Huge lineups as TransLink Compass wristbands sell out in one hour
Posted December 3, 2018 1:22 pm.
Last Updated December 3, 2018 1:26 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – People hoping to get one of TransLink’s new Compass wristbands will now have to wait until next year to get their hands on one. This is after all available wristbands were sold out in less than an hour on Monday.
TransLink announced the new bands on Nov. 29, noting those who were interested could pick one up at the Stadium-Chinatown Station or the West Coast Express Office in Waterfront Station as of Monday.
“People were lined up from before customer service open and by the time it was 9:30 am or 9 o ‘clock they were all gone,” said Jill Drews with TransLink.
The wristbands were a limited release, with only 1,000 adult wristbands and 1,000 concession ones made available for the Monday release.
Despite TransLink announcing the bands had been sold out, dozens of people still lined up outside Stradium-Chinatown Station.
“I’ll wait as long as I can to get one,” said Gabriella, who has been waiting in line with her friend and their babies for over an hour.
She said having a wristband would make commuting with a toddler easier as her card would always be easily accessible.
But she said TransLink should’ve known the bands were going to be so popular, “A lot of people were talking about it on Facebook, they should at least thought ‘there’s a lot of people who want it, might as well make more.’”
Others waiting in line for almost three hours, hoping to get lucky.
“I’m hoping to get one for my wife because she’s always having to dig in her purse to find her card,” said Robert, who had lost track of how long he had been in line for.
The wristbands work just like a regular Compass Card by paying a $6 refundable fee for it and can be registered online.
“People were really patient and we thank them for that,” said Drews. “It’s definitely high level of interest and we use a manufacturer in Germany, so we’ll order some more and have them shipped out and made up and branded and hopefully, we’ll have them on offer in the first couple of months of the year.”
Drews also said TransLink is open to the idea of expanding the program and making other wearables, but said there’s still no timeline for that.
