bridge is a six-lane extradosed bridge in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. It spans the Fraser River, connecting Langley on the south side with Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge on the north side. The bridge opened to traffic on Ju ...
* Knight Street Bridge *
Pattullo Bridge The Pattullo Bridge is a through arch bridge that crosses the Fraser River and links the city of New Westminster to the city of Surrey in British Columbia. It was named in honour of Thomas Dufferin Pattullo, the 22nd Premier of British Columbia. ...
*
Westham Island Bridge The Westham Island Bridge, which is a single-lane, wood-deck truss bridge over ''Canoe Pass'' near the mouth of the Fraser River, connects Westham Island with the Delta mainland, in Metro Vancouver. Original ferry In 1882, the British Union (BU ...
In December 2018, of roadway was added to the MRN. This was the largest one-time addition to the MRN since the arterial roadway network designation was created in 1998.


Transit-related improvements

TransLink allocates funding to each municipality for transit improvements, such as transit priority signals, queue-jumping lanes for buses, and bus lanes. TransLink contributes up to half of the costs of municipal capital projects, up to the maximum funding allocated to each municipality.


Cycling

TransLink employs several engineers and planners who administer its bicycle program. TransLink works with many cycling stakeholders, such as the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition. TransLink invests $6million in cycling each year (as of 2007). This money is spread among capital and operating projects, with some allocated to cost-sharing programs, which result in additional investment in cycling. Metro Vancouver has a growing network of cycling paths. TransLink allocates funding to each municipality for cycling improvements, such as bike paths, through a cost-sharing program called the Bicycle Infrastructure Capital Cost Sharing Program. TransLink contributes up to half of the costs of municipal capital projects, up to the maximum funding allocated to each municipality. Municipalities are eligible to apply for a share of the available funding each year. Most of the funding is allocated this way, while some funding is available in a competitive process called Regional Needs. The funding process is overseen by the Bicycle Working Group, composed of municipal cycling staff. TransLink also produces a regional cycling map, which is available for sale or as a free PDF file downloadable from its website. Many municipalities also produce their own local cycling maps. TransLink supports many cycling-related community initiatives and events, particularly Bike Month, held every June. All modes of transit in Metro Vancouver carry bicycles. Most buses operated by TransLink have bike racks, supplied by SportWorks. Bikes are allowed on SeaBus. Bikes are also allowed on SkyTrain, except during weekday rush hours in the peak direction of travel (inbound to Vancouver in the morning rush hour and outbound from Vancouver in the evening rush hour). TransLink installs and maintains bicycle parking racks and lockers at SkyTrain stations and transit interchanges through private contractors.


Emission control

AirCare was a regionally mandated automobile emissions program operated by a subsidiary of TransLink. The program was discontinued on December 31, 2014.


Accessibility

All vehicles, stations, and facilities are fully accessible; however, several issues exist on parts of the system, notably wheelchair accessibility in some areas. Improvements have been made, and accessibility issues became particularly important with the hosting of the Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. Because of this, TransLink initiated the Access Transit Project, whose final report was completed in June 2007.


Buses

All buses in the TransLink fleet are accessible, with most being low-floor vehicles that have ramps, although some are high-floor vehicles that have specially designed lifts. However, some stops are considered inaccessible if there is insufficient room to deploy the lifts or ramps. There is space for two wheelchairs on each bus, and the wheelchair area is also used for walkers and baby strollers. Passengers using wheelchairs have priority for these positions, and lower-priority users (such as those with strollers) are required to vacate the space as needed. In August 2006, TransLink began replacing its entire fleet of inaccessible electric
trolley bus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...
es with 188 standard
low-floor Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i. ...
accessible trolley buses. In 2008 and 2009, it purchased 74 new
articulated An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivot joint in its construction, allowing it to turn more sharply. There are many kinds, from heavy equipment to buses, trams and trains. Steam locomotives were someti ...
low-floor accessible trolley buses, which are used on routes #3 (Main), #8 (Fraser), #10 (Granville), and #20 (Victoria). By the end of 2009, the entire fleet of trolley buses was low-floor and accessible. In late 2008, TransLink introduced voice announcement systems on most buses to help those with vision impairments or unfamiliar with the region and to allow operators to focus on driving instead of making announcements. The annunciators use a computer-generated voice to call out bus stops and other messages, using
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
technology installed on each bus to identify the bus's location and the next stop. There were a few problems with the system, however, such as audio quality and volume levels.


