Bus users call for service improvements By lan Noble News Reporter TRANSIT troubles in the Seymour area have riders going green with envy for those with dependable transportation. Cancelled and overcrowd- ed buses are lighting a fuse under B.C. Transit bus users as the Scymour population has exploded. For rider Judy Carlsen, an American public transit award : presented to B.C. Transit recently was a slap in the face. After waiting for two can- celled Scymour-area buses on Oct. 25, Carlsen said: “I’m sure if you asked the public their opinion of transit they would comment it sucks.” Indian River Crescent res- ident RB. Silvester was als:: _ Waiting for the two cancelled buses Oct. 25 at Phibbs Exchange. By 6 p.m. that night more. than'50 passengers were wait- ing in the cold for buses, he . Sai — The problem, he added, is getting worse. *T believe transit is vital in cur efforts to.cope with pol- fution and i increasing conges- '_ tion on the road,” he sai “7 ‘am quite "prepared to spend an extra three-quarters of an hour each day commut- ing by transit from home to the downto™. "1 area. “Howes..:, [ am not pre- ared to waste an extra half our a day waiting for buses that don’t show,” he said in a fetter to B.C. Transit. Carlsen wants additional 290 express buses from Deep Cove to downtown during rush hours because packed buses sometimes drive by her stop. Carlsen also pinned part of the public transit conges- tion problem on the foreign students in the Seymour area. She added that the Indian River bus service does not run late enough. The last bus to leave Phibbs for Seymour is 1:17 a.m. and the last Indian River bus is 6:32 p.m., she said. “In this day and age with all the problems with harass- ment, stalkers and vicious crimes, it is of utmosi impor- tance that transit provides adequate transportation, so that commuters are safe,” she said. B.C. Transit spokesman Trace Acres and acting sched- uling manager Brian Sagman said one more 290 trip has actually been put in, making three trips in the morning. Instead of putting in a new time, transit has placed two buses on the 7:37 a.m. bus route. Sagman expects that three 290 buses will leave Deep Cove each morning at 7:07, 7:22, and 7:37 a.m. as of April. ur stews The next step in servicing Seymour is what B.C. Transit is calling the Seymour Plan. Sagman said buses would be rerouted for more direct access to Phibbs Exchange and to improve access to community centres like Ron Andrews. Most of CATER would be a rec: vecceanic existing servi. althe ta services will also ov cca: ded In May 1996, B.C. Transir president Blair ‘Treusdeil promised a “significant refur- bishment of the toral Seymour/Deep Cove ser- vice.” Acres acknowledged that the new plans ae behind schedule. He hopes to have the changes in plece by September 1997. Municipalities and the public are expecied to be given the opportunicy to comment on transit’s plans before they are implemented, said Acres. ~He added that the num- ber of forcign s:udents living in Seymour who attend class- es in downtown Vancouver travel in groups and create “capacity problems” for the transit system. He said 210 route buses have becn added to deal with the foreign-student overload and talks with a downtown English school about possible alteriiative —_ transportation arrangements have been held, but without much success. “We're going to continue to work on that atex and sce if we can better accommo- - Phibbs riders give Transit passing grade on service : By lan Noble ‘News Reporter | ALTHOUGH B.C. Transit gets its share of abuse, transit riders-at Phibbs Exchange generally give the service grades ranging from OK to excellent. date those individuals,” Acres said. B.C. Transit does not have plans for additional late-night services. Acres said B.C. Transit’s focus is to improve service in high-demand peak periods. North Vancouver services are a lower B.C. Transit pri- ee Senet a Te al a 2. pete SO at ate at SE oti pver ti Wednesday, December 4, 1996 — North Shore News — ority than services for some other areas of the Lower Mainland. Acres added that North Vancouver is une piece in a much bigger Greater Vancouver puzzle. The Greater Vancouver Regional District’s Livable Region Strategy calls for ansit growth in areas such as Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westmiaster, and Surrey. North Vancouver is not considered a growth concen- tration area, he said. “We're torn in many dif- ferent directions with a limit- ed envelope of funding,” he said. You’ll find everything you need to create : beautiful wreaths, garlands, swags and tablecentres for your home or office. FREE DEMONSTRATIONS: Thursday, December 5th & Tuesday, December 10th OPEN 9:30 a.m. — 11:30 p.m. Ohealteby, Selection &y Servite POCO ‘bye. .., OP E. N a Sunday.: . . > 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. . But quibbles about long waits at night, lengthy gaps berween buses and _ buses not keeping to schedules were voiced Monday by some commuters . during rush hour. Graham Mackenzie tries to carpool from his Deep Cove residence to Capilano College as often as he can. On the occasions when he can’t get a ride, the Go Green option doesn’t leave him blue with frustration. “Pm nota big fan of public transit, but as far as public transit goes, it’s not bad,” he said. The opinion is shared by Blueridge bus rider David Wilson, bur he said he’s seen jam-packed buses pass by transit hopefuls waiting at bus stops. Some buses haven’t been at the stop when schedules say they should have been. Monday to Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. > Friday to 7:00 pm* WEST-VAN:-F orig & GARDEN CENTRE. 3} —— 1821 Marine Drive, West West Vancouver * el 922-4171 ellie Fax: 922-9735. o DEEP Cove resi- dent Greham Mackenzie ... carpooils to Cap. See Buses page 19 a a (2 MAPIDLLE we ORIVE-THRU Off. 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