Starting next year, Translink is scrapping its Employer Pass Program and other discount programs to make the system “more equitable.”
As of January 1, 2014, members enrolled will not get the extra 15 per cent discount that the Employer Pass Program offered.
Translink is also transitioning out its FareSaver tickets. The company says a discount on regular fares will be provided within the new stored value option for Compass Cards, which Executive Vice President of Translink Bob Paddon says will provide comparable discount value.
“It is a change that people are going to go through,” says Paddon. “FareSaver tickets – a lot of people use them. The concept with FareSaver tickets was — buy 10, get one free. It is basically how it worked out. So now with stored value, it is – I’ve got my minimum, I will put a few extra dollars on, and I will get the benefit of that discount. It’s going to transfer us into the use of this new technology.”
The new Compass Card is set to launch in late 2013. It is an electronic fare card that will work everywhere on transit in Metro Vancouver. It will replace all current passes and tickets, including West Coast Express.
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Among other programs being discontinued as of next year – free travel for family members of monthly pass holders on Sundays and holidays; West Coast Express 7-day and 28-day passes and West Coast Express $1 fee for bikes.
Translink says the discount programs were introduced to increase ridership years ago, but have now outlived their purpose, benefiting only select people and companies.
“We have over a hundred different fare products, and we can’t keep them all,” says Paddon. We looked at them and said to ourselves – would we do it today if we were starting over?”
He says Translink is not hoping to either make or lose money by discounting these programs, but the idea is to make the system fair and efficient.
Translink estimates today’s changes will affect about 25,000 of their customers.
Earlier this year, Translink also cut free rides for BC Transit employees. And as of July 1, off-duty police, fire and rescue personnel and enforcement officers with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans have to pay for their fares as well.
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