As you know, there has been much talk about Translink installing turnstiles. You can read about it at one of our previous blog posts. The debate focuses around fare evasion and safety on the SkyTrain system. Whatever you opinion is on turnstile, it won’t do one bit to help the safety or fare evasion rates on the largest part of our transit system (and really only part on in the South Fraser), the bus network.
When I lived in Brazil, I made use of the public transit system. On each bus were two employees: the driver and the fare collector. You entered the bus from the rear door, paid your fare, then when through a turnstile to sit on the bus. Sound like a pretty good system, eh?
Two nights ago, I was on the 502 between Langley Centre and Surrey Central Station. That night, there were five people that didn’t pay their fare. One person started swearing at the bus driver, so the driver let him on the bus. Another person just walked on. The other three people made up lame sob stories. Maybe they should have fare inspector on the bus like they do in Vancouver. Or better yet, if our government is really serious about fare evasion and safety, they should run the system like it was in Brazil. Forgot about just turnstiles on the SkyTrain, I say let’s put turnstiles on every transit vehicle in Vancouver!
1 comment:
In Amsterdam, fare evasion was so rampant on the tram system that the operating authority hired conductors. So efficient were the conductors at collecting fares, within 3 months, they collected enough fares to more than pay their annual wages!
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