Fare collection to restart on buses June 1, more service reductions coming
Posted May 4, 2020 9:13 am.
Last Updated May 4, 2020 8:53 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Fare collection and front-door boarding on all buses will resume June 1, but further service reductions are set to take place, says TransLink.
The transit authority advised Monday that previously announced bus route suspensions and frequency reductions will come into effect May 18.
Another 41 routes will be suspended in addition to the 18 in April and six earlier this month.
Frequency will also be reduced on most remaining bus routes, according to TransLink.
Meanwhile, temporary Plexiglass extension barriers are being added to regular buses, while vinyl barriers will be installed on the rest of the fleet as fare collection resumes.
TransLink began waiving bus fares in March and asked riders to board using rear doors only to combat the spread of COVID-19.
TransLink has been losing about $75 million a month during the pandemic due to several factors, including significant reductions in ridership and fuel tax revenue.
Collecting bus fares at current ridership levels will generate about $2 million a month.
“We’ve managed to find an innovative solution which ensures the safety of our bus operators, while also allowing for safe fare collection,” TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond says in a release.
“We’ve already started to procure materials and install the barriers on our fleet, with an expectation that this process will be complete by June.”
See bus route changes here.
