D4

THE
B.C. “Transit. bus «facility
located “on East 3rd Street
will be shut down by Jan. 2.”

By MICHAEL B

. While, ‘no’ dollar figures have

been released, the closure is part of.

a: bid .by -the government-owned
corporation to shave operating ex-
penses “;by. consolidating: opera-
ions. 7 Loy
: B.C. Transit plans to base North

‘Mancouver bus’ transit: operations.

“NORTH Vancouver

| Plan your

2

; weekend |
with NOW

3 cath

‘s 3)

PAGE

Distribution 986-1337 9

at. the corporation’s ~ Kitchener’

Street operations centre’ in’ Bur-
naby. oes CO
_'Aclocal bus’ base has occupied
the. half-a-square’ city block
bounded by East 3rd Street and St,
Davids Avenue since 1906,.-Cur-
rently 76 buses operate. from the
North Vancouver location. The

buses are Supported by 160 drivers, |
20° maintenance division workers

and 10 office. staff members,
Brian Kelly, acting director of
North © Vancouver” Transit and
Seabus. said employee reaction’ to
the’ move is mixed. He estimates

better’ than 90, percent ef the”

drivers working .in| North Van-

couver lite on the North Shores
“Some are,happy to be going to,a.

new facility. Others are sad to see
the old home going."” -

While’ both transit union’) and
management cule out job loss as a
result of ‘the ‘closure, Independent
Canadian Transit Union Local -1
president Fred) McCormack
fores

~ Said McCormack: “Sonic of the
union . membership is “concerned
t with the work going across the

es logistical, problems» with’
‘the move.”

Transit union raises service concerns -

‘bridge — there is a potential for
disruption, of afternoon, sérvice if
the bridge is down.”* :

The. move would also mean:ad-"”

‘ditional trip time for drivers retur-
hing -to. the © Burnaby garage.
“There's’ no jab loss foreseen.
Thiee to four, jobs will be created
just. with’ the additional
time,"' he said:

McCormack also. anticipates a,
more frequent change in operators’

driving North Vancouver ‘ buses.

“Another 240° drivers from Bur-

See Closure.
‘Page 3

travel’

"

Se

we : ie at
ACTING directoe of North Van-
couver ‘Transit and; SeaBus Brian
Kelly..."‘no” change to the ‘travel-
‘ting public."’ “ me