[van-announce] Fwd: For Immediate Release: Bus Riders Support Motion for More Buses

[Bus Riders Union]

*April 16, 2007*
*For Immediate Release*


*Bus Riders Support Motion for More Buses*

*But at least 100 buses needed to address growing crisis of overcrowding,
long waits *

In response to crisis conditions of overcrowding on our buses and the
grassroots pressure of the Bus Riders Union (BRU) *Ride With Dignity *campaign,
TransLink will hear a motion to make an unplanned purchase of 45 new buses,
at their next meeting on Wednesday, April 18th.
The BRU supports the motion, while urging the TransLink board to expand the
purchase to 100 buses.   Jennifer Efting, Bus Riders Union organizer,
explains, "we need significantly more than that to make a dent in the
deplorable conditions we see region wide.   This Board may not have much
time to steer the course straight before the reins are taken by the
Provincial government.   We urge TransLink to do the right thing and vote
for 45 buses and more".

Says Efting, "TransLink needs to buy at least 100 buses.  In our ongoing
outreach, we have heard from moms who can't get on the bus with her stroller
and kids, low-wage workers who spends an hour and a half standing on the bus
after a whole day on her feet at work and seniors who has to fight through a
crowd just to get off the bus. If these were the daily experiences of mostly
white men with high incomes, I think more decisive action would be taken to
alleviate the conditions."

The Bus Riders Union campaign has been gaining widespread support from
community groups, labour and students, with endorsements from the Canadian
Auto Workers' Local 111, Hospital Employees' Union, the BC Teachers'
Federation, the U-PASS Coalition, the Capilano College Student Union, the
Philippine Women's Centre, the Health Sciences Association, and the Canadian
Union of Public Employees, Local 15.

The Bus Riders Union will be holding a *Press Conference at 8:30am at the
TransLink meeting ( Township of Langley Municipal Hall, 20338 - 65th Avenue,
Langley) *to support the motion and to call for a further purchase of 55
buses in 2007, and 500 buses by 2010.   The Bus Riders Union will also
announce findings from their ongoing community-based research on
overcrowding and the impact on bus riders.

The press conference will be followed by a speak-out at the TransLink
meeting by bus riders impacted by overcrowding, as well as community and
labour representatives.





-- 
Bus Riders Union
672 East Broadway St.
Vancouver BC
V5T 1X6
http://bru.vcn.bc.ca/
604-215-2775