Allen2
April 10th, 2009, 05:19 PM
Translink press release:
April 09, 2009
Timing is right for fare gates on SkyTrain
The announcement today of federal and provincial funding for fare gates on SkyTrain will allow their installation at a time that will best complement other major improvements on the system. According to CEO Tom Prendergast, timing the rollout of fare gates with TransLink’s introduction of a ‘Smart Card’ fare payment system on public transit as well as with major Expo Line station renovations is by far the most efficient way to get the gates in place.
He says TransLink is committed to implementing a Smart Card system that will open the way toward a ‘user-friendly’ and innovative fare policy that will maximize the ability to attract and retain riders and promote increased ridership on underutilized portions of the transit system.
“The optimum type of Smart Card system involves the customer using their card to ‘tag- on and tag-off’ the transit service. The system then calculates their fare and produces data that can provide TransLink with greatly more accurate and detailed information about the ridership behaviour of transit customers. This, in turn, allows us to match service levels with demand more effectively.
“Smart Cards can be done independently of fare gates, but we know that they do work well together. As such, one of the most appropriate times to introduce fare gates is when a Smart Card system is being procured and installed,” Prendergast says.
Another development that makes the timing right for the installation of fare gates is the plan to double the passenger moving capacity of the existing Expo Line. This will be accomplished by adding more SkyTrain cars into service and by running longer trains. In turn, this requires station renovations such as longer platforms and new, larger entrance areas to handle greater volumes of people.
“The entrance areas on the original Expo Line stations are not large enough to permit the installation of fare gate arrays. However, now that we have provincial and federal funding to expand these stations up to the same standards as the Millennium and Canada Lines and to purchase the fare gates themselves, the biggest obstacles to installing them have been eliminated,” Prendergast says.
Over and above overcoming funding and logistical issues, the federal/provincial announcement will effectively respond to important public perceptions. Metro Vancouver residents have perceived for some time that a greater sense of security will result from the introduction of fare gates, particularly in the off-peak evening hours. Given the significant growth in SkyTrain ridership over the past four years, (65 million boardings in 2004 to 73 million boardings in 2008), making the system more attractive in off-peak periods will not only alleviate peak period crowding issues by shifting discretionary travel, it will attract new ridership.
The installation of fare gates also opens the way for new deployment strategies for Transit Police officers and SkyTrain Attendants. Currently, they are often assigned to fare checking duties for portions of their tours. If these duties are reduced, they will be available for other more significant policing, security and customer service responsibilities.
Prendergast says there is another positive aspect of the timing of today’s announcement.
“The public firmly believes that fare evasion on SkyTrain is higher than has been measured in past audits. The belief that the system is losing revenue due to fare evasion is very often cited as a reason not to support additional revenue measures needed to sustain and expand the transportation system.
“The decision by the federal and provincial governments to fund fare gates on SkyTrain will assure the public that revenue losses will be minimized in the future. In addition, people will have confidence that their current and future contributions through fares and taxes will generate the maximum in service and improvements,” he says.
http://www.translink.bc.ca/About_TransLink/News_Releases/news04090902.asp
April 09, 2009
Timing is right for fare gates on SkyTrain
The announcement today of federal and provincial funding for fare gates on SkyTrain will allow their installation at a time that will best complement other major improvements on the system. According to CEO Tom Prendergast, timing the rollout of fare gates with TransLink’s introduction of a ‘Smart Card’ fare payment system on public transit as well as with major Expo Line station renovations is by far the most efficient way to get the gates in place.
He says TransLink is committed to implementing a Smart Card system that will open the way toward a ‘user-friendly’ and innovative fare policy that will maximize the ability to attract and retain riders and promote increased ridership on underutilized portions of the transit system.
“The optimum type of Smart Card system involves the customer using their card to ‘tag- on and tag-off’ the transit service. The system then calculates their fare and produces data that can provide TransLink with greatly more accurate and detailed information about the ridership behaviour of transit customers. This, in turn, allows us to match service levels with demand more effectively.
“Smart Cards can be done independently of fare gates, but we know that they do work well together. As such, one of the most appropriate times to introduce fare gates is when a Smart Card system is being procured and installed,” Prendergast says.
Another development that makes the timing right for the installation of fare gates is the plan to double the passenger moving capacity of the existing Expo Line. This will be accomplished by adding more SkyTrain cars into service and by running longer trains. In turn, this requires station renovations such as longer platforms and new, larger entrance areas to handle greater volumes of people.
“The entrance areas on the original Expo Line stations are not large enough to permit the installation of fare gate arrays. However, now that we have provincial and federal funding to expand these stations up to the same standards as the Millennium and Canada Lines and to purchase the fare gates themselves, the biggest obstacles to installing them have been eliminated,” Prendergast says.
Over and above overcoming funding and logistical issues, the federal/provincial announcement will effectively respond to important public perceptions. Metro Vancouver residents have perceived for some time that a greater sense of security will result from the introduction of fare gates, particularly in the off-peak evening hours. Given the significant growth in SkyTrain ridership over the past four years, (65 million boardings in 2004 to 73 million boardings in 2008), making the system more attractive in off-peak periods will not only alleviate peak period crowding issues by shifting discretionary travel, it will attract new ridership.
The installation of fare gates also opens the way for new deployment strategies for Transit Police officers and SkyTrain Attendants. Currently, they are often assigned to fare checking duties for portions of their tours. If these duties are reduced, they will be available for other more significant policing, security and customer service responsibilities.
Prendergast says there is another positive aspect of the timing of today’s announcement.
“The public firmly believes that fare evasion on SkyTrain is higher than has been measured in past audits. The belief that the system is losing revenue due to fare evasion is very often cited as a reason not to support additional revenue measures needed to sustain and expand the transportation system.
“The decision by the federal and provincial governments to fund fare gates on SkyTrain will assure the public that revenue losses will be minimized in the future. In addition, people will have confidence that their current and future contributions through fares and taxes will generate the maximum in service and improvements,” he says.
http://www.translink.bc.ca/About_TransLink/News_Releases/news04090902.asp