@kellekristin / Twitter
TransLink released a statement at 2 p.m. today (Monday) warning that more delays are expected if Metro Vancouver gets another large dump of snow as expected this afternoon and into Tuesday morning.
What a shock!
“We are expecting another significant snowfall beginning this afternoon and continuing through the evening,” read the statement. “We are getting ready to provide as much service as possible for customers, but they should expect less frequency on SkyTrain than they’re used to. Under these weather conditions, all of our trains must be manned by a staff member, limiting the number of trains available.”
SkyTrain was paralyzed Monday morning due to snowy and icy weather conditions. Stations were packed across the SkyTrain system and the transit provider was lambasted on social media over the delays. Lougheed Station in Burnaby saw massive lines all morning.
Yikes! Never seen lines like this for #Skytrain #lougheed @GlobalBC @CKNW pic.twitter.com/9EXx5NAlil
— Ted Field (@tedfieldglobal) February 11, 2019
But TransLink says it has stepped up efforts to deal with the situation, committing to:
- “Call out extra staff to assist customers and coordinate service.
- Salt and sand all transit exchanges to prevent slippery surfaces.
- Coordinate with municipalities on snow clearing if priority routes are impacted.
- Deploy special trucks to spread anti-icing solution on trolley wires.
- Install brass “cutters” on some trolley buses to cut through ice on trolley wires.
What we’ll do if conditions are severe
- Replace articulated buses with 40’ conventional buses when necessary, as they are more agile on steep, slippery areas.
- Install tire socks on buses on Burnaby Mountain and on key North Shore routes where hills and traction are an issue.
- Run special SkyTrain that sprays de-icer on the power rail to keep trains moving.
- Run trains through the night if snow is especially heavy, to keep tracks clear.
- Send HandyDART out with two staff per vehicle, to ensure customers get safely to their door, and assist in digging out the bus if required.
- Activate further staff increases to assist customers right across the system.”
