Winter tires on TransLink buses? Don't count on it
Bus drivers are speaking out about the terrible road conditions that put them in danger during this week’s snowstorm.
“I think municipalities have failed. They knew about the storm (that) was coming,” said Balbir Mann, president of Unifor Local 111, the bus drivers' union.
“There should have been sand out on the streets, salt. They have special chemicals they use now that’s very effective, but I don’t think it was done in a timely manner,” he continued.
Road conditions were rough this week, with images circulating of cars and buses crashing into each other in Surrey.
Many commuters across Metro Vancouver were left feeling frustrated as they were trapped in buses for hours, struggling to get home.
Bus drivers don’t want to see Tuesday's chaos repeated.
A major question on people's minds is winter tires. Will we see them installed on TransLink buses? Likely not.
In a statement to CTV News, TransLink said all its buses "are equipped with three-peak mountain snowflake tires for winter weather. These tires have been recommended to us by Michelin as the best tires for typical Metro Vancouver winter weather."
“These tires well exceed B.C. regulations for operating in winter conditions,” the statement continued.
While these "all-season" tires are tested for performance in snow, they are not the same as winter tires.
“I’ve seen many storms myself," Mann said. "Are we safe in these tires? Yes, we are. But we drive to the conditions of the road. We never had winter socks before, now we do."
The socks are being used for specific buses that drive up hilly areas with snow buildup, and are not effective on roads without snow, according to TransLink.
“Tire socks are used on specific routes that meet these conditions, such as Burnaby Mountain, UBC, and certain areas on the North Shore,” the transit provider said in its statement.
“Most of the delays to bus service on Tuesday evening were caused by buses stuck in traffic due to gridlock throughout Metro Vancouver.”
Correction
This story has been updated to better explain the distinction between winter tires and three-peak mountain snowflake tires.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.