[Busriders-van] PSA TransLink betrays bus riders with 2004 budget

[Martha and Aiyanas]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
January 26, 2004

TransLink betrays bus riders with 2004 budget
Bus riders still organizing for Late Night Bus Service

    After more than two years transit dependent people in Greater 
Vancouver, particularly low-wage late night workers, are still suffering 
under the curfew imposed by TransLink in October 2001.  The curfew 
prevents bus riders from accessing jobs and income, and puts transit 
dependent people, particularly women and youth, at risk when they travel 
through the region at night.

    For over a year the Bus Riders Union (BRU), a grassroots community 
organization with over 250 members, has waged a vocal campaign for the 
restoration of "Night Owl" bus service.  In September, the BRU won a 
significant victory for bus riders when the TransLink board considered a 
motion to restore Night Owl services at the levels provided prior to the 
cuts.  The motion was tabled in a narrow vote, based on the suggestion 
that TransLink would take the matter into consideration.  However, in 
December, TransLink directors voted for a 2004 budget which throws 
millions of dollars at new Skytrain developments, increases TransLink's 
'security' budget by $1.4 million, but fails to come up with the 
approximately $1.5 million needed to lift the curfew on bus riders. 

    "It seems as though the vote to postpone the decision on Night Owls 
was just a cynical ploy by TransLink," says BRU organizer Aiyanas 
Ormond.  "This is a reoccurring pattern with TransLink: the money they 
do have they put into their pet mega-projects like the RAV line, the 
money they don't have, they promise to buses - promises they 
consistently break.  While they're bragging about a trolley bus purchase 
that should have been made at least 5 years ago we know that the buses 
are breaking down all over the region, the buses are overcrowded and 
passing people, and bus riders are still under a curfew.  We also know 
that TransLink has the money to make the kinds of improvements in the 
system that would really benefit transit-dependent people.  We know that 
they have it because they're pouring it into this vanity-Olympics 
project, the RAV line."

    "The problem hasn't gone away," says BRU 'on-the-bus' organizer 
Diane Leclaire.  "The hardship of this curfew hasn't gone away because 
low-income bus riders don't have another choice.  People sleep in their 
lunchrooms or put strain on their families and relationships by 
constantly getting rides or put their health and safety at risk by 
walking long distances at night.  And as long as TransLink puts bus 
riders in this position of hardship we'll continue to fight back."

Upcoming BRU Events:

Organizing on the buses, taking to the streets!
 Wednesday January 28, 9 PM
 Late-night street leafleting and organizing
 @ Granville Street Skytrain entrance
 
 End the Curfew Now!
 Demonstration for 24 hour transit - stop the curfew on working people!
 Wednesday February 18, 6:00 PM
@ Commercial and Broadway
 
BRU Community Meeting
Wednesday March 10, 6:30 PM
@ Little Mountain Neighbourhood House (3981 Main St. at 24th)
Come and learn about the Bus Riders Union - featuring cultural 
presentations, collective analysis, and action planning.  Hear updates 
on TransLink, learn about injustice in the transit system, and join the 
movement to take power in our region.

BUS RIDER UNION
 > 407-119 West Pender Street, Vancouver
 > (604) 215-2775
 > http://bru.resist.ca/
 > bru at resist.ca


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