New Translink ads to encourage cycling and carpooling – but not transit

In a tacit admission of failure to provide enough transit capacity for the region, the new Translink ads encourage the public to carpool or to telecommute or to cycle – but  not to take public transit. In an article in the Georgia Straight, TransLink spokesperson Ken Hardie asks us to envision a store owner selling a product:

“Picture yourself running a department store and you have a very popular item in stock,” Hardie said by phone. “Would you go out and advertise heavily for people to come and buy the item when you don’t have enough of it to sell? This is the issue that we have found ourselves in on many of the transit lines. The capacity is limited and we have had to be very careful about generating demand for a product that we could not fulfill.”

Indeed. But to continue the absurd analogy, a competent store owner would make sure to have enough product in stock. It’s a proven seller! The bottom  line is, Translink has failed to provide a viable public transport system.

 

Resources: 

TransLink ads “frustrating” by Matthew Burrows. Georgia Straight, May 22. 2008. 
http://www.straight.com/article-146508/translink-ads-quotfrustratingquot

TransLink encourages public to carpool, telecommute, cycle: New advertising not intended to draw more customers to transit by Gerry Bellett. Vancouver Sun, May 14, 2008.
 http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=e64c883a-aa07-4127-9e4c-53c796abbd5c
  

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Patterson SkyTrain walk

The first of author, historian, and heritage advocate John Atkin’s walking tours of Burnaby based on his book the SkyTrain Explorer is on tomorrow, May 10th. This first tour begins at the Patterson Station, and will look at the history of the area, the architecture, and the history of the BCER’s Interurban line which is used by SkyTrain today.

The walk begins at Paterson station at 10:00am. Tickets are $10.00.

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SkyTrain Explorer Walks

This summer author, historian, and heritage advocate John Atkin will present walking tours of Burnaby for the Burnaby Village Museum based on his book the SkyTrain Explorer. The tours will explore the four stops of the the SkyTrain line in Burnaby:

Patterson (May 10th)

Metrotown (June 21st)

Royal Oak (July 19th)

Edmonds (August 16th)

Each tour will look at the history of each area, the architecture, and the history of the BCER’s Interurban line which is used by SkyTrain today. 

Walks begin at the station at 10:00am. Tickets are $10.00. 

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