Transit drivers ask province for 500 new Metro Vancouver buses

Vancouver transit drivers are calling on the provincial government to provide funding for 500 new buses in the upcoming provincial budget.

Members of Canadian Auto Workers Local 111, which represents 3,200 bus drivers in Metro Vancouver, said in a written statement Sunday that the need to restore adequate bus service is more urgent than ever.

The government has already recognized the need for more buses in 2008's BC Transportation Plan, the statement said, but it needs to speed up implementation by providing TransLink with more funding for new buses.

"Premier Gordon Campbell has said buses are the backbone of our transit system — in this budget he has the opportunity to dramatically improve bus service throughout Metro Vancouver with a very cost-effective and modest expenditure," said CAW 111 president Don MacLeod.

"The B.C. government could immediately begin buying or even leasing some of the 500 buses the transit system is currently short — that would help eliminate the overcrowding, pass-ups, lengthy delays, infrequent service and other problems that bus passengers are facing every single day in Metro Vancouver," MacLeod said.

CAW 111 vice-president Jim Houlahan said the need for more buses in the B.C. budget is obvious because TransLink's five-year plan projected there would be 1,600 buses in service by 2006, but only 1,100 are on the road in 2009.

"Metro Vancouver had one bus for every 1,200 residents 15 years ago but now it's one bus for every 1,800," Houlahan said.

"Toronto and Montreal have one bus for every 1,200 residents today and as a result nearly 60 per cent of their bus routes have service every 10 minutes or sooner — while Metro Vancouver can only meet that level of service with 26 per cent of its routes."

The provincial budget will be tabled Tuesday afternoon.

Late last month, the B.C. government announced it would post a deficit in the upcoming budget. The size of the deficit has not been revealed.