I wrote the following letter to TransLink this evening, but thought I would put it up here so that other people could read it too.

Even though the stuff I’ve discussed is a bit annoying, at least TransLink doesn’t suck as much as the TTC.  Having lived in Toronto until I was 22, being at the mercy of the impossibly lousy TTC makes TransLink (and pretty much every other city I’ve visited’s public transit system) seem pretty decent.

[[[[[[A bit of background, for those who do not use TransLink: The UBC Bus Loop is the terminus of many bus routes in Vancouver.  Because of this, buses are often parked at the loop for quite some time  ( approximately 5 - 30 minutes, depending on the time of day). Generally, the buses are parked at the curb during this time, with their doors shut, meaning students/faculty/other passengers have to stand, staring longingly at the bus that mocks them for being stuck outside.

Please keep in mind that from October through March in Vancouver, it basically does not stop raining, and is pretty chilly.  Okay -- it didn't rain the other day.   So picture that it's 9:45 PM at night:  you just missed the 9:43 PM bus, and the next bus isn't going to leave until 10:13 PM.  You're standing outside with a big heavy book bag, while being inundated by what feels like a mild typhoon.  It's not too pleasant, but it's all a part of dealing with Vancouver.

What makes it unpleasant is that the bus you are going to spend the next 28 minutes waiting to board, is parked 20 metres away from you!  The bus driver is on the bus, and perhaps has some sadistic tendencies.   This is not about one particular bus driver; this is about most of them.  Sometimes the bus driver eats a sandwich, or reads a book, or talks on his or her cell phone.

I understand that maybe the bus driver needs to have a few minutes of peace and quiet.  I also understand that maybe the driver is required to do a quick walk-through of the bus to make sure there is no garbage, no vomit and no lost umbrella aboard the bus, and this can't be done while passengers are sitting on the bus.  Still, have some empathy!  Pull the bus up to the curb and let us board it! The bus driver doesn't even need to be on the bus, because TransLink uses a proof of purchase/honour system, and all vehicles are "fare paid zones", which means it is assumed that all passengers have paid.

Adding insult to injury is that the driver for the bus I take home from school, #7212, which leaves the UBC Bus Loop at 10:13 PM on Wednesdays, has a habit of smoking cigarettes inside the bus.  Just inside the bus with the door open, but inside nonetheless.

Without any further ado, my brief letter to TransLink on the matter:]]]]]]]

Date of Incident:            12-02-2009

Time of Incident:            10:05p

Transit Mode:            Bus

Vehicle Number:            7212

Route Number:            25

Stop Number:            59271

During the waiting time, before pulling up to the loading bay to pick up passengers, the bus driver was standing on the step inside the bus and smoking a cigarette.  This is not the first time I have seen the bus driver doing this.  The driver for the #33 bus was standing right outside the bus, chatting with the smoking driver, suggesting that he was not opposed to this behaviour.

To the best of my knowledge, smoking is not permitted aboard TransLink vehicles.  While the door of the bus was open, and the bus driver was blowing the smoke of her cigarette outside, the bus did smell like cigarette smoke.

Furthering the frustration of this ongoing situation is that passengers often wait for upwards of 15 minutes to board a bus, parked mere metres from the stop they are waiting at.  If the bus drivers are going to make us stand outside, late at night, in chilly weather, while staring at the bus we are not permitted to yet board, they could at least be so respectful as to not smoke inside the vehicle.

Thank you.