Canada's Best Transit System is Falling Apart

Fantastic video! Many people misunderstand that this isn’t just about paying the higher level employees less. TransLink has great upper management and they are people we want to keep around, but the main cost of the company is just paying for bus drivers. TransLink is not a private company! We can’t just fix everything by firing everyone at their HQ.

This is so sad. Vancouver needs more transit, not less.

I'm a transit operator, and here is what I can tell you: the job is far more intense than most people understand. Most people think "you're just driving, how hard can it be?!" but that's deceptive. Its much like how if you're using a computer at home for fun tasks, then you go to work and use a computer for work and the two tasks are deeply different and deeply divergent. Using Excel for 8 hours is much different than browsing the web for a few hours at home for pleasure... Being an operator requires multiple skills: people skills, geographic skills (especially true when you get assigned an emergency run for a route you've never driven in a part of the region you've never been in), and driving a huge piece of equipment is nothing like driving a car. You have to be attentive to road conditions and drivers while also not passing up potential riders who may or may not be standing by the bus stop properly, also you have to consider schedule adherence (there is a reason why we can't just stop and pick you up when you're not at a bus stop, a 20-30 second stop makes a difference and causes delays when its done multiple times, scheduling is literally done down to the second on my system, and I have to pass you by if you're not at the stop unless I'm running ahead slightly and can spare the time)... I've not even discussed the times we work, many operators are waking up at 3-4am and not getting home until 7pm. Our shifts are often not 8 straight hours, it severely limits your social life. Its a symphony of tasks that have to come together smoothly, it isn't 'just driving' for work. Every penny of our union contract is earned, I can guarantee you! :) Not an easy job. I also happen to be a transit and urban enthusiast, I think we need more people out of cars and in buses and trains, and they need to be doing it by choice not because they feel too poor... The key to any good transit service is having operators who know the routes, who can stay with the company, and are respected. The workers really are the key to the entire thing. If you have unhappy workers and high turnover, then you're going to have a miserable transit service. And yes, when they don't have staff, that means they're going to run fewer buses on a route and you're going to get service delay. Staffing is always key. In so far as budget shortfalls go, not to get too political, but we're living in late stage capitalism. Everything seems to be crisis. No funding for anything, supposedly... And not enough people are thinking about economic structural changes we need to avoid everything being in 'constant crisis' mode. Given our current realities: I think the key here is to get higher levels of government more involved in funding and get operations funding away from just municipal level sources. You aren't going to get a better transit system by relying on your property tax base. We have to ensure the feds have the cash to get more involved in regular operations and not just one time capital projects. Here's what I've learned in my experience: if you have a bus and train service that operates every 30 minutes or less, you'll get a few more riders of choice that want to leave the car at home. If you have buses that run frequency of 45 mins to an hour and end service at 8pm, you'll only get destitute people who just cannot afford or operate cars, you'll never have a competitive transit use in your city and region. If you have buses and trains that are running better than 10 minute frequency, with service ending after midnight and that starts back up at 5am. you'll get a healthy amount of riders of choice and make it competitive with cars. People start to have real choice with proper investment into transit, they will eventually choose to get on transit when service is properly run at 10 minute or better frequency. So you really do need frequency to be in that 10 minutes (or less) category to get people out of cars. This is going to take an investment into people (operators like myself) and the equipment to get it done. We have choices to make. But, that's just my opinion. P.S. One thing I really like about Vancouver is that the city has maintained its trolleybus infrastructure. We need to bring trolleybuses back here in Toronto, and all systems globally. It is crazy that in this day and age trolleybuses haven't been prioritized. We talk about climate change, there is nothing more green than a healthy, vast trolleybus network that operates on catenary wires. No batteries required, power straight from the grid, with endless range beyond even what diesel buses can do. Why we aren't doing this is beyond me. So far as I can tell, the transit agency I work for has only spoken about investments in battery electric buses with fairly limited range. Trolleybuses were around over a hundred years ago, and we don't seem capable of putting this reliable technology back in service with updated equipment that is faster, more comfortable, and has things like WiFi included for convenience. Our decision makers are stuck in greenwashing: talking about the urgency ALL THE TIME, without any tangible acts to improve things. Trolleybuses - in my humble opinion - are 100% key to a green future. You cannot build a green bus grid without them. There's zero talk in Canada or the US about significantly bringing this technology back in mass use. I suppose its immaterial, because they'll all tell us they can't afford it. That is, after they budget ample cash for bombs and guns for some far away war that has no point... Its sad, really. Greenwashing is infuriating when we could be building trolleybus networks here, today, for the future we need. Oh, and @1:09 it is hilarious seeing that a middle sized Canadian city like Edmonton (not even 2 million people yet) beats out Boston, a major top American metropolitan area, in transit usage. Boston has a dense urban core, has an urban regional population of about 5 million, is roughly in the top 10 American cities in this ranking, yet it can't get people out of cars?!? American cities suffer from a lot of that 45 min-1 hour bus frequency problem away from the primary rail lines, which makes people not choose transit. Its as clear as a clear sky blue day and yet so many agencies never fix a fundamental problem with lack of bus frequency. The problem in the US is even more distinct than in Canada, this has been a problem for decades. The damage is beyond done, there are now generations of people who have grown up not even considering a bus and literally don't even know how to use a bus or transit service. I suppose its a chicken or the egg syndrome, and its going to be a long time for change.

