Translink To Raise Cost of Local Travel
Transit and driving will get more expensive next year. Metro Vancouver mayors approved Translink's plan to raise fares after the 2010 Olympics on FareSaver tickets and monthly passes, and also to increase gas and parking taxes.
Cash fares and U-Pass rates are not going up, at least not in 2010.
Drivers will see a 3 cents per litre increase in fuel taxes levied within Metro Vancouver (to 15ยข/l) as early as the start of 2010 and a tripling of the tax on off-street parking.
FareSaver tickets are used by regular Translink users. Currently, a book of ten 1 Zone FareSaver tickets bought in advance costs $19, a saving of $6 on the regular ticket. FareSaver tickets will go up $1 for a book.
The increase in fares and tax is purely to maintain the status quo. Translink need the additional $130 million revenue as part of its "Funding Stabilization Option" to avoid service cuts.
So the Translink experience of travelling like sardines in a can when taking the Skytrain or bus during rush hour should be with us for some years yet.