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A glitch is delaying the roll out of Translink's new electronic farecard
VANCOUVER/CKNW (AM980)
Janet Brown | Email news tips to Janet
1/22/2013

Translink's run into a glitch as it works to implement it's new $171 million electronic farecard system.
 
Installation of the new technology on Coast Mountain buses has been put on hold.

Translink's Derek Zabel says it's a software problem.

"That's all part of the process when you have a project of this magnitude right you're going to run into different scenarios and different problems that in any major project you work through them uh we'll take our time to make sure we do it right."

Zabel says a fix is in the works.

"Right now we're working to update the software for the fleet to ensure that the customers and drivers have consistent and reliable experiences so we've put a hold on actually installing the components on the buses until we can get a new software."

Meanwhile fare gate installation continues along the skytrain line.

TransLink will pilot the system in late summer and will  transition to the new system in the fall. 


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  • 11
  1. StevelikesNews posted on 01/22/2013 09:14 PM
    Not a great news story. Seems more like a hunt to find something wrong. The headline says the project is delayed but doesn't mention anything about how long. Is it actually delayed? I don't recall anything saying the fare cards are starting up soon. I thought it was coming in the fall.
  2. BieberStoner69 posted on 01/22/2013 10:38 PM
    We need a LRT in Surrey now!!!
    1. daka_x posted on 01/23/2013 11:23 AM
      @BieberStoner69 No. An LRT in Surrey is precisely what Surrey should NOT want.

      Before you insist on making such blind and spontaneous comments, I urge you to read the informational content on https://skytrainforsurrey.org/ and be aware of the REAL reasons why Surrey must accommodate a SKYTRAIN expansion by 2021 and NOT LRT.
    2. daka_x posted on 01/23/2013 11:23 AM
      @BieberStoner69 http://skytrainforsurrey.org/
  3. AldinaI posted on 01/23/2013 08:17 AM
    What's wrong with our current system of transit payment that Translink felt it necessary to spend $171 million on a new way to pay? If the new system relies on software, you know it's going to have problems--hacking, system failure. The current system of using cash or fare savers/bus passes seems to work pretty well. "Why fix it if it ain't broke?"

    I think that money would have been much better spent on improving transit--more buses and more rapid transit out to the suburbs.
    1. AndreaK_5056 posted on 01/23/2013 08:21 AM
      @AldinaI What's wrong with the current system? How about millions of dollars in fare evasion and Translink constantly coming back to home owners & drivers to pay for the people who insist on riding transit for free! Until they start making transit riders actually pay to use the buses & trains, I for one don't want to pay more in gas & property taxes (actually I don't want to give what I already do)!
    2. geetee posted on 01/23/2013 09:18 AM
      @AldinaI The current farebox system is old and slow. As a driver I speak fro experience. At busy stops when you have 15-20 people all validating faresavers it can take 2 - 3 minutes to load those people. On a route where service is spaced @ 5 minute intervals it doesn't take long before you are behind schedule. Parts are no longer available for those old fareboxes. CMBC has a stash of old fareboxes they use for parts, in some cases they have had to get a parts made at a machine shop, not very cost effective. The new system will be faster and simpler when up and running. As for the fare evasion problem...don't get me started!
  4. speakup posted on 01/23/2013 01:39 PM
    171 MILLION????? Dollars? right?
    Am I the ONLY one that thinks this is a very BIG number?
    How can you spend that much money and EXPECT gliltches????

    This tranSTINK stuff is getting nuttier and nuttier!!
    Maybe tranSTINK was created simply to burn/launder MONEY?
    Cos I sure don't see it doing ANY GOOD
    1. HedgeH posted on 01/23/2013 03:07 PM
      @speakup Exactly what I was thinking! Does anyone audit these figures or at least get 2 or 3 quotes? So it`s $5M per station? Does this make sense to anyone? If it ain`t broke.....don`t fix it!!!!
  5. joes_2868 posted on 01/23/2013 03:20 PM
    We should not be commenting until we hear from Ken280, the readers consultant, a man with a briefcase 50 miles away from home to guide us.
  6. SlimP_9860 posted on 01/23/2013 10:04 PM
    "...until we can get a new software" ! This guy is obviously an expert on such things, much like everyone else who works at Translink is. Maybe he can "get a new software" at a flea market.
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