Amazing video. I find it infuriating that electric cars are advertised by politicians as a fix to all our problems, when in reality they actually introduce more problems than they solve.

Laughs in my 1 local bus line that only runs once every hour 😂

We need to be subsidizing highways less and subsidizing transit more (also rent real estate within stations for commercial businesses)

I’m personally putting the blame on the oil subsidies; you must be kidding me at $214 per Canadian citizen. Redirecting a fraction of that to fund public services such as healthcare, education, and transit would be a step in the right direction. It’s a clear reflection where the continent’s values are divided all over the place.

Amazing video, so sad to see as a resident of Burnaby. Praying that they manage to breach the budget gap.

I love our transit system. Now that I've retired, I'm planning on taking the car off the road, and seeing if I can get by with transit alone, at least in the warm months.

Maybe if the free loaders would pay then it'd be a different issue!

One thing I don't see many talk about in terms of taxing electric private vehicles is weight-based taxes. Electric vehicles are large and heavier anyway, so this will target all big trucks, SUVs, and electric vehicles.

I just figured out you're Canadian! Yay! I'm in Vancouver too and I agree it has the best transit in Canada. When I first moved to Berkeley, I hated the BART system always comparing it to Vancouver's SkyTrain. Toronto isn't even a close second to Vancouver either. Great video! I feel there is a need to extend the Millennium Line all the way to UBC and new SkyTrain lines to North Vancouver, on Hastings (Waterfront to SFU), and one along to Marine Drive.

Great video. You included great shots of the transit hubs around the region: downtown, Metro, Coquitlam, etc. I love the additional shots around the US (like Chicago) added in. I’m thankful you stressed the impact the large, negative impact the service cuts will have on workers who rely on the system. While waiting for SkyTrain or bus on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, yes, it’s busy with those who have gone out to enjoy the day, it’s also filled with workers ending a day or late night shift. We need to help these people continue to make a living by getting to where they need to be. Your final sentiment really hit home. Having a high quality transit system is good for everyone: workers, those who cannot drive (like youth, elderly, other), those who want to enjoy a drink at dinner and not drive, tourists. TransLink is a big promoter of the 20 minute community which would increase one’s standard of life. Transit is important and service cuts just “ain’t it”. Buses and SkyTrain are already very full as-is (and as you mentioned). I initially ran into your videos because I fell in love with Seattle a few years back and was curious about their system. I’m also a big fan of transit. Nice to hear that you grew up in the Metro Vancouver region! It explains why you’re so well versed with transit. I complain about Metro Vancouver transit on the often but then when I visit other US cities, I realize that I don’t have it too bad lol. Keep up the great work.

The carbon taxes from both the provincial and federal levels should be partially used to fund transit. It’s pathetic how the government offers $9000+ in rebates for the sale of individual EVs, yet they don’t have Money to fund transit. The fact that Translink has to pay carbon taxes on the fuel they use is also just ironic since public transit greatly reduces overall carbon emissions.

Who has faith in the current Federal government to help out?

Vancouver could do a congestion charge very easily with the current transit network. Wait until after the cuts though (if they happen) and it's toast

Great points made in this video - I really appreciate how you touched on these important areas of concern. These are also a lot of areas I covered in my community development major in college. Hoping I can visit Vancouver, BC, soon, and ride more Translink routes that I have not before.

How many billions are being spent on a Massey tunnel replacement? Couldn't that finance translink for a decade?

Lovely video and amazing points. Subscribed :) hope to see you get big in the future.

As an LA resident, I have visited Vancouver couple times. I hate to leave Vancouver because I have to deal LA hell transit problems. I hope Vancouver doesn't end up like LA. Every poor work hard to make money to own cars. Unlike LA, Vancouver designs the transit system for non car drivers. In LA, car drivers dictate the public transportation. Thats the reason LA has a lot rails that requires car driving. Vancouver has grid system. People want the rails, but they want to make sure non car drivers can be benefit. The grid bus system is excellent. Unfortunately, the budget is always the issue. Besides New York, i believe every transit system in USA is losing money. I am not familiar with Hong Kong, but HK bus systems are privately own. Same thing with Taiwan. In Taiwan, the CEO of bus operators makes so much money, the CEO daughter lives like princess. You are lucky that any transit companies don't lose that much money. So many taking public transportation that bus operators can make so much money. Rails probably have to be subsidized because they are too expensive to maintain. The real estate just helps to reduce subsidy. There is no easy solution. LA has figure. Whatever LA is doing. US car drivers hate the gasoline tax goes to public transportation. Many even want gasoline tax for road n freeway only. Since car drivers pay most tax, they dictate the horrible public transportation policies in USA. Oh, its ok to expand rail so long it does not damage existing bus services. LA spend so much on limit rail services n cut the so call duplicate routes. Conceptually , duplicate means buses n rails running parallel. In LA, it meant if you catch 2 or 3 lousy buses routes to replace one, that is duplicate. Don't learn from LA. If things are get worst, poor will to get cars n will never get back to public transportation, then services will get worse. The cycle keep looping. That's what happens in LA. I am looking for success of autonomous cars. After 3 decades of helping car drivers to get to rail stations, i don't see way out. Anyway, just watch out the cut. Any cut will hurt disadvantage people. It will force people to drive. Oh, I don't trust APTA. APTA praises LA you need car rail system n never care non car drivers. Keep good fighting. I love Vancouver. Its paradise. Its place I never fear not having car, don't lose it.