An independent review of TransLink's two SkyTrain shutdowns this summer has made 20 recommendations to improve the service, in a report released this morning.
Among the recommendations are the need to upgrade the manual restart system — which can take several hours — with an auto-restart system that would significantly reduce delays.
UPDATE, 6 p.m.: TransLink said will adopt all 20 recommendations (a cost of $71 million), reports The Province.
Other recommendations included:
-Modifying rules around the movement of trains during a shutdown.
-Installing back-up for, and decoupling, critical systems.
-Restricting repairs of critical systems to non-peak hours.
-Updating maintenance manuals and procedures.
-Upgrading intrusion detection systems.
-Installing system-wide CCTV coverage.
-Streamlining radio communications.
-Improving response times for staff.
-Improving public address systems.
-Installing programmable message boards at stations.
-Improving call centre and website capacity and response.
-Expanding advisories of major delays to bus scrolling screens.
-After the report was released, TransLink put out a media release accepting all the recommendations.
"We have taken these incidents very seriously, and we fully accept and are acting on all 20 recommendations. We have already started the work," TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis said in the release.
In July, two system-wide shutdowns just five days apart trapped passengers on trains for hours. Many riders complained TransLink was slow to respond, leaving them with little choice but to force open doors and walk off the trains.
TransLink originally said a review was not needed because it had determined that human error and a faulty electrical panel were behind the problems.
But the organization changed that decision after heavy criticism and hired Gary MacNeil, the former CEO of Toronto's GO Transit to conduct a review of the incidents.
MacNeil's main focus has been looking at TransLink's communication problems and the safety issues created when passengers opened train doors and walked off the elevated rail lines.
CEO Ian Jarvis is expected to be there to respond.
EARLIER ON HUFFPOST:
Among the recommendations are the need to upgrade the manual restart system — which can take several hours — with an auto-restart system that would significantly reduce delays.
UPDATE, 6 p.m.: TransLink said will adopt all 20 recommendations (a cost of $71 million), reports The Province.
Other recommendations included:
-Modifying rules around the movement of trains during a shutdown.
-Installing back-up for, and decoupling, critical systems.
-Restricting repairs of critical systems to non-peak hours.
-Updating maintenance manuals and procedures.
-Upgrading intrusion detection systems.
-Installing system-wide CCTV coverage.
-Streamlining radio communications.
-Improving response times for staff.
-Improving public address systems.
-Installing programmable message boards at stations.
-Improving call centre and website capacity and response.
-Expanding advisories of major delays to bus scrolling screens.
-After the report was released, TransLink put out a media release accepting all the recommendations.
"We have taken these incidents very seriously, and we fully accept and are acting on all 20 recommendations. We have already started the work," TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis said in the release.
In July, two system-wide shutdowns just five days apart trapped passengers on trains for hours. Many riders complained TransLink was slow to respond, leaving them with little choice but to force open doors and walk off the trains.
TransLink originally said a review was not needed because it had determined that human error and a faulty electrical panel were behind the problems.
But the organization changed that decision after heavy criticism and hired Gary MacNeil, the former CEO of Toronto's GO Transit to conduct a review of the incidents.
MacNeil's main focus has been looking at TransLink's communication problems and the safety issues created when passengers opened train doors and walked off the elevated rail lines.
CEO Ian Jarvis is expected to be there to respond.
EARLIER ON HUFFPOST: