Should there be 'family-only' sections on transit? Recommendations aimed at increasing ridership
The addition of "family-only" compartments on public transit was among several ideas recently proposed to TransLink to increase ridership among women and female-presenting passengers.
The Surrey Board of Trade submitted five recommendations to the transit provider last week, addressing everything from fare costs to women's sense of safety on buses and SkyTrains.
"Women need to feel safe utilizing those modes of transportation," board president Anita Huberman wrote in a letter to TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn. "However, we know this is not the case as women face the fear of harassment and assault while using transit."
Huberman noted that members of the board have experienced those kinds of alarming incidents personally. Reserving cabs or compartments for families could "make riders feel at ease," and increase their likelihood of utilizing public transit, she added.
Other recommendations from the board included hiring more female staff, improving lighting at transit stops, doubling the length of a single fare to three hours, and conducting research into the specific transit needs of women.
Huberman cited a recent report on Canadian women's transit needs that found women are still "overwhelmingly responsible for the caregiving of children, elderly parents and other relatives," which can mean frequent trips across cities for appointments and meetings, on top of their day jobs.
Asked whether TransLink was considering the board's recommendations, the company said Quinn has reached out to Huberman to discuss the concerns.
In an email, a spokesperson told CTV News that TransLink has already invested in improving lighting at "many stations and exchanges," including Surrey Central Station and several other hubs in Surrey, and is continuously working with police to improve safety.
"In fact, the numbers show we have not seen an increase in the number of crimes on transit. The number of reported crimes against persons has continued to fall year-over-year for the past four years, and is down 32 per cent compared to 2018," the spokesperson said.
Women also make up 40 per cent of SkyTrain attendants already, and just under 22 per cent of Metro Vancouver Transit Police officers.
TransLink encouraged anyone who feels unsafe to contact Transit Police by texting 87-77-77. Riders can also activate the silent alarm system to alert an attendant.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.