TransLink seeking volunteers for new customer service program

Westbound bus stop for the 99 B-Line UBC express bus at Commercial-Broadway Station. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Metro Vancouver’s public transit authority is looking for enthusiastic public transit users who want to help guide and connect passengers with their communities.

It is the latest initiative by TransLink to help passengers “have the best possible transit experience.”

The Community Transit Volunteer Team launches this summer with trained volunteers stationed outside fare paid zones at transit hubs in their own communities. The familiarity with one’s own community enables volunteers to act as neighbourhood experts and help passengers navigate the area.

You might also like:

These volunteers will answer questions by passengers and help direct them during busy community events. As well, they will also share useful information about TransLink projects and programs.

Volunteers should have a knowledge of the regional public transit system, communities, and tourist locations, have strong communication skills, and have a friendly, outgoing, and welcoming demeanour.

As well, they should be able to navigate the internet from a smartphone, and have a “commitment to customer care.”

Selected volunteers will be provided with a one-day training course to equip them with all the tools they require to fulfill their role and to learn more about the public transit system.

Furthermore, all participants must be at least 18 years old and will be asked to undergo a background check.

In exchange, volunteers will be eligible to receive TransLink apparel, monthly draw prizes, and other transit incentives, including employment opportunities.

Applications are now open to become a TransLink volunteer.

The program is one of the many components of TransLink’s Customer Experience Action Plan announced earlier this year of implementing infrastructure, amenities, strategies, and operations that improve the passenger experience.

TransLink’s Community Transit Volunteer Team is similar to Vancouver International Airport’s (YVR) Green Coat volunteers. Over 400 public-facing personnel who wear the “green coat” uniforms inside the terminal building are trained volunteers who add to the customer service experience for travellers. YVR’s Green Coat volunteers returned in March 2021 after a one-year pandemic hiatus.

You might also like: