Trip Ed Transit Pass

Dear Mayor:

Transit issues are a major concern for lower mainland residents—even the youngest ones. The current Translink Plan contains many useful improvements, from bridges to bike lanes, but little that encourages and inculcates transit use by youth. Post secondary students enjoy the very successful U-pass, but there is precious little for younger people.

The TripEd Committee—an advocacy group of lower mainland parents, teachers, librarians, arts community representatives and environmentalists—wants to see a group transit pass for youth on field trips included in the current Translink Plan. The cost of transit for field trips has become a major barrier, making important educational and social objectives difficult to achieve. It doesn’t matter how low we get our buses to “kneel” if the fare box becomes an even greater barrier to accessibility. Kids are lucky to have even one school field trip a year. That does little to expand their worlds or support educational goals. It also has negative impacts on local economies where museums, parks, theatres and science centres see diminished attendance and revenues.

We believe a low-cost annual group transit pass would resolve many of these issues. It would also provide substantial benefits, and assist in achieving objectives set out in Transport 2040. These are detailed in our submission to Translink, which is attached. Additionally, it would both introduce children to public transit, and model its use. Think

“raise a rider”.

“Raise a rider” means simply that, in order to get people to choose transit over other alternatives, we need to introduce them to the functionality and benefits of transit as children. In an age where kids no longer walk to school, to the local community centre, or the library, where is it they will actively learn that their public transit system can get them out there and connect them to their communities and beyond? What better time than through a school field trip?

A low cost annual group transit pass would encourage class trips to many destinations, while giving children the direct experience of local transit. It is a win-win on all sides. The proposal has earned support from a wide array of groups at both local and provincial levels:

• David Suzuki Foundation

• BCTF

• BC School Trustees Association

• BC Council of Parent Advisory Committees

• Vancouver City Council

• BC Field Trip Association

We are now actively seeking your support to ensure its inclusion in Translink’s plan.

Sincerely,

The TripEd Committee

Schula Leonard, Cynthia Wong, Krista Tulloch

604-254-8533 www.TripEd.info