Shutdowns drive up TransLink costs
TransLink saw its operating costs rise in 2014, partly because SkyTrain attendants had to work more overtime to deal with emergency shutdowns on the system, said the transportation authority’s annual report.
Operating expenses were up $27.2 million last year, driven mainly by costs in the bus and rail divisions.
This included a $14.9-million, or 6.2 per cent, increase in the rail division, which included having front-line staff work overtime at the end of 2014 “to ensure staff readiness to evacuate trains and close SkyTrain stations in the event of an emergency shutdown.”
That move followed two shutdowns last summer, just days apart, in which thousands of passengers were stranded for hours in hot trains on the Expo line.
The situation led many passengers to force open the doors and walk the tracks toward the stations, putting themselves at risk and tarnishing TransLink’s already beleaguered reputation.
TransLink has since suffered several other shutdowns this year, including one last week in which passengers were stuck for up to two hours in hot trains because of a motor failure.
TransLink has said it plans to add 64 more attendants this fall to be able to reach passengers on stalled trains within 20 minutes of a stoppage.
Other costs included a new B-Line express bus for Surrey, $3 million for the Compass card, and $1.5 million for the mayors’ vision — a $7.5-billion 10-year transportation plan that was the focus of a plebiscite this spring. At the same time, transit revenue was $22.4 million, or 4.3 per cent lower than budgeted in 2014.
“Ongoing analysis suggests the 2013 fare increase had a longer lasting effect on ridership than expected,” the report said. “However, ridership estimates indicate ridership is beginning to recover.”
“We did see a bit of a slip with the rate increase last year, but it’s up about 0.3 per cent,” said TransLink spokeswoman Colleen Brennan.
She said TransLink has pulled itself out of a $58.6-million deficit position in 2010 to a $26.9-million surplus in 2014, noting the transportation authority added more than $100 million to its bottom line.
Executive compensation dropped more than five per cent as a result of freezing salaries since 2013, the report said.
The annual report noted total compensation for each executive position was between four and 12 per cent lower than the previous year.
The report comes about eight months after a report showed TransLink’s CEO and top executives drew bigger-than-usual paycheques and bonuses last year despite the salary freeze.
“You can’t just go in and cut to the bone,” Brennan said. “This organization has been through a number of efficiency drives. It takes time to show up in the books.”
“You can’t just go in and cut to the bone.
COLLEEN BRENNAN TRANSLINK SPOKESWOMAN