[Busriders-van] Bus Riders Union Press Release

[Martha and Aiyanas]

March 21, 2004
For Immediate Release

Motion to Restore Late Night Bus Service Comes Before TransLink Board

A motion to restore late night bus service comes before the TransLink 
Board at their next meeting on Tuesday, March 23.  The motion, brought 
in September 2003 by Port Moody Mayor Trasolini, was tabled pending a 
staff report on the Friday and Saturday only 'Night Bus' service.  
Trasolini drafted the motion in response to the Bus Riders Union report 
"Night Owl Buses: Towards Social Justice in Our Region", the culmination 
of over 12 months of grassroots research on the impacts of the TransLink 
imposed curfew on bus riders.

 "We're glad to see this motion back on the agenda," says Bus Riders 
Union Organizer Martha Roberts.  "The motion should never have been 
tabled.  The dire need for comprehensive seven day a week late night 
service for low-wage night workers and the safety of women and other 
groups who face the risk of assault has very little to do with the 
ridership numbers on the new 'Night Bus'.  The 'Night Bus' operates on 
weekends only, providing service to a tiny fraction of the region."

"The need for comprehensive seven day a week service is urgent," 
continues Roberts. "The Bus Riders Union has had consistent and ongoing 
contact with late night workers who are suffering untold hardship due to 
this curfew.  TransLinks own data indicates that late night transit 
users are mostly low income people and overwhelmingly transit 
dependent.  A significant proportion of these riders are using the bus 
to travel to and from employment.  The ongoing curfew relegates 
low-income bus riders to second-class citizen status in this region.  
This is absolutely unacceptable."
 
The report on 'Night Bus' service prepared by TransLink staff recommends 
against re-instating Night Owl buses, arguing simply that it is not 
economical. 

"We reject this staff report," says BRU organizer Aiyanas Ormond.  "It's 
a mischaracterization throughout, and appears intentionally misleading.  
For example, the report suggests that the previous Night Owl service was 
lightly used, yet this conclusion is drawn from ridership numbers 
collected after the decision to cut the Night Owl buses.  These numbers 
represent a very small sample taken immediately following the 4 month 
transit lockout of 2001.  Many night workers had already lost their jobs 
and overall ridership down significantly due to the disruption in service."

The cost of restoring the late night service is estimated at $1.4 
million compared to the $2 billion allocated for Skytrain expansion in 
the next 6 years or the $1.4 million increase in the 2004 TransLink 
security budget; figures which suggest that there is more than simple 
economics involved in the decision facing the TransLink board on Tuesday. 

"This is a social justice issue and an issue of accountability," says 
BRU organizer Yang Chang.  "Is this board going to follow staff 
direction and implement a narrow, bottom line, pro-big business 
strategy, or are they going to take seriously their responsibility to 
provide a much needed public service and respond to the needs of 
low-income and marginalized people in the region?"

The answer to this question remains to be seen; Bus Riders Union 
organizers are anxiously awaiting the decision on the fate of those who 
rely on public transportation to ensure their economic security, safety, 
and dignity.

                                                            Media 
Contacts:     Bus Riders Union Office 604 215 2775
                                                                        
                  Jennifer Efting 604 255 4745                       
 

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