Dear Mr. Stevens,

I am writing in response to your article that appeared in the April 22nd edition of the Vancouver Sun. In your article, you suggested that people do not take public transit to get to work because of infrequent service. You used the example of how, recently, you had to wait 25 minutes for a bus to the downtown area. As a transit operator, I can assure you that incidents such as yours are rarely the fault of the bus service. Perhaps the focus of your frustration should be directed to city planning officials and residents' commuting habits.

Buses depart from their first station at a particular time, and the schedule of stops along the route is approximately calculated to be correct. However, various factors can interfere with the schedule. The bus may be delayed because of exceptionally heavy roadway congestion or accidents.

I have been working for the Regional Transit System for 10 years. When I first started, there were not enough buses operating to meet commuter needs. However, things have improved greatly in the past few years. They have increased the number of buses and the frequency of service. As well, they have introduced new bus routes from several Vancouver suburbs into the downtown core. During peak hours (Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.), we double the number of buses in operation. In fact, in Greater Vancouver, the typical waiting time for a bus commuter during peak hours now averages 4 to 8 minutes, much lower than other cities such as Calgary and Edmonton.

I assure you that the main problem in public transit today is that we are severely outnumbered by single-passengers' privately-owned vehicles. Despite incentives to encourage public transport, such as affordable prices and free parking lots at the stations, the number of cars on the road suggests the public still finds it more convenient to drive to work. However, if they considered the financial costs of driving, as well as the effect of car exhaust on the environment, they would find that public transit offers a practical and worthwhile alternative, not to mention that it would allow you to arrive to work on time.

Sincerely,
Ed Hooper