SkyTrain

All of the SkyTrain network, including stations and vehicles, is accessible. Older Bombardier Mark I cars have one wheelchair-designated spot, while the Bombardier Mark II and Mark III cars, along with the Hyundai Rotem cars, have two. Some newer accessibility features introduced include Bombardier Mark II and Mark III cars with door indicator lights and LED route maps.


SeaBus

All SeaBus vessels and both Lonsdale Quay and Waterfront Stations are accessible.


West Coast Express

All West Coast Express trains and stations are accessible. Ramps are provided at stations for boarding, and trains have two wheelchair spaces on most cars, and an accessible washroom.


HandyDART

HandyDART HandyDART is an accessible transit service in British Columbia that uses vans or small buses to transport disabled or elderly passengers who cannot use the normal transit system. This service provides door-to-door service and is available in all ...
is a supplementary system that provides transportation service to those who are unable to use the regular system due to mobility problems or a lack of accessible transit. HandyDART service is operated by seven different contractors throughout Metro Vancouver, most of which are not-for-profit corporations. HandyDART users apply for a pass and pay for each trip. Each trip must be pre-booked, up to one week in advance, and is subject to availability at the desired time. Each contractor operates regionally, meaning that it is not always possible to use HandyDART for an entire trip (for example, from Burnaby to Vancouver).


Governance


Mayors' Council

The Mayors' Council is composed of the 21 mayors of Metro Vancouver municipalities and the Chief of Tsawwassen First Nation, who represent the interests of citizens of the region. It approves plans prepared by TransLink, including transportation plans, regional funding, and borrowing limits. Each year, the Mayors' Council appoints three new directors to TransLink's Board of Directors from a shortlist of candidates prepared by the screening panel.


Screening panel

Under the terms of provincial legislation, each year the screening panel prepares a shortlist of candidates for TransLink's Board of Directors. The shortlist must consist of at least five candidates for the three available positions on the Board of Directors. The screening panel is composed of five members. Each of the following organizations must appoint one person to the Screening Panel: *
Vancouver Board of Trade The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) is a non-profit organization. It serves Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in a fashion similar to the Board of Trade or Chamber of Commerce. The Board is the largest business association between ...
* Chartered Accountants of BC * Greater Vancouver Gateway Council * British Columbia's Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure * Mayors' Council


Board of directors and chief executive officer

The board is responsible for hiring, compensating, and monitoring the performance of the CEO and for providing oversight of TransLink's strategic planning, finances, major capital projects, and operations. While the board conducts four public meetings a year, most of its deliberations are conducted in closed meetings. Board members are appointed to serve a three-year term and can be reappointed for a second term. Most have extensive ties to private businesses.


Regional transportation commissioner

Provincial legislation passed in June 2014 dissolved the position of the regional transportation commissioner. Prior to this time, the regional transportation commissioner approved all cash fare increases greater than the rate of inflation. The commissioner also approved TransLink's plans for annual customer satisfaction surveys, its customer complaint process, and any proposed sale of major assets. The regional transportation commissioner operated separately from the Mayors' Council, the TransLink board of directors, and TransLink staff.


Criticism of governance model

In 2013, a report commissioned by the Mayors' Council criticized TransLink's governance model, stating that TransLink lacked "accountability to the population being served, which is almost completely missing from the present arrangements". The report also stated that the absence of mechanisms to "ensure accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency" made TransLink's governance "unique in the world and not in a good way".


See also

*
Albion Ferry The Albion Ferry was a passenger and vehicle ferry service that sailed on the Fraser River between Albion and Fort Langley in the Lower Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, Canada from June 2, 1957, until July 31, 2009. Originally opera ...
– former free automobile ferry service between Langley Township and Maple Ridge across the Fraser River * John Boyarski – TransLink driver who received awards for bravery


Notes


References


External links

*
Westham BridgeVancouver BridgesWebsite for ''The Buzzer'' newsletter, published by TransLinkFederal government, Translink and Vancouver improve city buses , Transport Canada
{{Public transit systems in Canada Transit agencies in British Columbia New Westminster Canadian companies established in 1998 1998 establishments in British Columbia