Fare collection, front-door boarding on B.C. buses to resume June 1

Get ready to start paying to ride the bus again.

Fare collection and front-door boarding will resume on all buses as of June 1, according to both TransLink and BC Transit, after both actions were halted on March 19 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

This includes conventional, community, and handyDART services.

Temporary plexiglass extensions are being added to buses that already have traditional barriers, while the remainder of the fleet will get vinyl barriers.

These measures will ensure both safe fare collection and driver safety, TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond said in a statement.

“We’ve already started to procure materials and install the barriers on our fleet, with an expectation that this process will be complete by June.”

Other safety measures will remain in effect, such as enhanced cleaning on buses and at facilities, limiting passenger capacity, and enhancing the red line for passengers to stand behind.

TransLink hopes by collecting fares again that it will bring in approximately $2 million per month.

Desmond has said the transit authority is losing up to $75 million a month amid the pandemic.

Due to current ridership levels, TransLink said previously announced bus-route suspensions and frequency reductions will come into effect on May 18.

This means 41 routes will be suspended on top of the 18 routes already paused in April and six to be suspended in early May.

Frequency will be reduced on most remaining routes.

1:38 TransLink lays off nearly 1,500 employees

• TransLink lays off nearly 1,500 employees
• TransLink makes sweeping cuts to Meto Vancouver transit workforce
• TransLink faces a financial crisis due to the coronavirus
• TransLink losing $75-million monthly due to COVID-19 pandemic
• TransLink suspends bus fare collection
• TransLink makes major changes to Metro Vancouver bus operations due to coronavirus pandemic

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