Skytrain security enhanced by fare gates ????

[Stella_Hardon]

So I see on the Noon news that skytrain will have fare gates installed for 100 million cost.

Premier Campbell says it will enhance your security.

I guess that all the skytrain IN-security is a function of non-paying riders ??

 

[Arrrg]

about time, maybe the transit system will actually start making some money instead of taxing the rest of us for it.

"honour system" pfffffffff

 

[teejay69]

A gate system should have been installed from the very beginning. We have no clue as to the true ridership numbers and the lost revenue. It seems that their logic is that those who are more inclined to evade fares and the same ones who fit into the "criminal" demographic.

 

[Stella_Hardon]

about time, maybe the transit system will actually start making some money instead of taxing the rest of us for it.

"honour system" pfffffffff

A gate system should have been installed from the very beginning. We have no clue as to the true ridership numbers and the lost revenue. It seems that their logic is that those who are more inclined to evade fares and the same ones who fit into the "criminal" demographic.

This is the problem with Perb. People presenting their opinion without a basic knowledge of the situation.

The logic behind the security argument made by the government is that the fare gate will allow the skytrain personnel to focus on security instead of checking for fares. Expect fewer skytrain personnel in the future to justify the 100 million dollar cost. How many stations? Say twenty five. Cost per station is 4 million dollars ???? Just watch how it will slow access to the station, that is an un-stated cost borne by the public.

How do you judge the profit on the transit system. Translink is responsible for local bridges and a whole lot of "extras" that don't involve a bus or skytrain. The Sea to Sky highway cost billions yet no toll. But the new Port Mann -- a toll is planned.

Transit has a good idea of ridership. You can see staff doing counts all the time. If you actually use skytrain and see the fare checks it is pretty clear that most of the heavy traffic has paid. (Those going to work everyday will still have a car and if caught evading fare will have problems with ICBC) Those evading fares are small potatoes, they are not a "criminal" demographic

 

[bossp1aya]

They get a pretty good idea of the amount of ridership because there are cameras at every station

 

[festealth]

The logic behind the security argument made by the government is that the fare gate will allow the skytrain personnel to focus on security instead of checking for fares. Expect fewer skytrain personnel in the future to justify the 100 million dollar cost. How many stations? Say twenty five. Cost per station is 4 million dollars ???? Just watch how it will slow access to the station, that is an un-stated cost borne by the public.

I always thought it was weird no having turnpikes for the skytrain... they should have been installed from the very beginning instead of now being about 4million per station. 4 MILLION!!!! How does a little upgrade cost that much? For the that price, they'd better have metal detectors, infrared, x-rays, cat-scans, dog-scans..... eveything!

As for whether it's more secure or not, it does keep away a certain element of unsavoury people from using the transit system. Assuming this is applied correctly, like in Hong Kong or London.... crime rarely if ever occurs in those locations.

 

[Shybutniceguy]

What Translink should do is quit spending money on crap like another Port Mann Bridge. They already put in another lane and now building another bridge? patullo bridge is falling to pieces that one should have been replaced first. People want to go live out in Langley etc then get a job out there. People go on about how much cheaper it is to live out there then great, get a job out there, don't whine about having to commute every day. Like Stella pointed out, Translink isn't just about buses and skytrain. I hope they sack all the useless attendants once the toll gates are in. You don't need police, security and attendants. I work downtown and skytrain daily, I get checked maybe once every few months. Yet all the attendants stand around in groups chit chatting. Yet another example of hard at work union workers for you.

 

[Banger77]

Election time is close at hand. I'll believe it when i see it.

 

[Thatotherguy]

The logic behind the security argument made by the government is that the fare gate will allow the skytrain personnel to focus on security instead of checking for fares. Expect fewer skytrain personnel in the future to justify the 100 million dollar cost. How many stations? Say twenty five. Cost per station is 4 million dollars ???? Just watch how it will slow access to the station, that is an un-stated cost borne by the public.

To be honest, I don't really buy the theory that it'll make any significant difference to security. As far as slowing access to the station, though, it all depends on how they set it up. If they make it similar to the system they use for the London Underground, it shouldn't really slow things down noticeably. As long as you've got your fare paid (which you should before accessing the station now anyway), you can get through the turnstile pretty much just as fast as walking into the station without a turnstile. I would really like to see a system like the Oyster card here in Vancouver...

 

[teejay69]

The gates will not slow things down if they do something like Oyster Card in London or the Octopus Card in Hong Kong. There is no need to slide or scan the ticket - in fact - most people simply place their purse or wallet over the scanner without taking it out. The online and auto-debit features are great in the event your balance runs down - no need to rush back to a terminal to add more money to the card.

