VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - The "honour system" is on its way out of Lower Mainland transit stations.
It has been talked about for years, decades even, but
TransLink has finally begun putting up
faregates, starting at Commercial-Broadway in Vancouver.
Federal cabinet minister James Moore was joined by
BC Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom,
TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis, and District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton, who heads of the
TransLink Mayors Council, in laying down the ceremonial steel planks for that very first faregate.
TransLink is hoping the faregates, along with the new
Compass card system, will help cut down the roughly $7 million lost annually to fare evasion.
Moore says it's all about fairness and efficiency. "When you make public transit more convenient for riders, it's better for everybody. More people will use public transit and we think that this important upgrade is an important upgrade to the entire SkyTrain system."
Lekstrom feels it's long overdue. "It obviously increases the effectiveness of the transit system here in Vancouver. People are looking to ensure that people are treated equitably as well and to have people that are paying ride side-by-side with somebody that maybe hasn't paid their share, doesn't make a lot of sense."
But Jarvis points out it's not just about keeping riders honest. "Most importantly, [we will] be able to gather a great deal more information regarding usage on our system. With the benefit of that data it will enable us to plan our system in a more effective way and provide services when they're needed."
TransLink likens the $100-million job to home kitchen renovation times 400, the number of stations that will see construction over the next year.
Jarvis admits it's a massive undertaking. "Each station over the next 12 to 18 months will undergo construction, with activity ranging from electrical and data line upgrades to installing barriers around the gated areas."
All 400 fare gates should be up and running in 2013.