Keeping Safe on Public Transit

Are the transit police around enough to make people feel safe?

Whenever I need to go downtown I like to take the bus. It's relatively on time, I can spend the time reading, and it takes away the hassle of driving and paying for parking.

Taking the bus back home though is another issue; usually there are drug-addicted homeless people who just get on without paying. Some keep to themselves, but others make you feel unsafe. 

Like yesterday.

I got on the bus around 3.30pm and immediately could feel something was wrong. At the back of the bus all by himself was a guy struggling to get a yellow hoodie on, but because he was not sober, he didn't realise he had put his head in the hood. 

Buses are great for getting downtown

After I sat down, he shouted several times that it was cold and someone needed to close the window.

Except nobody answered him.

Luckily at the next stop three transit police got onboard and in a friendly tone tried to persuade the guy to get off the bus. He still struggled with his hoodie for a few more minutes and then one of the transit police decided time was up, as the rest of us were waiting, and he had to be removed.

The rest of us stood or sat there in silence, staring at the situation unfolding. The guy was completely dishevelled, he had blood on his forehead and face, was bare chested and his pants hanging loosely over his hips. 

We were relieved when they escorted him off the bus and he sat in the bus shelter. 

But then the transit police noted there was blood stains on the floor. The bus driver announced to passengers the bus would cross the Granville Street Bridge and then let everyone off because the vehicle would be out of commission (to be cleaned up).

The transit police only work at the Granville and Georgia stop. Sometimes they come on board to make sure everyone has paid the fare, or in this case, remove someone who is causing a disturbance.

While I appreciate the transit police being there, could they not be stationed in the Downtown Eastside and Chinatown to deter these people from getting on the bus in the first place? It would make things safer for everyone, the drivers and passengers.

I have sent the suggestion to Translink and am waiting to hear back...

Public transit should not be an uncomfortable ride for anyone.

Canada Line Adds a New Station in Richmond

Capstan Station is now open to transit riders in Richmond

Richmond has a new SkyTrain station that opened today that will hopefully be able to reduce overcrowding during peak hours.

Located between Bridgeport and Aberdeen stations, Capstan Station is operating two years behind schedule, but will now service many residents who live in the area.

A tiled mural by Howie Tsui

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said when the Canada Line was being built, population density in the Capstan neighbourhood and development area was low, but a plan to eventually build the stop was part of the original Canada Line plan.

"We knew that the time would come. However, with development, we very much do need it [now]." he said.

The station was supposed to open in 2023, but there were delays due to the pandemic and it was assessed the soil was unstable, which meant performing structural upgrades to the station.

The total cost of Capstan Station is C$62 million, with Translink covering $30 million, and the rest by the City of Richmond, with thanks from developers like Concord Pacific, Polygon, and Yuanheng with buildings in the Capstan area helping to kick in some of the $32 million.

There are both up and down escalators at Capstan

Interesting to note the station is one of the first to have both up and down escalators, and it has a tile mural designed by Hong Kong-Canadian artist Howie Tsui. Entitled "The Breath Below", it depicts aquatic life in the Fraser River estuary, in the style inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paintings.