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Ahh, just as real progress on public transit is being made, about 40% of the comments on the CBC article are nonsensical drivel...
 
From the Richmond Review:

Richmond Review
Canada Line popular among air travellers

By Matthew Hoekstra - Richmond Review

Published: November 04, 2009 11:00 AM
Updated: November 04, 2009 11:22 AM

Almost one in six air travellers are taking the Canada Line to get to Vancouver International Airport.

Since the Canada Line opened over two months ago, 15 per cent of passengers have hopped aboard the rapid transit train to get to YVR, surpassing Vancouver Airport Authority's expectations of 10 per cent.

"We're happy with the ridership," said Larry Berg, airport president, at a city council committee meeting Monday.

In the airport authority's annual update to council, Berg told elected officials the only downside for the airport is that parking revenues are down by up to 15 per cent.

“That’s what it’s intended to do, to take cars off the road, and it has," he said.

More airport employees will soon be taking the Canada Line in the mornings—for at least the Sea Island leg. A 2,500-space employee-only park-and-ride facility is set to open soon at Templeton Station.

Commuters can also expect a jump in airport traffic on the Canada Line during the Olympics.

Berg told council the Winter Olympics will bring an extra 250,000 passengers to the airport. In all, the airport is expecting to handle 380,000 passengers during the Games, but business traffic is expected to shrink in the same period, accounting for the smaller figure.

TransLink is proposing to hike transit fares to the airport starting Jan. 1, 2010. Currently, travellers to any of the three stations on Sea Island can travel with a standard transit pass. Proposed is an "add fare" of $2.50 for passengers travelling from Bridgeport and Sea Island stations in either direction.

The TransLink Commission is accepting comments from the public on the surcharge until Nov. 30. E-mail comments@translinkcommission.org.
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EDITORIAL: Canada Line surcharge to YVR will be good for cabbies

Published: November 04, 2009 2:00 PM
Updated: November 04, 2009 2:53 PM

We’re glad to see the Canada Line has been popular with travellers heading to Vancouver International Airport.

So far, 15 per cent of passengers have hopped aboard the rapid transit train to get to YVR, surpassing Vancouver Airport Authority’s expectations of 10 per cent.

But that could change come January, when users will be dinged an extra $2.50 for travelling onto Sea Island, the island of the airport improvement fee.

For most travellers staying in hotels in downtown Vancouver, $2.50 isn’t going to make a difference.

But for a family of four, that’s an extra $10 (assuming there is no reduced charge for children or seniors). If said family of four lives in Richmond’s City Centre, the cab bill would likely be less than taking the Canada Line.

And if that four lives near Oakridge in Vancouver, where they would already pay extra during rush hour for travelling into a different transit zone, it would cost more than $20 for a rush hour trip to YVR. A cab ride would cost about the same.

The Canada Line is part of TransLink’s three-zone system, where adult users pay $2.50, $3.75 or $5 depending on the number of zones crossed. What’s so special about going to Sea Island that users will have to pay $2.50 more? This is just another gouge of airport users (though it’s of TransLink’s doing) and will set a bad precedent.

And if ridership expectations are already being surpassed, then why the need for a surcharge?

If you think this is a bad idea, the TransLink Commission is accepting comments from the public on the surcharge until Nov. 30. To comment, send an e-mail to comments@translinkcommission.org.
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From the Globe and Mail:

Things that Work: The 7th in a series on a better B.C.
Canada Line delivers a smooth ride
Ian Bailey

Vancouver — From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published on Monday, Dec. 28, 2009 8:34PM EST

Last updated on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009 2:58AM EST

The Canada Line earned Ryan Campbell's affection by sparing him the daily ordeal of taking four buses and walking two kilometres to get to his job in Richmond.

Much of that grind for the 20-year-old West Vancouver resident has been erased by the $2-billion system, which began running last August and is the first in Canada to link a downtown to its airport.

But it's the line past the airport to central Richmond that cheers Mr. Campbell.

On a chill, blustery December night, Mr. Campbell is far from the airport, disembarking from Richmond-Brighouse – the southernmost station – for a quick walk to his customer service job at a London Drugs outlet.

“It's perfect,” Mr. Campbell said when asked about his views of the Line. “If [the Canada Line] wasn't around, I couldn't make it to this place I'm working at so easily.”

Because of stops through Richmond and at such Vancouver-area fixtures as the airport, City Hall, the burgeoning Olympic Village neighbourhood, Yaletown and the downtown SeaBus terminal, the Canada Line has picked up considerable support.

Daily Canada Line ridership has occasionally topped 100,000, which is the break-even threshold for the system covering its operating costs. That level comes about three years ahead of schedule.

Including weekends, the Canada Line is averaging 92,852 riders a day, said Steve Crombie, spokesman for InTransitBC, builder and operator of the system.

“The trend is increasing. We've been seeing weekly increases since the line started,” he said.

