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As you may or may not know, TransLink has been in the process of updating it’s main technology services for a few years now. For example, they upgraded the CMBC’s radio network to improve correspondense between drivers and central communications - at the same time this upgrade allowed for GPS or Auto-Vehicle Location technology. They are also currently upgrading the CCTV systems on SkyTrain, including digitizing their storage mechanism from good ol’ videotape to something a bit more 21st century. While I don’t have the scoop on all this “under-the-hood” improvements, I’ve got some new and interesting info. 

One of the more visible tech additions of late has been the installation of AVL (aka: GPS), APC, which is Automated Passenger Count, and the audible annunciators. All three are relatively cheap. The technology is part of the communications system and is thus installed. These other technologies that it enables, such as dynamic displays, are currently under installation.

Thanks to all TransLink staff that helped procure this information! 

Auto Vehicle Location or AVL

AVL is the central part of Coast Mountain Bus Company’s new TMAC communications radio system. Thanks to the technology in this new system, a whole host of functions are now possible:

•  real time fleet tracking for operations and customers
• Computer Aided Dispatch
• improved emergency response
• off-line performance analysis
• on board annunciators and dynamic displays

The real time dynamic displays are on about 600 vehicles right now, with installation to be completed across the fleet by fall. 

Automated Passenger Count or APC

APC is being installed on 15% of the bus fleet, which translates to about 200 vehicles. The deployment decision varies based on bus and service type. The installation is complete and was paid for under the Capital Budget. APC will continue to be installed on 15% of new expansion buses. APC was studied for implementation on SkyTrain, but there are no immediate plans for installation. 

Audible Annunciators

The annunciators that are currently being installed at the same time as the AVL dynamic displays occured to due to several reasons: TransLink’s Access Transit Strategy, improved customer service, following industry best practices, in addition to a Canadian court case that required stops to be audibly spoken for the blind (in this case, the annunciators allow the drivers to worry about one less thing).

The annunciators will be installed across the fleet by fall. 

SkyTrain CCTV

SkyTrain’s Closed Circuit Television system is being modernized as we speak. The storage system is being converted from videotape to digital and will be complete shortly. The cameras themselves will be upgraded in 2009/2010. 

The more I learn about public space, sustainable transportation, and climate change, the more I realize, despite Vancouver being a world leader in these matters, we’ve still got a lot of improvement to do. One of the best places on Earth can be found in Downtown Vancouver - that little slice on heaven on the Burrard Peninsula. But for all it’s wonderful aspects, like the seawall, English Bay, Robson St., Gastown, and Yaletown, one of the major parts that it lags behind in is efficient usage of street space. 

Considering how advanced the area is in terms of urban livability, I find that streets Downtown are still primarily designed as car thoroughfares and nothing more. Which is rather retarded considering how car usage in the area has been dropping steadily over the years. 

The fact of the matter is that bicycle has seen a resurgence across the world, that fossil fuel powered vehicles will go the way of the dodo, that walking needs to continue to be encouraged, and it is through this sustainable transportation infrastructure that vibrant economies and communities can develop and flourish. 

With that said, I reimagineered Davie St recently. Davie is one of several main commercial drags Downtown, and the redesign has taken such usage into consideration. Currently,

• the sidewalk is far too narrow for all the pedestrian traffic it handles, 
• the bus route (#6) is overburdened with riders and isn’t the best service possible, 
• the road is unsafe for cyclists and skateboarders (both of which I see along Davie all the time), 
• and there is a lack of amenities like benches and plants/greenery along the route. 

All of this changes with this proposal. 

The proposal removes two car lanes and reallocates this as

• an expanded sidewalk (for a total of 4m wide, which is the width of Burrard),
• a physically separated 2m wide greenway (similar to the new Carrall St. redesign),
• a less obtrusive flex space with more area for plants, bike parking, bus shelters, newspaper bins, and public art.

Furthermore, the redesign includes a streetcar line. As many know, Vancouver grew up around the streetcar, and the cheap rail technology is looking better everyday to cities around the world as a way to combat climate change, encourage economic development, and get people out of their cars. 

I personally hate riding the bus Downtown simply because it’s so stop-and-go. The drivers don’t make the situation any better because they’ll speed or slam on the brakes, rather than providing a smooth ride - this type of transit service won’t be tolerated in a decade with over 1/4 of the population as seniors. Plus, the route is almost always packed with people! And to top it all off, service isn’t all that frequent for such a busy route. 