 

[teejay69]

The other issue is that business done here is simply not as savvy as in other places. For example - the Hong Kong equivalent of Translink makes money off the land development in and around each of the Metro stations. They also place the stations in locations where it is actually needed and will have better ridership. They help facilitate the development of office/retail near each station as well. Basically - imagine there being more than just one Metrotown type area (Office+Retail+Condo) throughout the city. Here - it is shopping mall to shopping mall OR in places where you will have a greater chance of being re-elected to public office. They also have retail food outlets or 7-Eleven type stores in each station.

The other great thing about the Hong Kong airport line is that you can go to either HK or Kowloon stations in the morning to check-in your luggage. That way - you can chill out until your flight. I doubt Translink will have the foresight to do that here as we need more guards to count passengers or some other useless task.

 

[summerfest]

safety glass

In asia, subway install safey glasses to stop people from jumping, pushing or falling into the rail and get run over. since they building the new sky train line now, why not install them too?

 

[summerfest]

hong kong subway

Hong kong subway is a limited company. Their idea is to make money. Every inches of their property is a good mine. But our sky train system is not about making money. They don't do business with other business.

 

[mercyshooter]

I like those who compare the translink system to the one in hong kong. people got to learn to think of a bigger picture. that is the economy and security. how are you gonna make a profit and in the meantime reduce crime? people who've been to places like hong kong, nyc, london, etc, know that our transit system here in vancouver is pretty much ridiculous. "honour system" in our perspective is actually a loophole for people to break the laws. before judging our judgements, you need to think deeper and bigger. these issues are pretty much can determine how well a country can develop itself.

 

[teejay69]

Yes - the advertising makes up for the inflated "security staff" and lack of revenue from other sources. The HK managing company has proven itself in making money. Granted - they do not have the burden of managing as many bridges and highways but they still need to figure out a plan for 7 million people versus only 2 million here.

There are other ways to generate revenue (i.e participating in real estate development) outside of just taxes, tolls and fare hikes. Imagine if they had a cut of the profit from land development along Skytrain lines? Look at all the development along the Brentwood Mall Station? Developers made money and IMO Translink should have been entitled to something.

Adopting the Oyster or Octopus type smart cards is a start as you can use those cards to pay for food as well - not just transit fares. However - do you think Translink will ever bother to create or partner with say 7-Eleven to build kiosks at any of the train stations? Translink is run by politicians who each have to worry about their own agendas.

 

[mercyshooter]

Translink hasn't considered implementing fare gates until the Olympics is coming!! Canada is a country that cannot handle big disasters!!

 

[festealth]

Yes - the advertising makes up for the inflated "security staff" and lack of revenue from other sources. The HK managing company has proven itself in making money. Granted - they do not have the burden of managing as many bridges and highways but they still need to figure out a plan for 7 million people versus only 2 million here.

There are other ways to generate revenue (i.e participating in real estate development) outside of just taxes, tolls and fare hikes. Imagine if they had a cut of the profit from land development along Skytrain lines? Look at all the development along the Brentwood Mall Station? Developers made money and IMO Translink should have been entitled to something.

Adopting the Oyster or Octopus type smart cards is a start as you can use those cards to pay for food as well - not just transit fares. However - do you think Translink will ever bother to create or partner with say 7-Eleven to build kiosks at any of the train stations? Translink is run by politicians who each have to worry about their own agendas.

I've always wondered why there aren't more advertising on the skytrains. I mean, they should always have those large ads on the side of each compartment. Plus when the intercom isn't be used, they should play whatever radio station that's willing to pay or maybe even simple commercials like, "Outside is 25+ degrees. So why not quench your thirst with a slurpee at 7-11?"

And then you also put actually stores that people will go to at every 3rd station or something. Not those little dubious convenience stores, but actual places like 7-11, Tim Hortons, Starbucks, etc. Not at the bottom of the station, but expand the platform to there will be room to set up a quick shop where people can quickly purchase something and hop on/off the train and design it in a way where it won't be all cluttered.

If only politicians weren't in charge. It's a sad fact that Vancouver is a world class city populated with small town slack-jawed yokels

I loved my Oyster Card when I lived in London and don't disagree. You know what else I loved? Chip and Pin debit and credit cards. Had one of those over there in 2004 and loved it. Now we have it here (well, its starting anyway!). I feel Oyster Cards will come eventually too once we have turnstyles and the likes and they've caught on.

Unfortunately, people will see those "pay per use" or "pay for distance" charges as an attack on the poor and those living in the suburbs. Since it'll make it more expensive to travel from Surrey to downtown (though cheaper to go from Joyce to Patterson)

 

[mercyshooter]

Translink has the government to back them up. That's why Translink doesn't need to do much on advertisements. It's good that to always think about the poor and be fair to them. However, most of them are young and healthy. They never find jobs and always complain of a low salary. Also, Canada is too generous to them. This leads to system abuse. And then, you know the rest. In general, it's good to live here. However, don't expect to have a super bright future like those in southeast asia or europe.