Critics focus on the fact that the Canada Line came before the much-needed Evergreen Line to the northeast, the devastating impact of street-gouging construction on businesses in the Cambie Village area of central Vancouver, and that some bus routes were trimmed or eliminated as a result of its opening.

But the line is crowded with its fans.

They include Steven Nelson, a 34-year-old Bell Canada technician who is in the Lower Mainland from Toronto these days for work related to the 2010 Olympics.

Mr. Nelson, also disembarking at Richmond-Brighouse, said that without the line he would have been relying on buses to get to work, which he suggested was not an enticing prospect.

“Overall, I think the service is great.”

Gordon Price, a six-term Vancouver city councillor who is now director of the city program at Simon Fraser University, said things appear to be going “pretty damn well” for the system.

He said he has been struck by the number of passengers toting and pushing their luggage. Mr. Price said he was skeptical business travellers would be interested in taking a system that compelled them to take their luggage to and from the stations.

“What I hadn't taken into account was the downsizing of luggage to carry-on and wheels. You can sure see it, pretty dramatic,” he said. “It brought a class of people, who normally didn't take transit into their thinking and got them aboard … both literally and enthusiastically.”

Mr. Price has been using the line to get from his home in Vancouver's West End to the downtown campus of SFU, taking a bus to the Vancouver-City Centre stop for the line.

“It's kind of an enjoyable trip in the sense that I get to see that transit culture in action, which I kind of enjoy.”

He also uses it to get to Vancouver City Hall, the airport, and has used it to go for dim sum at the critically acclaimed Chinese restaurants in Richmond.

His one big criticism: No station in the midst of the shops, restaurants and other businesses of bustling Cambie Village.

“Particularly after the hardship they went through, it would have made sense,” he said.
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The mechanism for administering the YVR AddFare has been announced:

Canada Line $5 YVR surcharge will only be charged leaving airport
Only applies to tickets purchased from Ticket Vending Machines; not pre-paid passes

Irfaan Gaffar / Mike Hanafin Jan 07, 2010 19:12:07 PM

RICHMOND (NEWS1130): As expected, the Canada Line will get a surchage for YVR, starting January 18th. But it will be a $5 one-way charge only--leaving the airport--and will only apply to tickets purchased from Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs)--not for people using pre-paid fares and passes.

Canada Line passengers leaving YVR-Airport, Sea Island Centre and Templeton Stations, heading to Bridgeport Station and points beyond will be required to pay an additional $5 surcharge on top of their transit fare. There will be no extra charge on trips to YVR. TVMs at the YVR stations will automatically charge the added far on all transactions.

TransLink’s original proposal was for an additional fare of $2.50 for travel to as well as from the airport, but many felt that would impossible to police. The good news for people working at the airport, or frequent transit users: Anyone using pre-paid fares, such as DayPasses, FareCards, FareSaver Tickets, U-Passes, Employer Passes and the BC Government Bus Pass Program will be exempt and will not be charged an additional fare for any trip on the Canada Line to or from the airport.

Travel on the Canada Line is free between stations on Sea Island.
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What's the ridership on the other sky train lines if anyone is aware?
 
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That's quite the fair fare policy for a direct airport link. St. Louis has a similar policy for LRT fares leaving Lambert International Doesn't penalize airport workers or frequent travellers, and is a reasonable premium for a quick ride downtown. Anyone paying attention from either SNC-Lavalin, GTAA, or the Blue22 fan club?
 
I've been taking the Canada Line to and from work every day for the past two months. It's fast, clean...and free to the media.
 
In May, I visited Vancouver for the first time in six years, and what a difference it makes. But one of the things I wanted to do was to check out the Canada Line, especially the part in Richmond.

The elevated structure along Number 3 Road is tame, and would fit on our wide, suburban arterials like Eglinton east of Don Mills, Don Mills Road, even much of Sheppard, Don Mills or elsewhere. The stations are minimalist, yet attractive, like all Skytrain stations after the original phase of the initial Expo Line.

Taken from the front of the train, Richmond, over Number 3 Road.

5871500515_fcb6afc718_b.jpg


5872058560_98afca208f_b.jpg


5871499983_b0352c1a42_b.jpg


Richmond-Brighouse Station, end of the line. Between Lansdowne and Brighouse, the line is single track.

And look on Number 3 Road. Four lanes of through motor traffic, plus turn lanes, and bike lanes and elevated transit! In a Canadian suburb!
But this is where I first noticed the use of new "T" signs for rapid transit, which are used now for the Skytrain/Canada Line signage.









Bus and walking wayfinding maps and signs:



5872143688_5c5c6982c3_b.jpg


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I really wish the TTC took a page out of this, and added the buses from this station map. I think that would be so useful.
 
Just got back from Vancouver over the weekend. Didn't like the extra $ to take the Canada Line from the airport but had to bite the bullet on that one. Other than that, the Canada Line is very impressive. I did find that the cars (in terms of length) are rather short... only 3 or 4 cars per train.
 
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