The streetcar addition addresses this issues as follows:

• Streetcars provide a much smoother ride due to being on rails. With some good training and tough enforcement on the drivers, we could ensure that acceleration and deceleration are smoother than the SkyTrain.
• Streetcars have an economic incentive for development that buses don’t have. This alone could encourage redevelopment and higher densities along the relatively old and low-rise road. This development could also pay for the inclusion of a streetcar. 
• With the inclusion of a greenway along Davie, such a safe and convenient route could encourage people to get off transit and onto to human powered transportation like bikes or rollerblades.

So what do you all think? Is Vancouver ready to take the next step and transform Downtown’s streets like Davie from car-oriented thoroughfares to bustling multi-modal public spaces?

Just got my $100 in the mail yesterday. Regardless of your position on this government sponsored dividend that will be given to every single British Columbian, the reality is that we have the money. Now what to do with it?

First, the government has given you an opportunity here to make a choice for a greener future. Sure, you may just add it to your chequing account and buy a new bathing suit for the summer. 

But, if you are truly concerned about climate change, and want to do something about it, here is your chance! You’ve just been given $100. Spend it wisely. Spend it in a way that will bring about a more sustainable future. Here’s a few ideas:

• Compact fluorescent lightbulbs
• A low-flow toilet
• Repairs to, or a new, bicycle
• An electric lawnmower
• Weather stripping your home
• Install low-flow showerheads

And of course,

• Support a green politician

Putting your $100 towards my campaign for a seat on Surrey City Council may very well be one of the most productive means of investing that money in a sustainable future. If elected, my plans and ideas could completely revolutionize the South of Fraser area, and put Metro Vancouver back on the world stage as a leader in green transportation, compact living, and the preservation of natural areas. 

Here’s just a few of my initiatives that could be initiated if I am elected:

• The construction of light rail across Surrey and the Valley
• Modern, comfortable, safe, and accessible bus shelters across Surrey
• A vast cycling network featuring physically separated routes from car and truck traffic
• The preservation of Campbell Heights as a green space for the region
• Vibrant, walkable Town Centres filled with unique businesses, community services, and compact housing options for those seeking more urban and sustainable lifestyles
• The implementation of a Green Building Strategy in a city that welcomes over 1,000 new people every month!

If you think I’ve made a worthy case, you can donate your Climate Action Dividend right here securely over Paypal. 

Or “green shifting” as the Liberals would have you say. As you may recall, I support the notion of a revenue neutral carbon tax. Carbon needs a price for the market to react and engage the notion of pollution in a way it currently does not. However, that does not mean that a carbon tax is a tax grab. If the new revenue from a carbon tax is offset by lower income taxes, then I really don’t see what everyone in BC is all screwballing over. Especially when it will only increase your average gas bill by $46 per year! 

In any case, the Liberals plan seems to look out for all potentially affected groups, at least from my perspective, in a way that Gordon Campbell’s plan doesn’t. And it’s showing. Despite Harper spouting off like an idea and saying a carbon tax would “screw all Canadians“, a new survey just goes to show that just because some guy is the leader of your country does not mean he represents a major portion of the population. 

A Canadian Press survey asked this to 1000 Canadians:

The Liberals are calling their policy A Green Shift. The main elements are putting a tax on carbon or greenhouse-gas emissions, and using the money raised by this tax to reduce income and other taxes, to provide financial support for those less well off and to invest in green technologies. The tax increases will be phased in over four years and will not apply to gasoline. Based on this description, would you say this is a policy you strongly support, support, oppose or strongly oppose.

And heck, it turns out 47% of those polled liked the idea. 39% were opposed. Regardless of how you read into these numbers, it just goes to show that Canadians still think the environment is a major issue in this country, clearly aren’t happy with how the Conservatives have handled the problems we are facing with climate change, and are able to actually grasp the concept of a revenue neutral carbon tax - more than can be said for Stephen Harper. 

Now it’s time for Harper to put his mouth where his beliefs are and face off with Dion in a serious debate about the idea of a carbon tax. Canada certainly deserves nothing less. 

And in other news, the scientist that first told the US Congress about global warming recommended America adopt a carbon tax!

“We have to level with the public that there has to be a price on carbon emissions,” Hansen said. “That is the only way we are going to begin to move toward a carbon free economy.”

Hansen said urgent action was needed to cut carbon dioxide emissions that are warming the globe and are already causing arctic ice to melt. He said world leaders had only one or two years to act before the Earth reaches a “tipping point” with major consequences to the global climate and species survival.

“We have reached an emergency situation,” Hansen said.

He said the government should not keep the proceeds from any carbon tax, but refund the money to taxpayers to help them pay for more fuel efficient technology.

Would someone please tell me what all this ridiculous raucous over the carbon tax is about?!

The escalating carbon tax is a mere 2.4 cents to begin with. That is absolutely nothing compared to the market’s 10 cent increase over a week! People are looking for someone to blame for the high gas prices and the media has jumped onto Campbell and his carbon tax.

I’m not trying to support them - the Liberals have done a lot of things wrong in their time. But the NDP are by no means are a reasonable alternative, and they are simply playing into people’s fears - no different than the federal Tories policies! That’s politicking at its highest!

At least Campbell is doing something. The point is that the carbon tax will fund the provision of alternatives. Yes, alternatives should be happening much sooner, and yes, we’ve had a general gas tax for how many years? And yes, there will be regional discrepancies. But to call off a progressive climate change and taxation policy like the carbon tax because gas prices are getting higher is absolutely ridiculous and illogical - especially when the tax itself will only cost 2.4 cents a litre!

Which, according to calculations will only come out to $46 annually in carbon tax for a year’s worth of fill ups for a family of four’s van. That’s less than one fill up a year. 

So really people, put the friggin’ tax into perspective. 

Not to mention, low income British Columbians will receive an annual Climate Action Credit of $100/adult and $30/child. Which works out well for them, since presumably they’d be taking the bus anyways - which is much cheaper than driving will ever be. That could get them one month’s transit pass - certainly a better choice than one tank fill up!

If there is one certainty about the current rise in gas prices, it is that it will not continue forever.

Sooner or later, global demand for oil will come more into balance with its supply, and prices will fall. [The Province]

And, I’m sorry, but the reality is, gas prices are not going to go down. They may fluctuate, but prices will continue, over the long term to go up. 

Think about the demand that’s coming from India and Asia. Think about how much resources our “North American” lifestyles use up. Considering neither of these groups is likely to demand anything less anytime soon, demand will not cease. 

The concept of peak oil is that as soon as we have passed the midpoint in global oil resources, prices will skyrocket. That is because, from that point on, we will never have enough supply to meet the demand. 

So, you think $1.50 is bad? Are you fearing the $2 mark predicted to arrive by 2012? 

Well, consider this. Peak oil is estimated to hit between 2010 to 2013. Then the shit will hit the fan because you ain’t seen nothing yet. Prices will zoom to numbers never before imagined possible.

So please, stop trying to find someone or something to blame. Please stop trying to find some way of sustaining this unsustainable way of life. 

Think positively for once and coming up with creative solutions to this big problem: electric vehicles, or moving closer to work, or bringing the bike out of the garage, or buying locally grown food.

And of course, support the politicians who will help facilitate this transition towards a sustainable way of life. 

More info as it comes. Here’s the press release.

Update: It will be available on Fido as well. Prices will start at $199 CAN on three year contracts. The important info now is how they will be sold (through Rogers stores, Apple stores, online?) and the ultimate monthly plan costs (in the States, the cheapest voice+data plan will be $70 US).

Dylan Pattyn, who is currently writing an article for Time Magazine on the issue, has official confirmation from sources within Bell Canada and is interviewing a marketing representative from TELUS who confirms the story and states that TELUS has already started blocking all websites that aren’t in the subscription package for mobile Internet access. They could not confirm whether it would happen in 2012 because both stated it may actually happen sooner (as early as 2010). Interviews with these sources, more confirmation from other sources and more in-depth information on the issue is set to be published in Time Magazine soon. 

[via I Power]

I was under the impression that net neutrality had been taken care of after legislation in the States rejected the major American ISPs plans to shift their business model similar to that of TV. In doing so, ISPs would basically have total control over what sites or services you access on “their” Internet. 

However, here comes news that that win for net neutrality was nothing more than a tiny success in a much larger worldwide battle. It sounds a little out there, but it’s not hard to believe that the major ISPs across the world are planning to collectively restrict the Internet, as we know it, by 2012. What’s absolutely disgusting though is hearing that it’s not Verizon, AT&T, or Comcast leading this transition - it’s Telus and Bell! Of course, Canada already has some of the world’s worst traffic shaping done by Rogers, Bell, and Shaw, so it’s not all that surprising that they want more control over the traffic that’s running through the tubes. And with the Conservatives in power, I seriously doubt that the government will step in and do anything. 

I do believe though that the Internet has been so successful precisely because it is a Wild west - content access or control is regulated by collective consciousness of all users worldwide. We the people will not take lightly to any efforts to restrict the web. 

My friend has just upgraded from publicizing his writing on Facebook Notes to Blogger, and his initial post will blow you away with it’s tongue-in-cheek review of everyone’s dearest automated rail - our lovely SkyTrain. Here’s a few snippets:

The Millennium Line stations can be sorted into three different categories: girly names, excessively long names, and other. The “girly name” group encompasses stations like Sapperton, Braid, Rupert and Renfrew — stations at which no self-respecting man will ever disembark the train, for fear of total emasculation (in the event that this occurs, the revoked manliness can be restored at the hyper-masculinely-named Holdom, a title which evokes images of pure, raw, ball-grabbing maleness). The most egregious of these offenders is Rupert, which in a little known coup was named in tribute to TransLink B.O.D. member David Unruh’s love of the ursine scarf aficionado.

The Canada Line is the nearest it’s been to completion in eons — aeons, even — and I intend to be the first one aboard to soak in the Richmond-bound delight when the cherry pops in 2009. Never again will I be stuck in that all too-common position of thinking “I have twenty minutes to get to Lulu Island before my sugar sculpture collapses, but no means by which to get there.”

Check it out in it’s entirety at Hearts in the Margins!

With all the brouhaha about H&M’s arrival to Pacific Centre on May 22, it’s easy to forget that another highly anticipated retail store is coming to Vancouver - the Apple Store. Now, I hadn’t learned about the official opening date, so it’s news to me, and could very well be news to you as well, that it’s opening two days after H&M: that’s right, May 24! Here’s the email release. Thanks to Peter for the heads up! I expect to see you there in line!

From The Province:

People love their cars and need more roads, so gas taxes should be directed to encourage the car culture, not fund public transit, says Maureen Bader, spokeswoman for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

WOW. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything that could be more *wrong*! It’s like saying, people love to drink, so let’s build a ton of bars! With free drinks for all! 

*shakes head*

At a press conference yesterday to promote the CTF’s 10th Annual Gas Tax Honesty Day, Bader attacked Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s federal Conservatives and Premier Gordon Campbell’s B.C. Liberals as unprincipled tax-grabbers.

“About 30 per cent of the price you’re paying at the pump here in Vancouver is in tax,” said Bader.

“In Vancouver, 20.5 cents of each litre is provincial tax. What’s worse is we’re about to be hit with a carbon tax. Starting July 1st we’re going to be paying an additional 2.4 cents per litre, then we pay GST on top of that.

“This is just wrong.”

Yes, the gas tax is getting high. I would possibly argue a little too high, considering we aren’t seeing very many big improvements to cycling or transit infrastructure. However, market demand isn’t going to suddenly drop - even with people supposedly reducing car usage - so trust me, getting rid of the gas tax will do nothing but provide customers with a short term reduction in gas prices. Ironically enough, if you were to slash the tax tomorrow, demand would spike as people would rush to fill up - causing the price to increase!

She called on Ottawa to transfer five cents per litre of the federal gas tax to municipalities for roads.

Now, this does make a bit of sense, as long as municipalities aren’t forced to use the money for roads. Cities have been demanding a bigger transfer of the gas tax or GST for years, because they just don’t have the means to support the infrastructure they require. It’s the smart cities that would put this money into providing alternatives to the car, not building more roads and highways for the status quo. 

And she questioned the widely accepted opinion of world scientists that human CO2 production is causing dangerous global warming.

“More and more scientists are coming on record and saying that man-made global warming is probably not the cause of the global warming that we have been experiencing over the past few years.

“We’re spending billions of dollars, and really, what we’re doing is allowing politicians to essentially finance their next election campaign,” said Bader.

I’m not even going to touch this one, because we all know how ridiculous her claims are. I thought we got past the point of asking “is this happening” and “did we cause it”, to “how are we going to fix this”.

She sneered at governments’ funding of public transit.

“Taxpayers have got to ask themselves: ‘Do we really need to have a $14-billion Cadillac transit plan when all the government is really expecting to see is maybe a five-per-cent increase in transit use?’ People here want to use their cars.

I agree. $14 billion for such a small increase in usage is a complete waste of money. However, we must look at what we are paying for. Due to the construction of the Millennium Line as SkyTrain, it would be foolhardy to not complete it, with the eastern UBC Line extension, and the western Evergreen Line extension, in a different technology. In a sense, we are locked into the expensive proprietary SkyTrain. But, it must be built - and frankly, we need it ASAP. 

Once we spend the billions for those routes, then we can begin to look at cheaper alternatives that wil increase transit usage such as Light Rail Transit or Bus Rapid Transit. 

And don’t forget about one of the cheapest modes of transport, not just in acquiring the vehicle, but also the construction of infrastructure - cycling!

“Governments cannot pick winners [in business] and they shouldn’t be determining for us what we should be doing with our money and with our time.

“It didn’t work in the Soviet Union, it’s not going to work here either. People are driving more now than they ever have and gasoline prices are the highest that they have ever been.”

Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon couldn’t be reached for comment.

To summarize,

• BC is not Soviet Russia, 
• we need a gas tax to fund alternatives *before* everyone stops driving due to insane fuel prices, 
• climate change is real and needs to be solved, 
• Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation doesn’t speak for all taxpayers, and 
• Maureen Bader is an ignoramus.