No, the bus isn't free today for Earth Day in Vancouver and people have thoughts
In an effort to encourage people to support sustainable and green choices this Earth Day, public transit will be free for thousands of British Columbians. Unfortunately, those who live in Metro Vancouver will still have to pay.
BC Transit announced last week that on April 22, aka Earth Day, it will offer free service in Victoria, Whistler, and Penticton, among other cities.
“Earth Day highlights the importance of sustainability and encourages people to make choices that reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) and help protect our environment. Taking public transit is one way to make a difference,” its website reads in part.
We contacted TransLink to ask why the SeaBus, SkyTrain, and even buses around the region aren’t following suit.
It turns out we aren’t the only ones wondering. A question was posed on social media, and some didn’t hold back in their comments.
“Is Vancouver transit free for Earth Day today? I know I’ll probably get downvoted for this but I am going to ask anyways since I can’t seem to find the answer,” one person asked on Reddit.
“No. Translink doesn’t accept sensible suggestions,” someone responded.
“That would be a great idea. Alas, no,” another expressed.
“Just stand at the gates of King George (or any station for that matter) it’s free for a lot of people…” another joked.
Meantime, the company is at stations today as part of its “Transit for the Planet” campaign.
“TransLink employees will be handing out wildflower seed packets at seven major transit hubs to thank customers for choosing transit and to celebrate Earth Day,” it wrote.
Today is #EarthDay 🌍
Consider parking your car and taking #Transit4ThePlanet
Choosing transit over driving can reduce your carbon footprint by 80% and save you up to $8,000 per year. @TransLink pic.twitter.com/pwGdJBj01w
— Tina Lovgreen (@tinalovgreen) April 22, 2024
A TransLink spokesperson tells us that it really just comes down to money.
“Free transit for even one weekday would result in approximately $1 million of lost fare revenues, which is used to directly fund transit services in Metro Vancouver. This loss in revenue would further contribute to TransLink’s funding shortfall, which is forecast to be an average of $600 million per year starting in 2026,” they said.
“TransLink encourages residents to take transit on Earth Day instead of driving, which would reduce their transportation emissions by an average of 80%,” they added.
What do you think of this? Do you think public transit should be free for all on Earth Day? Let us know in the comments.
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