TransLinked Vancouver's unofficial transit community blog

Dane Nicholson describes Translink's positioning on some of the issues surrounding transit and SFU students in an article in this week's The Peak.

Meanwhile, today was the SFU Sustainability Festival, where a representative from Translink's OnBoard program (also a former SFU student active in the sustainability organization here) listened patiently while I ranted about Toronto TransitCamp, Web 2.0, and the difference between public consultation and participation. I'm hoping to keep in touch with him, he seemed like a good guy. It was very interesting to hear that the OnBoard program, which promotes "transportation management," I believe he called it - basically programs to get people out of their cars - gets no funding for its work getting companies to purchase discounted transit passes or working with companies to provide incentives for switching to more sustainable modes of transportation. This is to be contrasted the US, where it is a federally-funded program. Though it was interesting, I personally think it just means that they need to make better use of the low-cost, word of mouth, less glitzy ways of getting a message and an experience out to people. I also pointed out to him that there are a great many number of people who work as contractors, consultants or as employees of small or medium businesses who are not at a company who can get a discounted pass (the company needs a minimum order of 25 to be eligible). Since their program is run on a shoestring, he pointed out that it was unlikely that these sorts of options would be explored. Well, boo.

...but the best part: paper Millenium Skytrains and Nova Buses for all!