Concerns about how Compass Card will affect tourists

VANCOUVR (NEWS1130) – Tourism Vancouver is worried about how visitors using transit will be affected when the new Compass Card program is rolled out later this year.

It’s hoping to speak to TransLink about some upcoming changes.

Walt Judas with Tourism Vancouver says it’s their job to educate people new to our city about how the system works, but he would like to sit down with the transit authority to brainstorm ideas to make the transition easier.

“Of course, we can’t reach everybody that is in the city. So, some people are certainly going to be caught off-guard the first time they try to use the system in this way,” he admits.

When the new program comes into effect, anyone using cash-bought bus transfers will have to buy another ticket to ride the SkyTrain.

“It certainly might be a concern for some visitors who are unaware of the new system, but it’s difficult to determine just how many people it will impact,” he adds.

TransLink‘s solution is for users to buy the new Compass Card, which allows users to transfer between bus and rail.

“It is only customers who purchase fares on buses with cash who will not be able to use those transfers to transfer to rail — approximately 6,000 customers per day out of our 1.2 million daily rides,” says Derek Zabel with the transit authority in a statement.

There will be a grace period as the new system is introduced. There is no firm date for when it will officially launch, but it will be sometime before the end of the year.

There is an online petition, calling for TransLink to reconsider upgrading the bus fare boxes to deliver Compass-compatible tickets.