And the winner is – TransLink!
From January through October, 2011, the number of revenue rides was 192.1 million – an increase of 5 percent over the same period in 2010, which includes the extraordinary increase associated with the Winter Olympics. The fact that these additional customers have been accommodated without an overall increase in service hours indicates the success of TransLink’s Service Optimization Initiative. Overall customer satisfaction with transit services remained at a record high 7.7 out of 10 throughout 2011.
That really is extraordinary. If someone had suggested in 2010 that TransLink would have an increase in ridership over the numbers using the system during the Olympics, that would not have been credible. And yet they pulled it off.
How come? TransLink spokesperson Ken Hardie speculates:
As for the ridership increase, we know that Canada Line has done a great job of retaining many of those who started using it during the Games, and that transit customers are still absorbing the capacity lift from the 38 new SkyTrain cars on the Expo and M-Lines, plus the seven additional West Coast Express coaches. As well, we had good results from a ‘service optimization’ process in late 2010 and into 2011, wherein we reallocated relatively underused bus transit capacity to routes/time periods where we were over-subscribed. High gas prices and general population growth were undoubtedly factors as well.
Don’t expect a lot of praise for TransLink, of course. Organizations like the Canadian Taxpayers Federation are there to criticize any government expenditure, on the premise that taxes = waste. The consequence: diminishing of the value of public goods, and increased economic inequality.
So when a government agency actually delivers on the promise of increased service for taxes paid, it’s essential that it be acknowledged if there’s to be a legitimate debate.
A good news story. Also noted was fare recovery was 53%. Pretty good even if it could get better. Also note that subjectively at least to me fair recovery has been increasing as we have invested in increased services (ie Canada Line)….so lets invest in more improved services.
I nominate CMHC: they solidified their total domination of the entire Canadian Housing market and facilitated spectacular national price increases on top of already record-breaking absolute and relative valuations. They issued lots more bonds cheaper than ever and “earned” record profits for the taxpayer.
Good for you for highlighting this important accomplishment of TransLink. Kudos to TransLink, and to Ken Hardy for the clear explanation and the defense of public expenditure for the common good. Coming originally from Los Angeles (but having been a Canadian citizen for almost 40 yeas), I grew to understand that the major difference between Canada and the USA is Canadians’ willingness to balance individual rights with the needs of society as a whole. I hope that we can maintain that distinction in the face of globalization and the difficult economic times we face. I hope we don’t succumb to the distinctly American approach of ‘everyone for himself’, and instead continue to act for ‘”peace, order, and good government” – in this case, spending tax dollars to benefit the whole, as well as the environment.